Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1912-12-09
CONDUCTOR
NO. II
They All Took a Lesson In
Common Sense
By CLARISSA MACKIE

-t-tt-t'tt'-tt''i''s--'
Helen Blair signaled the suburban
car and boarded it at the corner. She
was tired after long day of shopping
and walked up the aisle to the front
seat, which proved to be empty At the
next stop three people got on. who com
pletely filled the short cross seat in
front of her.
Fares, please"
Helen's heart leaped as she heard
the conductors voice, and she felt a
vague sense of irritation because a
mere trolley car conductor should pos
sess a voice exactly like Ralph Fair
lees deep tones. She turned her head
and stole glance at the approaching
conductor Her heart leaped again
when she discovered that the back of
his shapely dark head was exactly like
that of Ralphs and that the swing of
his broad shoulders as he turned might
have belonged to Ralph.
Her head turned face about. and she
compressed her lips. what IA both
err" she murmured to herself.
1t was more than a bother" to be
reminded of Ralph Fairlee at that mo-
ment. 1t was positive pain to the girl
who had been engaged to Ralph for
three happy months. OF course the
engagement was a thing of the past
or it would not have caused Helen
Blair any pain to be reminded of its
previous existence.
At last the conductor came to the
front of the car once more, set back
the indicator and began to collect fares
for the second stage of the trip.
"Fare. please" he doomed in front
Of Helen, and again her heart leaped
as she fshed out nickel and gave it
to him
Then under the brim of her droop
ing velvet hat she permitted her face
to relax it's cold hauteur. while she fell
to dreaming about Ralph Fairlee who
had taken their quarrel seriously and
left the city to seek work elsewhere.
Ralph's father was rich man, and
old Mr.. Fairlee had queer ideas about
rich mems sons. He believed that
these same sons should demonstrate
their ability to earn money and prove
themselves capable of taking care of
money already earned. Ralph had
different ideas and wanted to begin at
the top of the ladder. He had quar-
relied with his father on this point.
He had quarreled with Helen on an
other matter and. estranged from
both, must be very lonely now. Hell
ems heart was breaking for love and
pity Of him.
Clang, clang, clang-rush, clatter,
clang! Starting and stopping, whizzing
and curving and rocking, the car of
destiny" went on its way into the open
country.
Fares. please" said the conductor
as he stood before her once more with
hand stretched out.
Helen fumbled in the gold meshed
bag and impatiently emptied its con
tents into her lap in search of a coin.
She was positive that she had plenty
of change left. There was a crumped
lace handkerchief with an elusive fra
GRANGE or yiolets about it; there was an
inner golden meshed purse that was
quite empty, a couple of matinee tick
cts, vial of smelling salts, penciled
memorandum, but there was not coin
to be found.
"Oh, dear" Helen was embarrassed
as her eyes sought the stern face of the
young conductor. I'm sorry. but
She had to stop then, for that unruly
heart of hers was beating faster than
any triphammer could hope to rival
The stern face of the conductor was
set like white mask as he turned
away.
Fares. please" he was saying to the
woman who sat behind her
Frantically Helen searched her gold
en- bag, but in vain. She was quite
penniless and still ten miles from her
station. She bit her lip angrily, be-
cause she must explain these matters
to conductor who had the effrontery
to have voice identical with that Of
Ralph Fairlee and to have face so
much like Ralph's that she had nearly
swooned away when she looked at him.
But of course it was not Ralph Fairlee.
Ralph would have spoken to her at
once-gladly, she knew that. And, be.
sides, Ralph Fairee was as brown as a
berry, and this conductor, very com.
mon person, no doubt. was quite pale.
How presumptuous for a trolley car
conductor to speak, look and act Just
like Ralph Fairlee.
But how very humiiating to be un-
der obligations to this man, a perfect
stranger! Again she searched through
her bag and shook out her handker-
chief. This time there was clink as
coin flew to the floor.
Helen stopped to pick it up Just as
the conductor came to her aid. To
gether they bent over. and together
they searched for the lost coin. Hell
ems big hat brushed the conductors
cap from his head. and there was added
embarrassment. At last the man arose
with something between his fingers and
held it out.
'You lost this?" he inquired coldly.
yes" said Helen. reddening. Real |
ly, ! thought it was more. must |
have lost my change and