The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1905-07-12
A Conductors Poke
TOriginal.l

IOrfginal.]
! We are considered heartless, said
the conductor, because we put people
OF trains who tell us all sorts of stories
as to why they can't pay their fare.
The truth is We are not permitted to
Judge in such matters, our orders being
10 collect all fares. The only case in
which violated my instructions was
where considered myself to blame in
depriving passenger Of mis- ticket.
was in charge Of the Chicago Lin
tied from New York at the time and
was going through the train punching
| tickets when I came to a handsomely
dressed young man with suit case
beside him plastered all over with the
names Of foreign hotels. 1t was mid
| summer, and he was sleeping with the
| window beside him open, derby hat
pulled down over his eyes. We con-
ductors have to deal with so many
people who pretend they don't hear us
| when we call for tickets that instead
of asking a second time we poke them.
The young man referred to seemed to
be sleeping so soundly that l poked
him vigorously In the side. He stare
| ed up as if he had been shot, knock
ing his hat out Of the window. Plac-
ing his hands to his side, he groaned.
81 beg pardon" l said. Il hope /
didn't hurt you"
Hurt mew he said, almost GREATNESS
with agony. you've nearly killed me.
! I've an abscess ON my liver" And he
groaned again.
Pm sorry about your hat" l re-
marked, hoping to draw his mind from
his sufferings.
HAT! What hat?'
Didn't you notice that it went out
of the window"
"Did 1t? I don't care anything about
| q hat can buy one as soon as l have
the time. But I'm afraid you've done
me up. Doctor told me to let him oper-
ate on my liver, promising If didn't
that the first thing l run my side
against might break the abscess and
kill me-"
The young man was so frightened
about himself that began to feel I'M
easy for fear l had done him serious
injury. stood leaning on the back Of
the seat looking down on him anxious.
~ till his sufferings seemed to moder-
ate, then asked again for his ticket.
"Oh, my ticket. If you'd have asked
me for it you might have had 1t long
ago. It's this COMPOUNDED poking you
| conductors practice that / object to.
I'm going to report this matter to the
proper official of the road and find out
IL something can't be done to stop the
nuisance"
'I'll repair the damage" l replied,
''by getting you another hat at the first
stop"
Hat. What's a hat to me? 1t cost
me a guinea in London only last week,
but do you suppose I'm thinking about
that? I'm worrying for my life"
Meanwhile he had taken out his peck
etbook, opened 1t, pulled out ticket,
which proved to be a check Of some
sort, put 1t back, took out something
else, paused for a parOxysm Of pain,
clapping his hand on his liver; shut up
his pocketbOOk, put 1t away and began
to search elsewhere for his ticket. Sud-
denly he stopped hunting and exclaim-
ed:
by thunder, am in FIX"
whats the matter now?'
'Ticket and baggage checks all in the
lining Of my hat"
I sighed. Here was more blame for
me, consequent upon my poke.
Now. see here" pursued the young
man angrily and talking loud enough to
be heard all over the car, this is an
outrage. You not only ram your fist
into me. but knock my hat out of the
window with my string Of tickets all
the way to Chicago, and I've got moth
ing to show for my trunks"
More unpleasantness for me. 1 could
pass him to the end Of my run, but
what would he do after that? However,
braced up and said to him:
'Never mind your ticket"
I was about to move on when he
stopped me.
II do mind my ticket or the loss of
it. and want you to Ak me to Chi
cago."
"Chicag0v'
Certainly, Chicago. You've deprlv-
ed me Of my tickets there, and don't
propose to let you off without making
My loss good. I'm lawyer, am, and
I'll begin suit, not against you; I'm not
so stupid as that, but against the road.
It'll pay for the tickets, besides DAM
ages and costs"
The question arose in my mind. Shall
I get the company into lawsuit and
doubtless lose my position, or put the
man through; decided on the latter
course. We conductors have ways of
doing things with our fellow conduct
ors, and gave the passenger line to
those who followed me which they
II \ l.