The Monmouth inquirer., 1924-07-24
Did Not Work

When Danyers and his friend Bar
low came into the car Danvers was
talking.
Il have come to the conclusion" he
said, "that the only Christian way for
people to get about New York in these
crowded cars is to stand up in re-
lays. It looks hoggish for one set of
passengers to occupy all the seats all
the time. There ought to be gen.
eral shaking up every five minutes
and give the strapholders chance
to rest"
1T wouldn't work." said Barlow. 1T
would turn out like every other altru-
istic scheme. Some generous souls
would be giving up their seats all the
time and others would be sitting still
all the time, waiting for somebody
else to do his duty. And besides. no
body would ha, the five minutes
conditional clause"
II would" said Danvers, land the
first chance get am going to test
the scheme and see how 1t works"
He found q chance before he got
home. Somewhere in the shopping
district two women came into tie car.
One of them sat down beside Dan
vers; the other, finding no vacant
seat, stood in front of him. Barlow
nudged him maliciously. Now is your
opportunity" he whispered.
Danvers sat still for few min
utes watching the womans swsying,
lurching figure. Presently he said
Madam, / will give you this seat
and let you rest a while if you will
promise to give it back to me at the
end of five minutes"
The woman lunged helplessly into
Danvers' lap.
Il beg your pardon" she said. THAT
sudden turn-oh, yes; Pm all right
now, thanks. What was it you said
about five minutes?"
Danvers repeated his offer.
"That is very kind of you, l am
sure" she said, "but feel that
ought not take the seat. If you are
Ill and think you won't feel like
standinf; more than five minutes at
time, perhaps you had better sit stin.
Danvers blushed. II feel well
enough" he said, "but it is convic-
ton of mine that no one who rides In
street cars ought to be Obliged to
stand longer than five minutes at
stretch. Are you willing to accept
this seat under those conditions"
Certainly" said the woman. "You
are very thoughtful to offer it at all.
What time is 1t now, pleaseT
II haven't got my watch" Danvers
replied, as he clutched the dangling
strap, ''but it doesn't matter. It will
take us just five minutes to get from
here to the Opera House. I'll keep
an eye open for that. When we get
there will let you know, and you can
give me show again"
VERY WELL" said the woman, and
she resumed the interrupted CONVEX
sation with her companion.
At Thirty-fifth street there was
blockade. BY the public clocks in the
neighborhood it lasted just twenty
minutes. At the end of five minutes
Danvers began to fidget. At the end
of ten minutes his impatience became
audible.
"Ah-m-m-m!" he said. "Confound-
ed long wait, this"
The woman checked her flow Of
speech.
"Have we got to the Opera House
YETI" she asked, innocently.
"To the Opera House?" said Dan.
vers. ''Great heavens, we haven't
budged an inch for ten minutes. How
on earth did you expect us to get to
the Opera House?"
Dear me-" said the woman. how
provoking. These blockades do delay
one so. When we get there let me
know, please. I promised you re-
member, to let you sit down again
when we got to the Opera House."
Barlow snickered. Yes, I remem-
Madam" said Danvers.
Thirteen minutes later they reach
ed the temple of music.
"aMdam," said aDnvers.
"Ah, here we are" said the woman.
She arose and aDnvers sat down.
Madam" he said, you seemed to
forget that there were two strings to
our agreement, one relating to time,
the other place. You disregarded
the first. You kept me standing
something like twenty-five minutes. /
shall not relinquish this seat at the
end of five minutes"
ooh, that's all right" said the wom-
an. 81 get off at Forty-fourth street.
anyway"
What did / tell your" said Bar
low. 81 told you you would get the
worst of the bargain"
81 hadn't counted on blockades,"
said Danvers YEARLY. 1.-THE next
time I'll take care not to mention par
ticular corners, also not to make a
harpain Of anv kind with q woman"