Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1905-02-10

but there was none like Miss SaIlie
Smith. She was the belle among bellies.
Miss Sallie spent some time one day
in deep thought.
Well l don't care.' she said to
herself. Billy certainly can't think as
much or me as jerks, for II he does
why doesn't he show it,"
Outward demonstration and mate
rial evidence count for everything In
this world. And the situation that
perplexed Miss Sallie Smith was a pc
culiar one. She had two admirers who
were strenuous ones. The name of
one OF these young men was William
Burke. The name OF the other was
Jenklnson. 1t was toss up between
the two. But the trouble was that
while William Burke was the neater
dresser and possessed n more attractive
bearing. yet Mr.. Jenkinson was man
who wooed Miss Smith in the approved
manner, by lavishing upon her a con-
siderable ar%unt of coin! Miss Sallie
Smith did not care so much about the
amount OF coin lavished upon her, but
| - NAC OhAy WY III MhiCn-u6
things go in First avenue-the only
way by which she could measure the
quality and quantity OF mans atten-
tons. Burke couldn't be stingy, she
felt. but he did not come to time. as
one might say. Jenklnson. on the other
hand. poured his wealth at her feet.
Now, Miss Smith was such a good
manager that up to date Mr. Burke and
Mr.. Jenkinson had never met. But
both gentlemen were becoming so In
sistent that she determined finally that
she would make n choice. She was
really fortunate. for there are few
girls who have two proposers hanging
around every day In the week She
would give each man a fair chance.
judge OF the devotion OF each by the
best standards. and then she would de-
eide once and for all.
Mr.. Jenkinson was trolley ear con-
ductor. Mr.. Jcnkinson held before his
mental vision this motto: ''rhe great
est good to the greatest number. The
greatest number-No. l." And, being a
trolley car conductor, it was up to him
to put this motto into everyday prac-
uce. He had made up his mind that
Miss Sallie Smith was the only girl I'm
the universe, ana It was his purpose to
| make her think more than ever that. he
was the only man. fortunately. the
| season favored him. 1t was tile holt
day time and the cars were crowded.
ovcrcrowied.
Mr.. Jenkinson laid out little pro-
grnmme to commence few DAYS be-
fore Christmas and to finish up with
Christmas Itself. The important char
ncters on the programme were himself
and Miss Sallie Smith-a night or two
nt the theater. n dinner and an east
side diamond ring to wind up with on
the day of all days. expensive luxu-
ries for man with his salary, but Mr..
Jeiikinson had way TO fix all that.
The holiday crowds helped him out.
Mr. Jenkinson propounded to himself
problem I'm mental arithmetic: III 200
people on car pay their fare and the
indicator bell is ruug only 100 times.
On Who Will know the difference?
co How much Is there I'm IL for the
conductor? CD How often must it be
done TO carry out the Jenkinson pro-
gramme? 1t may be said at this Juno
turc that Mr.. Jenkinson was an adept
Mt this sort of game and also that he
had never been caught.
Now, II was just about this time that
Miss Smith. wig didn't really know
just why, made up her mind to invite
Mr. Burke and Mr.. Jenkinson to call.
both upon the same evening. that even
ing being the night before Christmas.
They both accepted. In the meantime
rate was mixing up things Just n little
Dit. Mr.. Ienkinson was solving his
problem IN highly satisfactory man
ner. An incident will suffice TO show
his method. II was the day before
Christmas. His route ended at Fifty
ninth street -Four blocks this side OF
F1fty-nlnth street he turned his indi-
Gator hand back 10 zero This was pc
culiar. beca use, as he had four blocks
still TO go. and IN holiday season. too.
it Us probable that IL would be neces-a
sary 10 ring up more fares. And IL was
necessary. But he rang them up so
that they stood credited to the down
trip.
SO far he had been honest. His next
move. however. was profitable. when
he reached Fffty-ninth street he had
received seven or eight fares which ne
duly rang up. Leaving those seven or
elght credited TO the down trip. the
hrst seven or eight fares he collected
On the down trip he did not ring up.
Whys Because. apparently, they were
already rung up, This little scheme
netted him S5 or 40 cents. This Is only
enc method. AFR. Jenkinson had not
noted. hewever. that one of his passen-
sers. p we'll dressed young man. en-
gagged IN reading the newspaper did
hot aiighf Mt the end Of the trip and In
pieated that he had PASSED his point Of
departure and had "a SO back. This
young man was great reader But
ne STUCK close TO Arr Ienkinson's car
al the way down--mareiy one OF the
crowd.
That evening Mr. Jenkinsop attend
ed at Miss Sallie Smiths He was re-
ceived with enthusiasm, for he and
Miss sallie had attended a perform.
ance at the theater on the evening pres
vsous. Finally Mr.. Billy Burke. nattysl
rs usaal, turned up. As he entered he
was Introduced TO Mr.. Jenkinson He
locked, stared. gave short gasp and
then shook hands He acknowledged
TO himself that Nfr, Ienkinsop's face
had become familiar TO him. Mr,sJen-
6iIsoa evidently bad never seea him.
Now, there was one thing that Mr..
Billy Burke could hot help noticing
aud that was that Miss Sallie Smith
had decided leaning toward Jenkin-
son. He (Billy Burke) seemed pretty
well out of II. Miss Smith had meant |
TO be impartial, but Mr.. Jenkinson's |
attentions had really overpoweredS her.
The hour of parting came. Mr.. Burke,
with delicacy which he felt to be due |
to the occasion, left first. He walked
sicwly down the stairs and out into |
the street. He shook his head THAT i
Fellow" he exclaimed softly to himself,
But. after all, It's none of my bqsi- /
ness" He Thought about 1t for long /
while. Then, acting under Impulse, he