The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1908-08-14

InereS nothing can come up to boost
ing
The thing that we call civic pride"
$500
Finnigan belonged to that particu-
lar type of the genus homo, who,
through various and varied expert
ences, has come to be CLASH fled,
among the long suffering female pOr-
ton OF the pOpUlace as the sportive
street car conductor
He wore inf1ammatOry stocks and
hose, tilted his cap at a dangerous
angle, and smiled generously and
blandly upon any defenseless young
woman who might perChance, board
his car.
In fact, his greasy blue uniform,
dingy with the dust of many DAYS.
fairly crinkled audibIy with the i'm
portance of its owner. who, each time
that he rounded a corner. and gave
the bell for a lady passenger, appear
ed to grow more and more taking
in his manner and his airy pleasant
ness.
When he wasn't taking the com
| pany's nickels-(pShawI that was a
| slip)-when he wasn't taking the
peoples nickels, he was standing on
Palafox street smoking innUmerabIe
cheap cigars, and talking about his
cOnquests.
On this particular morning Finnigan
was jOcose indeed Hadn't he Just
made an impression which was sure
to be a winner on one of his lady pas
sengers, who had looked straight into
| his face with her startled eyes as he
has pressed the nickel proffered him
| back into her tiny pink palm? Hadn't
| hep Well he guessed yes. On. he
was a game sport, he was. True, he
had meanwhile allowed an old and de-
crepid woman laden with the results
of her morning shopping to scramble
painfully and breathlessly to the
ground and had left her dazed and
painting in the dust q half block past
her corner during these particular
operations, but a man couldn't expect
TO be in more than a half dozen places
at once, could hep Ffnnigan reckoned
not
Finally the car began a rapid de
scent on East Hill Finnigan's rest
less eye at once bounced upon an
other of his lady friends, as he had
more than one nagnamiDouSly term
ed her Poor little woman. she had
it bad" had been among his well ad-
vertised deductions from the situa-
ton.
She was coming through vacant lot
toward the car; coming straight on to
meet him, and to watch him from
afar as he dashed majestically past,
the cynOSUTe of admiTing eyes, She
waved her handkerchief, franticalIy. it
occurred to the notorman who half
turned for an order to stop,
but Finnigan gave him the bell
to go on, and, understanding the sit
uatiOn perfectly. dragged a very dirty,
very disreputable white handkerchief
from the depths of his grimy pocket,
and airily, spOrtively, and with the
mark of a professional, returned the
/ ladies' salute.
When FTnnigan had checked up for
the day, and was making due prepa-
ration to leave the barns for the more
attractive down town districts he was
made acquainted with the following
complaint, which had that afternoon
come in by phone. 1t read:
! Conductor No. -, car, No. =, fail
/ ed to stop. when duly signalled at the
intersection of P. ana O. streets.
Conductor showed unmitigated inso-
lence and impoIiteness by waving his
handkerchief and attempting in other
ways to f1irt with the lady as he pass
ed her by"
| F1nnigan looked at the signature on
the slip. 1t was signed by the hand
kerchief lady.
Good Lord," he said heIpIessIy,
/ and Owed into the night
He was a young man. full of the
vim and courage of youth. True, he
had had his vicissitudes and his
STUN bling blocks, strewn full in the
path of his strong young manhood,
but you couldn't help liking the way
he had come out of IT all, a credit to
himself and his little family.
True, he might be trifie too prone
to influence, and at times it could
not be gainsaid that he leaned toward
the visionary-bUt he was young and
brilliant and with a world of self-re-
lance along with it all
| Unfortunately, he had married
young. Poor young men with wives
and families on their hands always
present a certain pathetic condition
which appeals to the world in gener-
al, with situations which are bound to
arise, and difficulties which must be
vanQuished somehow
The lights burned low in the tiny
apartments of the young man and his
wife The tall, striking man of the
world. their personal friend, was
speaking.
His black piercing eyes spoke of
| world knowledge. and grasp on the
affairs of life which you failed to see
in those of the younger man, nor in
those of the nerve wrecked woman
who rocked at his side
The child of the couple a glorious
boy with the eyes of his father, pratt
tied and played in an opposite corner.
all unconscious OF The scene which
was being enacted before him
/ Yes" continued the man with the
eyes. gIancinE hu1grily in the direC-
ton Of the child. YOU give MIN over
to me can care for him in a far
better manner than YOU viii ever be
able TO do Give him 10 NE, and
name me your sum I promise you'll