Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-23

The exchequer of tokens and change
| feels happy tonight. He huns an air
Co drown the darkness that blows
through the door cracks.
"Is this your regular run?" We asked
Mr.. Ding Dong.
Regular? Gee, it's been that for %
years." he answered, giving vent to one
of the tingling ''dings.
you must have seen many queer
things during all these nights"
"Yeh, many of 'em. Lots of folks ride
cars by night, you know"
You must know some stories about
them. Something out of the ordinary,
that would interest people"
Sure Anything's likely to happen
on one of these street cars. Haven't
you run across any yet?"
III. No, tell some"
"HUM," muttered Mr.. Ding Dong,
- grinding money out of the slot.
Lots of stories. Only for the life of me,
1 can't recall any. Let's see, you didn't
want to hear-Gosh! can't remember
any now. I tell 'em to my wife. If
you'll meet me on the line some other
night, I'll have just what you want. I
know what you want, only can't re-
member. Sure, haven't I been reading
the newspapers and learning what's go
ing on in the world? Yes, sir, reporters
want human stuff, know.
you should have been on last Tues
day night. Ha! Prettiest girl you ever
want to see stepped on this platform
with two escorts. And those fellows
both mad after that girl. Mad, ! tell
you. Their eyes bullying red and their
hands trembling with the excitement of
helping the lady up the step. But she
was all for keeping peace among them.
Wouldn't give favor to one that she
wouldn't hand the other.
Now, when it came to sitting down
| together on one seat, they couldn't do
| it. They're somewhat narrow, you see.
Well, the lady. she sat down next the
window and the gents aimed for that
seat. Perf1op! At once. Ha, ha. Both
of 'em couldn't sit with the lady and
the way they 'perfopped kinda ruffled
her dress. See?
| "She gets up, she does. She looks
| daggers at both those fellows. Her face
was red and her hair was standing up
on end. Wondering what she did? Eli?
! She grabs each of those young swankS
| by the ear and says to me, Conductor,
please stop the car Under her orders
I yankS the rope and stops the car.
"She Slung them off like snake
wriggles out of his skim she did. And
they were quiet and meek. Didn't sass
her say, Good radiance of rubbish and
she went back to her seat.
But, gee! I'm awfully sorry I forgot
all my stories. Something's happening
all the time on the night runs. Now,
when I'm home it's funny the way
can remember to tell them to my wife.
But they just skipped ing mind tonight. "
x X x X
"VOU didn't hear about the time the
Cat was running around, did
you? Well, the cops had merry chase.
| All the night owls were being watched
every one who rode the cars had to have
a number and pedigree. The news
papers roasted the coppers out Of their
brass buttons.
"Of course, all the car men sympa-
thized with the cops and tried to give
em tips on the Cat The night owls
are funny bunch, and sometimes, you
know, it's easy to mistake a sleepy-eyed
workingman for pug. And that's
how it came about that the cops follow
ed up a lot of wooden tips that didn't
amount to a row of punched transfers.
lone night, just a couple of days
/ after the Cat shot man, or maybe a
couple of men, and everybody was shiv-
ering about 1t, I picks up fellow who
was trying to hide his face in his coat
lapel.
He wasn't real night owl, under
stand, because I've seen too many OF
them. First place, he wore those kind
of shoes that can't leave footprints be-
hind. And then, what would shabby
man be wanting with a fancy pair OF
kid gloves, eh?
Anyway, when the car passed one of
those detective-cops I gives him the
sign of danger and he comes on board
and I whispers the news as he drops a
token in the box.
1.-THE cop sits next to the suspect and
watch the door, in case bullets fly. The
law introduced himself as politely as a
lady at tea party and asks the shabby
gent to stand up on his feet. He pulled
off the old hat and who was there
no, not the 'Cat'-Somebody else. A
man known we'll all over the country
guess. Holds high position in bust
ness.
How come he was dressed like that?
He explained it to the cop by saying
: he couldn't sleep at home-it was some
) big, long name he used
"Somnambulism?"
5 yeah, guess that must be 1t. | olon1
: want to hear too much about II, because
: the big joke was on me. See?
mo. just can't remember STORY
right now. .-..----.