Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-06-05
tn. End Seat Hog and Others.


In the last few years great deal
has been written about 1.-THE end seat
hog on our trolley cars. Certain
publications issued by and in the
interests of women have been particu-
larly severe in their structures upon
him. 1t must be admitted that he has
deserved about all the harsh things
said of him, but. at the same time
the fact must not be overlooked that
there are other kind of hogs who make
use of the trolley lines. During COL
lege commencement held in Maine
wear or two ago. three alumni took
trolley car for. the campus. The seat
that they selected was already
partly filled with passengers In
the center of it was a middle aged
man, Of very swathy complexion,
also an alumnus of the college.
seat. AS the first of the new corners
paused in front of him, with the cour-
teous intention Of affording him an OPP
portunity to move along and retain the
end seat. he looked up and growled
out you'll have to move along
don't care to ride in the SUM-" Il sup
pose" was the sarcastic retort of the
young man to whom this remark was
addressed, that you are afraid OF
spelling your complexion" There was
appreciative laughter from the pas
sengers at this sally. but the center
seat hog held his place in sulky silence
to the end of the trip.
Even more reprehensible than end
seat or the center seat hog is the wo-
man who persists in crowding herself
upon one of the three rear seats re-
served for smokers, when there are
plenty of other seats available for her.
Not long ago such a woman crowded
herself into such seat on a car 70
Winthrop, although the car as whole
was less than half filled. There were
four men on the same seat with her,
all of whom were smoking pipes. one
of them, a whitehaired man of powerful
build, had meerschaum of ponderous
bowl which had attained a rich. deep,
mahogany color from long use. The
smoke from it was particularly pun
gent and penetrating: 1t was evident
that the woman who shared it with
him was good deal annoyed by it.
She squirmed about in the seat and
shot angry glances at him. but he
puffed away with placid Indifference to
her very evident displeasure. Finally
she wheeled about and giving him
whitening look exclaimed in disdainful
tones: "No gentleman would smoke in
laGy's face" The old man removed
his pipe from his mouth and looked
her over with calmly commiserating
eye. "In my opinion" he remarked in
deep voice mo lady would crowd
herself into seat reserved for smok-
ers when there were fifty other vacant
seats in the car. I took this seat be-
cause 1 wanted TO smoke. still If the
one you have had been the only one
you could have gotten 1 should have
put up my pipe. Inasmuch as it was
not, and you have still seen fit to come
here, you must take the consequences"
and he resumed his pipe with vigor-
our puffs The woman who accosted
him was too much astonished to make
any reply, but at the next station she
improved the opportunity to take one
of the forward seats.
A few nights ago an open car left
Gardiner with only six passengers.
Three OF them were smokers who sat
on the next to the rear seat. A young
woman, with plenty Of time to select
practically any other seat on the car,
took the rear seat directly behind them
and retained it until the car reached
Augusta. Looked as if she was bound
to have a secondhand smoke" was
the remark of one Of the smokers, as
the party left the car
1t is evident to even the most cas-
ual observer, that the end seat hog, Is
not the only traveller on the trolley
lines who fails to observe the rules of
common courtesy in dealing with the
public.