The Spanish Fork press. [volume] (Spanish Fork, Utah) 1902-current, 1908-09-17
AS 1T REALLY WAS
HAPPENING THAT SEEMED OUT
OF THE ORDINARY.
Contrary to What Might Have Been
Expected, Conductor Did Not
Get Gay with the Elderly
Gentleman.

"Tickets!"
The broad-shouldered, nrmjawed
resonant-volced conductor flung open
the door of the parlor car of the IA.
nous express train and uttered the
word almost in a tone of command
Immediately all the passengers
lolling in the chairs proceeded to get
busy hunting up their tickets, so that
when the conductor reached them they
had their pasteboard ready.
All but one.
This one was rudy faced, well
groomed fue,looking elderly gentle
man with white side whiskers.
He fumbled in his wallet for his
ticket, but Il wasn't there Then he
began n hurried search of his pockets
Nothing doing. The ticket wasn't in
any of his pockets.
by ginger!" he was heard to NUT
ter, ut seems to me that | brought
those"
Then he stood mp and made sys.
tematic search of his pockets, turning
over old dogs-eared letters, formal
looking papers and heavy looking en-.
! yelopes tied with red tape.
But he didn't find what he was
hunting for
! Then he clawed his Gladstone bag
down from the rack above his head,
tugged at the lock and finally got 1t
open. He spent several minutes in
turning the contents of the bag topsy-
turvey, perspiring all the time and
muttering quite petulantly as he went
through the performance.
"Tickets!"
The broad-shouldered, firm awed
resolute-voiced conductor was tower
ing right over the well groomed elder
ly gentleman with the rudy face and
the white side whiskers.
"Say--just minute, will your" said
the elderly gentleman, not meek at all,
to the surprise of the other pas
sengers. 81 know that / put those
pesky passes somewhere, but they've
got away from me for the moment
Just pass on 60 the next car, will you?
And in the meantime I'll see what in
tarnation has become of them"
The conductor of CO SO scowled
as all conductors with "a proper APP
probation of their position do in like
circumstances But he went to tho
next car and the elderly gentleman
continued his fruitless search He
gave It up after ten minutes and
leaned back in his chair, looking mad.
Presently the conductor returned
and bore down upon the elderly gen
tleman with ponderous stride.
Your ticket sir, IL you pleased"
said the conductor sharply, flicking
the punch ominously.
Il haven't got any ticket. blast IT."
broke out the elderly gentleman. Lost
1t, reckon. But here's my card" and
the elderly gentleman handed the con
ductor his pasteboard, which showed
that he was the first vice-president of
the road.
The conductor
However, just moment.
Right here the rule, II followed,
would have the conductor remark
grouchily to the elderly gentleman
that, card or no card, vice-president or
no vice-president, he'd have to show
something emitting him to a ride on
that line of cars or stand for toss
off at the next station Then the ac-
| cording to the rule narration would go
| on to tell how the elderly gentleman
was filled with admiration over the
conductors strong sense of duty and
how he dug up the price of his fare
in good money and how, a little while
la>er, the conductor found himself APP
pointed division superintendent of the
| line, and so on.
Nothing whatever of that kind hap
pened, however
"Oh, very well, sir" said the con.
ductor, bow'Sg and scraping profusely
as he turned the vice-president's card
| over in his hand. Don't mention It,
The pleasures mine or course you
probably dropped or tnislaid the pass
somewhere. But it's all right Are
you comfortable, sir? Is the porter
taking proper care of you? Fine day
for travelling, sir"
''Uh-huh," replied the first vice
! president of the line, looking out OF
the window.
I'm DANCED glad / didn't get chesty
or new with that old gazoob before
got next to who he was" murmured
the conductor to himself as he passed