The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-09-28
Frederick Haskin's Letter
The Stern Sport of Bus Riding
Correspondents of me Argus.

he thought it was perfectly proper
. "One of the best places IN New
York to spoon were his words.
Flirting. though, is greatly on tia
increase among the afternoon bus
riders Between 4 and S o'elork
when tha crowds are greatest, the
busses proceed at snaiI's paes
through the congested traffic On
Fifth avenue, and it often so hap
pens that an upper deck containing
several young ladies stops directly
ouposite a car below, containing
several young men. Under sHeh
DFouitious circumstances an ex-
change of smiles helps To while
away the time You often hear a
Hamper remark, Say, girls, l got
three smiles from that chap IN the
brown felt hat" or Gee, didn't the
bai-headed one have grim
FIirfs That Pass in the Night.
One New York seminary student
who was in the habit OF engaging
in such playful features of the bus
riding sport when out with hef
coInpanions, decided to try It alone
one afternoon. She was gTinnfng
vigorously at a young man in a
taxfcab alongside the bus when she
was chagrined to see him say good
bve to his companions, leave the
taxi and go up the street A few
minutes later she was even more
embarrassed to see the same young
man sit down beside her. 1T never
occurred to me-" she said, IN telling
the story, that he could possibly
get ont of the taxi and get on the
bus at the next corner"
Speaking of smiles, Immediately
brings to mind the bus conductor.
probably the most smiled upon in
| diTidual in New York during the
rush season in the summer time.
The bus conductor can Immediately
wfther your hopes of obtaining a
seat on the upper deck, OF he can
steer you cIeveriy into one. Here.
sit right down here by the door"
he will advise if the smile is daz-
cling one, ~and as soon as there is
J a seat vacant on the upper deck P1l
, let YOU know" In a short time, the
favored person is certain TO be
! tapped on the shoulder and placed
in first position by the staircase so
that he Cor, usually, she) can quick
| Iy climb it as soon as the departing
| bus rider comes down
| There was time last year when
| the crowds were so vast and the
buses so few in comparison That
| the bus conductors were no more.
to be Influenced by pleasant words
and smiles than the foreman OF .
| chain gang would be. They had Al
| supreme contempt for the public
| which mobbed the buses and Srfnsl
sense of their own generosity IN
permitting passengers to board The
| bus rider who gave the slightest d.
! fense-who did not step lively
enough or who required change for
a dollar instead of having q dime
ready for the slot-zas promptly
taken to task in a loud voics-
One New York neWspapeEmzR
, tells the story OF a bus conductor
who found little joy in his work
/ after being a stage hand for the
| ''FolIies." He was quick to rebuke
| passengers for their Shortcomings
and never let an opportunity slip
! by. One day WIN there was high
wind on Riverside Drive a fat lady
had great difficulty in keeping her
skirts down as she made her de-
scent from the bus. Clingtng TO
the iron railing with one hand, she
made a gallant but futile attempt
to keep her wildly tapping skirts
down with the other, meanwhile
smiling coyly. The bus conductor
watched her scoEnfuily for no
ment and then shouted: 5s5Pi
lively, Madam! Legs amt no treat
( to mel"
One thing which never fails TO
enrage a bus conductor is to have
a passenger keep his finger On the
push button for an undue length OF
time in signaling q bus TO stop
Hay, take yer finger of the bell
/, Don't yez know how to ride on j
bus?" is the remark which usually
! greets this performance Some
times, however, even the bus COZ
! ductor meets his match. Got me
finger on the bell. have n replied
one offending feminine passenger Ia
a rich Irish brogue. We'll, dyeB
think I'm playin' with it? Any booo
woulda known I wanted t get out
| at Seventy-second street. Sure, ye4
must be an Engiishman!"
During the month Of August TINS
year the bus company conducted a
civility campaign in an effort 70
establish cordial relations between
patrons and employees. Each Gus
was placarded with the wort
"Civility" while a small pamphlet
on the advantages Of courtesy was
distributed. Since then, there mas
been less pushing and more pohF-
ness evidenced on the buses. bu"
then the nights are growing cooler
and the end of the open season u
J approaching.