Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-08
FREE-RIDE GRAFT Err


ing machines in Washington. recently told
some curious tales about the free-ride
grafters who make business of pretending
that they are going to buy cars.
women are pretty clever at that sort
of thing in New York. he said Some
women of the stage-show girls. particu-
larly-are genuinely scientific in the
schemes they work to get free motor car
rides for themselves and their pals. Their
impudence when they're unmasked liz as
colossal as their nerve
Not long ago show girl who has been
exploited a lot in the picture periodicals
on account of her good looks. and who.
not more than year ago passed through
the bankruptcy court with liabilities lip in
the tens of thousands-which wasn't so bad
considering her S25-a-week income at the
eno or the chorus line-te!ephoned to my
place in New York that she would like to
try out one of our big power touring cars,
ana asked me to send one up that afternoon
with an experienced chauffeur. Now.
had tbs woman tabled good and plenty
was just waiting for her call. She'd been
riding around New York and New Jersey
ard connecticut and all of the purlieus and
businesses thereof for more than a year in
swell! stock cars that she was always going
10 puy. but that Always failed to make a
MT with her after she'd tried them. and
had her record on free-ride grating all
charted out from canape to Camembert.
Ihats why l took the machine up to
hef apartment house myself. | desired to
see her and say few trenchant words to
hef L called up the tube to her that the
machine was waiting down in front and she
repaed trait she and her friends would be
doWn presently Such 4 gay. glad lot of
girls-all of the stage-they were when
they finally rol!cked down the hall ana out
10 the curb where | was waiting with the
machine. l stepped out of the if to
ND t1,1,, M
free-riaing grating show woman
suppose you are meditating purchas-
ing one OF these machines, are you not,
Miss Tippietoes? said l.
she looked me over in a puzzled sort
of way. and replied:
Sure thing. l am! Come on and get in,
girls. addressing her pals.
Just teenchy little Bit said l. barring
about that new rule OF the car agents with
reference to all new machines that go out
Of stock to be tried?'
Rule" said the show girl with the
ptony purchasing habit. What new rule?
Sure, no, [ haven't heard anything about
any new rule. Don't you want to sell one of
your old machines? beginning to swell up
into imitation huffiness
On. yes, / want to SELF all of the ma
chimes l can unload / replied but | want
to sci EN- before they become secondhand
RE new .ule that I mention is that per-
sons trying new machines are required to
pay for them at the rate of $40 an hour
to pay that rate. that is if they do not take
the machines. And deposit for three hours
is required in advance to make this rule
binding
'Of course there never was any such a
rule but doped it out that the young wom-
an with the getting herself photographed
habit needed Il bit of take-down
But was she taken down any? Not any
She laughed merry, ripping. mirthful
laugh.
hah ,1,o
glingly. You mustn't let that bug habit
grow upon you. Ten dollars an hour. and
terms N advance. you say? Please don't
MAKE me litter. I've got my makeup on ;
and she staked me to some more joyous
gurgling.
But. madam I said to her, solemnly
you don't want to buy any car You know.
I've heard all about you. You just want to
ride. you see
Why. Of course want to ride" she re-
piled with the most beauteous and enga ging
candor you ever saw or heard of. What 8
the answer? Somebody must have SWITCHED
on me: And I am really going to get a car
of my own some day, when Mr.. Rockefeller.
or Hinky Dink. or Bathhouse John, or
somebody stakes to 1t. But. In the
meantime it's all off with our little excur-
sion out into the cool woody country, sup
pose?
oh. pretty near all off, said T. stepping
back into the wagon and beginning to start
it up.
ON, well. don't you care, little one,
amiaby remarked the show girl to me.
continuing to give me t. pealins boot.
You'll be able to poke hop into your arm
with needle and be real cute little Sher-
lock Holmes some day. if you're good and
behave. Dada! Shake dada to mamma !,
Mamma is busy-she's got to go right down.
town and hunt up some other mark that
runs a buZZ-buggy shop
Take it to heart. Ell? Not much. did she :,
I pulled away from there with a sort Of
king shed M to ba
mat for the full; count. and If you can't see
how much better of the argument she had,
you want to get yer treated.
But. all the samee. that very afternoon
I bought an armful of copies of a publica-
ton in which her picture had appeared a
short time before. and I sent the clipped
llnenesses out to every auto-selling concern
in New York with a note to each of them
telling about her little game. She hasn't
had q free ride in a stock car that maybe
she's going to buy since that afternoon al
though she's tried to work a number OF
them"