The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1907-09-13
PASSING AWAY.
Passenger Agent is no Longer Wor
ried by Callers Who Want Free
Transportation.
Dallas (Tcxas) News.

SN"A Po'oSliSCl NScllI OIL
great railroad system is a lonely man
just now. In his Office he sits, rub
berlng at the door and elongating his
neck like an excited mud turtle until
boy nonchalantly approaches with
a wet yellow telegram that informs
him the Interstate Commerce Com
mission refuses to countenance rates
in circular No. 24,765,s ,s76, and that he
must give two years notice notice be-
fore operating the excursion next
month. lie is lonesome because the
pass seeker is no more.
Formerly he was noted for his af-
fable manners and the glad grip he
gave hands, He was priced as a
means to an end, and personal ac
qualntancc with him was valued above
rubblcs for not with a wave of his
hand or scratch Of his pen send a
person withcrsocvcr he would go9
When he reached a point where he
could slap people on the back, give
them cigar and send them dazed in
to the street without the pass they
asked for, yet with a feeling Of glad
Ness that they had called, he was
slated for promotion. Railroads don't
like to offend people, not even those
who demand passes when they have
as much right to demand freight cars
for play houses for their offspring.
And at time, too, when freight cars
are being fought for by shippers.
Many are troubled or oppressed. The
trouble because they were broke, the
oppression because railroad charged
for passage. To them he would lend
a sympthctic car, until the ear would
look and feel like monograph horn
in a popular five-cent moving-picture
show.
If he couldn't give pass, owing to
some severe strain Of rules in case
he did, his duty was to break the sad
news SO gently the seeker would feel
that the road loved him like BROTH
cr and that the directors, aye, even
the stockholders, were weeping be-
cause he couldn't ger IT.
Many and various were the people
who asked for passes and for reduc-
ed rates. Many and various we're rne
reasons they gave for it, ranging from
allegation that the seeker had once
saved a train from wreck to the fact
that some years ago he shipped a
pig from Minneapolis and that it
went over the company's lines for
three miles. More often there was no
reason at all.
But it has been changed now. The
ink has grown dark on the stubs OF
the once rapidly-thinning passbook.
The bench where the seekers sat and
awaited their turn to soak the rail-
road man for transportation is filled
with dust. The suspicious glare is
fading from the CHIEF clerks eyes
and he is becoming actually compan-
ionable, when he sees man come in
he does not associate him with pas
ses. He sometimes thinks he may be
intending adding to rne conscience
fund.
But the general passenger agent is
lonely. But for the myriad rules and
orders Of the Interstate Commerce
Commission and the Railroad Com
mission Of his state he would be driv-
en- to the golf links every afternoon
about 1910. His face is losing that
look Of affability that once charac-
tcrized it. The smile that would mt
come off is fading under the loneli-
ness.
!, For nobody comes for passes. His
( skill in the gentle art of throwing
people off the track is disappearing.
His keen wit is rusting diSyraccfully.
Its awfui'y tame n,-~'.
The people who have to travel have
yielded to the inevitable and buy
tickets from the city onlcc. lie never
sees them. The Office clerks come
and go, and he is weary of seeing
their hair parted in the middle. He
knots what muscle the railroad bust
ness has left him and yearns for con-
flict with the promoter Of some
would-be magazine with visionary
circulation who seeks to have him ad-
lvertise to tho extent Of II mileage
Ifoooks and three annual passes. The