Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-09-22

hat,'' or Gee, didn't the bald-headed one
have a grim"
Flirts That Pass in the Night
One New York seminary student who was
in the habit of engaging in such playful feat
ures of the bus riding sport when out with
her companions, decided to try it alone one
afternoon She was grinning vigorously at
young man in a taxicab alongside the bus
when she was chagrined to see him say good
by to his companions, leave the taxi and go
on up the street. few minutes later she
was even more embarrassed to see the same
young man sit down beside her. cit never
occurred to me-" she said, in telling the
story, that he could possibly get out 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 individual in New York
during the rush season in the summer time
The bus conductor can Immediately Wither
your hopes of obtaining a seat on the upper
deck, or he can steer you cleverly into one.
Here, sit right down here by the door," he
will advise if the smile is dazzling one,
land as soon as there is a seat vacant. on
the upper deck I'll 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 (or
usually, she) can quickly climb it as the de-
parting bus rider comes down.
There was a 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 a chain
gang would be. They had a supreme
tempt for the public which mobbed the
buses and fine sense of their own generos-
ity in permitting passengers to board. The
bus rider who gave the slightest offense-who
did not "step lively" enough or who requir-
ed change for dollar instead of having
dime ready for the slot-was promptly
taken to task in a loud voice.
One New York noWSDaDerman tells the
story of bus conductor who found little joy
in his work after being stage hand for the
"Follies." He was quick to rebuke
passengers for their shortcomings, and never
let an opportunity slip by. One day when
there was high wind Riverside Drive
fat lady had great difficulty in keeping her
skirts down as she made her descent from the
bus. Clnging to the iron railing with one
hand, she made gallant but futile attempt
to keep her Wild. Tapping skirt down with
the other, meanwhile smiling coyly. The
bus conductor watched her scornfully for
moment and then shouted "Step Lively,
Madam! Legs amt no treat to mel"
One thing which never fails to enrage
bus conductor is to have passenger keep
his finger on the push button for an undue
length of time in signaling bus to stop.
'Hey, take yer finger off the bell. Don't
yez know how to ride on bus?,'' is the re-
mark which usually greets this performance.
Sometimes, however, even the bus conductor
meets his match. "Got me finger on the
bell, have II" replied one offending feminine
passenger in a rich Irish brogue. "Well,
d'yez think I'm payin' with it? Any boob
wolda known l wanted t. get out at Seventy
second street. Sure, yez must be Eng
lishman!"
During the month of August this year
the bus company conducted a civility cam
paign in an effort to establish cordial rela-
lions between patrons and employees. Each
bus was placarded with the word "civility"
while small pamphlet on the advantages
of courtesy distributed Since then,
there has been less pushing and polite
evidenced on the busses But then the
nights are growing cooler and the end of the
open season is approaching.