Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-02-13
Confusing to
Lucinda

experience, but my brother Claude
says It was really very simple. III
tell yea about Il and you can see
what you think.
Three Of us girls started to come
down town On a surface car. There
was ] and a friend of mine and
friend of hers who was with her. Now
usually, you know, We girls pay each
her own fare. but my friend wanted
To pay the fare OF her friend, and
what my friend wanted 20 do was 10
give me a dime for herself and her
friend and have me pay for all three;
and what | wanted TO do was TO give
my friend my nickel and have her
paw all three fares ] hope you I'M
derstand this es far as I've got for
It's going 10 get more complicated
right away.
We'll. the car was crowded when
we got aboard. and we all had 10
stand ND. and we tried to arrange thhl
fare business as we stood there IN
the crowd. SO that everything would
be all right and ready when the con-
ductcr came around. and so dropped
nv nickel IN her handbag so she
could pay, ard she tried 10 hand her
dime 10 me at the same time so
could pay. bat In the crush somehow
the dime was dropped between US
ard II fell down between the Stats on
the floor of the car. and there we let
Il rest. because we couldn't get at II
In the crowd.
"Then pretty soon my friend ana
her friend came TO the street where
they were to get of. which they did;
and this, you understand. before the
conductor had got 10 us TO collect our
fares. So. you see. they got OF with
out anybody paying their fares. they
or or ANYBODY. And now things be-
gan to get faore mixed up.
.Pretty soon after they had got on
the conductor came along for my fare
II had got a seat by that time. near
where | had been standing-and
told him I had dropped dime on the
foor and he could take II out OF that.
But there were rome people still
stguding IN the car and the conductor
couldn't get the mat up with people
standing on il. but evidently he be
Itsved me about the dime. for he
didn't ask me again for my fare but
went out aud stood on the platform.
And then more things happened.
~Sitting next TO me was a mother
with her little daughter. very pretty I
little girl and handsomely dressed. as
for that matter her mother was, too.
and presently the mother spiec that
; dime down between the Stats on che
fiocr. and she told her little daughter.
and OF course the little girl at once
tegan 20 dig for It. But she couldn't
get Il out With her fingers and In
minute sha looked up and said
Mamma. give me a hairpin.'
aAus mamma smiled at that. but
abe gave her hairpin. and in a min
me more the littls girl had got the
6ime-which she handed over at once
20 me. don't think the mother knew
II was mine. but somehow the little
girl did.
$50 now had the dime back and
when we came to the street where
was 10 get of handed 1t to the con-
dsc.or as passed out, telling him
that thsre was the dime that
dropped. and he took my fare out OF
Il. aud gave me back a nickel
"Ana then l tried to cipher out who
had paid. and how much. and with
whose money: and the more
..iphered the more got mixed up.
had certainly paid two fares one TO
ny friend when gave her my nickel.
which. II she knew 1t at ali. she had
sorrotten all about. and then had
raid another 1--WE cents to the con
ductor.
81 had paid twice and vet 7 was
really out only I'VE cents. for that
Michel to the conductor was paid out
of my friends dime. and OF course
the change from II belonged 70 her
NJ friend had lost a dime. but had
sfver her eve cents with which 10
nav nv fare. which she couldn't do.
because the conductor didn't come for
n. and she would get from me hve
cents more. the change out 81 the lost
dime. which I had recovered.
so who had palo dho NJ" M1Cn
Rad anybody paid OF lost. and the
more thought about all this the
more confused got. till got so
lust couldn't thiak. and then aSkea
Claude ~ he could figure Il out.
~ay brother Claude is great on hg-
urcs. he can do sums with signs and
ali that sort Of thing. and he said. as
I told you. tia, Il was al simple
enough. that all I wanted 20 bother
,Hout vas what he called the net re-
suit. and he said that when ! had
Given nv friend back the nickel out
Of The dime the net result 81 the en-
ere transaction would be that this
marty 81 three would have paid out
enc fare. tie fare paid BY me. and
fnst the company would sc out two