Evening star., 1922-10-15
Heard and Seen

Actions OF passengers aboard street
cars, indeed. speak louder than words
But what they say is entirely an
other matter.
There is the man. for instance, who
with a plump, and Immediately opens
his mouth, eXpelling his breath all
over his neighbors. Why he does
this nobody knows, but he never
fails.
Observation reveals that probably
three men out of five are given over
to this habit. Like many habits. it
is entirely unnecessary, uncalled for
and all that-but they continue to
do it Watch the people getting or
the street car when you come down
town tomorrow. The minute they hii
the seat they open their mouths.
Then there is the person who auto
matically crosses his legs the m
stant he sits down. Watching this
reflex action becomes very amusing
after a time. especially If you have
a companion who has never nolceo
this habit before.
The incoming passenger ambles TO
a seat, sits down-and Immediately
crosses one knee over the other. Inc
next fncomer sits uown-snap! Cp
goes one knee over the Other. About
nine out Of ten people are given over
to this little habit.
X
AS for the car operators. they have
their own little set OF mannerisms.
Motormen. especially. are given
over to the habit of-ah. expect.ora-
ting. Chawing tobacco is their In
separable companion. Conservative
estimate places the number Of motor
men who chew at about 80 per cent.
OF course, when so per cent are
chewing tobacco there is bound to
be a lot of splitting tobacco Juice
Pleasant topic? No. but the habit is
not pleasant, either You see, the
companies do not furnish their em-
ployes with cuspidors. so the motor
men have to hit on another eXpedl-
ent.
They solve the problem by opening
the front doors while in motion.
have witnessed a motorman open ms
doors between every stop all the way
downtown.
Motormen have no easy time OF IT,
at that. Between avoiding careless
pedestri ans, reckless automobile driv-
srs and drivers of wagons who do
not seem to value their wagons or
horses the honest motorman has his
hands full.
will take with street cars are amazing
and must be particularly dishearten-
ing to a man at the tiller of street
car. Motorists seem to be sure that
street cars will stop first, rather than
run them down, and usually they are
right
tell the reason: A colored man driv-
ing a rickety horse and wagon SEEM
ed to drive deliberately upon the
track.
The motorman slowed down his car,
allowing the leisurely wagon driver
to Cross
"He was taking a chance" pas
We can't afford to hit EN-" an
swered the motorman. Then they
could sue for damages and buy them
selves a new horse and wagon"
He was fuming.
1T may be the telephone ruies' ne
managed to get out, but 1T is abb
sutd, nevertheless" He puffed, then
continued.
You see, 1 couldn't find the mum.
ber in the book, and asked central
for it. She referred me to> informa-
tion. And then that young woman
looked at the book. found me the
number, and then-but, say, do you
suppose she gave 1t to me?"
He paused for effect:
mot on your life" he exploded
THAT might have been doing some
thing nice for somebody. That might
have been pleasing patron. You
know what that girl did?
!. ..She said, The number you want is
on page 1885, and when ] asked her
since She had the number. to give il
to me. she calmly repeated, The
number you. wish is on page 225.' Can
/ Cf1ARI.Es e, TRACEwELL.