Evening star., 1923-02-25

the token taker without giving up his
fare. He calls" the man and politely
informs him that he has not come
through. The latter murmurs some
thing about having forgotten, but the
word has been slipped from man to
man on the cars that this particular
person has a habit of beating his way.
He Is a genuine uickle nurser, but the
conductors have spotted him.
The right of way being obtained
once more, he speeds along. only to
get a sudden Jolt, for some idiot has
run his automobile across the tracks,
and to prevent a collision the motor
man has to switch on the air brakes.
in a hurry, too. Some fool learning
to drive" the "con" growls.
Again full steam ahead. when q
couple dashes out to the front door,
yelling that they wanted to get on.
They forgot to press the button. They
protest as they return to the rear OF
the car because they were not per-
mitted to aliGht, and the patient Gus
todian Of fares politely explains the
reason. They argue about having to
walk back, and the rest of the pas
sengers demand that the car go
ahead. They finally step Off, the man
taking the number OF the car and
making all sorts Of threats as to what
he is going to do.
AT the Treasury a goodly portion
"A of the cargo gets off and the
car swings UP and on its way to
Georgetown. At the intersection of
Itch and Pennsylvania avenue. the
majority of the riders depart.
We then seek to draw out the
"con." He answers all questions. at
the same time counting transfers,
grinding out the tokens from the
box, and making entries on his re-
port card. This finished, he heaves
a sigh Of relief, and-just at that
moment the car ahead of US goes
dead"
We are marooned. We cannot go
around the car in front, and back
Of us are piling UP other like vehicles,
so here we stay. Making known to
the "con" that we would like to know
how he does his work, we make SO
bold as to ask him to relate for us
some of his experiences Faithfully
Is here reproduced what he said:
II read once that a chap named
Emerson said that there was law
he is sure right. If there is any place
in the world that you have to do time
for your sins 1t is in this business
but as school of control for your
temper 1t cannot be beat, and at that
| 1t amt the worst job in the land, for
while we have to put up with a good
deal, sometimes, from those who dc
not take the time to think that we
too, have feelings, the majority OF
those who ride with us are a rather
good lot Of folks and the majority OF
| them, when they have ridden with
you week after week, get SO that they
give you a pleasant nod In the morn
| ing or at night when they go home
do we have many questions asked
us: Well, I rather guess that we do
We are questioned by all sorts OF
| people about everything under the
sun We are asked things that woult
make your old friend Solomon stud,
a while before he popped out thu
answer. I'll give you q few:
| 1.-THE other day young coupl.
| boarded US at the peace monument
and he wanted to know where h,
could get a marriage license. how
much 1t would cost, what he ough
to give the minister and where HI
could get a job. He had the time
the girl and the place. but he wanted
q Job with the wedding certificate.
THE other Sunday we hauled {
man and a woman from the Unio1
station, and as we turned from tn,
big white place where the train.
come in they saw the dome Of tn,
Capitol. She wanted to know wha
that building Was. 7 looked at hs,