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Show The Dog-Watch Skipper by JccjfcLt - I TA3 0" inunton with tta post- J y c "n 1 d night existence! -J I the city .spakf a Ian- Jf guago nut fit to print. Avk Daylight is amoral ' -'SfiCTJ1 and CL,inraunal ttnti Btptlc and preventive; preven-tive; darkue;;y lets down the curtain on tho w Me-upu and lifts the lid on the Hna.klng vices, the clandestine truna-Kifi.Mhlou.H, truna-Kifi.Mhlou.H, the brazen guyctifes. But long Iifirtt tho witching hour whea the ghost w ;ilks- HDine time between then and tho Wlrnggled t1mps of dawn comes the period pe-riod when the beasts in men and women Mlnlk in tho uvenueH which In dayttmes are t Me walks of commerce and In the evening are the p;iths of pantlme. It is the aftermath, of the night which la the poM script of a day. It is the hangover hang-over of a jagged interim twlxt a fresh rimming and a stale one. It ia the drege of (he beer which hours ngo liad been foamy (ind reductive. It is the death-ihHIo death-ihHIo of the living night, dying a hysterical, hys-terical, profane, maudlin, crocking finish. I Hpsak nut of the trade that the taxi ill-Ivor picks up. Thnt is a more refined and palatable, or at least lone observable, ilivi.sion of thnt odd hour's manifestations. manifesta-tions. T speak not of gay parties in private pri-vate dining-rooms whore wine is spilled down tho collars of millionaires. 1 h;ue no ri' Terence to (lie poker game that h utiles I ill thn sun makes tho heart-nya heart-nya s look black as the incandescent a limed tho spades. I talk of the night-cur night-cur outfit, tho ragtag and the cattle that one may see any night in varied numbers among ihe honest printers, reporters, putters Mini policemen whose work keeps them out pnst tin; time when doeent folk .should so tu bod. Tho owl-car is the fonim, the showcase, show-case, the tabernacle, the ambulance, the limousine, and often lite boudoir of the egregious masses who, from somewhere unknown to everywhere. Journey about at tho unseemly recesses of the darkness ere dawn. What they have been doing until so late no one, knows. Hut they ha c don it-and now they are homo-wnrd homo-wnrd bound. Any observer, any wee morning, can see some of them. Tint there is one who .ees them all. lie is the conductor of ihe smoky, smelly owl-car., the dogwatch dog-watch skipper of tho midnight crew. I should hate tu have a night car conductor's con-ductor's opinion of men and women. Kae.h of us thinks of things as he sees them. As this man in brass buttons sees humanity it is a paivol of drunken scalawags, scala-wags, drooling, glass-eyed, falling into limp sleep or lighting sleep with the last struggling kicks of boo-,c still squirming for rebellious utterance. Kvery night he yanks them up in to thn car, up on the platform. In through I ho door, into tho seats, lie good na-turedly na-turedly takes their rough stuff and ho permits them liberties not in tho code-book code-book of his company's instructions to its representatives, 11c has to. One can't inul'.o 5:i'tl9:uon ur.d ladLe uf bin pas-acns"r3 pas-acns"r3 In tlinlr ijur.djiluii, I v.And r.io ono trip: Seated on thn floor of tho paper-spattered' altfarot-UUered floor, hi fret out on the front platform, supporting Mutual Mut-ual f with one bund tiffal.-mt tho open front door and with tho other njralnet tho wide wall, sat a ruffle n with tolirlcd hair and dirty hnntfs. Ho had been to n v-'Dke or a chicken fief lit or on nlcohol festival. He was talking aloud, addrenalng the neat holders with hia vlows on the political conditions of tho great city of which ho was a part. lie did nbt like the management manage-ment of the ctty. lie felt that the common com-mon people were not getting their rights were oppreeeed by the grabbing politicians poli-ticians and the grasping financiers. He wanted freedom free speech, free lunch, free gangway on the paths to pleasure and to prosperity. Ills voice, first strong and penetrating, wore hoarse and began to burr; then it cracked; then it became high and shrill and his words grew even more meaningless meaning-less than they had started out to be, and kept on in a thin wail of unintelligible billingsgate and kept on and kept on. I turned about rue. There, In a seat beside a window, sat a woman. She was weeping. Oh, so bitterly was she weeping. weep-ing. The tears were raining down her nose, leaving wide alleys In tho all too generous powder patches. Wha t was gnawing at her vitals I did not know. But it must have been a rampant sorrow, sor-row, for she rocked and heaved and wept and wept. She was not one who had lost her way;, nor was she a timid girl who might have come to grief-through grief-through a thoughtless indiscretion or a toppling temptation. She was one of the regular passengers on that trip I had seen her often. But each other time a man hod been with her, a low-browed man with a sinister and foreign look, who spoke gruffly to her and walked out ahead of her, leaving her tc get from the step to the street as best she could. lie was not with her now. Perhaps that was why she was weeping. 1 arose and walked out on the back platform. I wanted air. There a little gray remnant of a man with the gray-blue trousers that could have come from nowhere except the warden's store in a penitentiary, with a face of the color of lemon skins, stood (supporting himself on the piping which made the conductor's pen. There was a look In the eye of the old ex-convlct, fresh from incarceration, which was not lit by hope it was lit by hop. He was gay. He was telling my friend, the owl-car owl-car conductor, that he had cheated the authorities in the "stir" out of aix months they would never have given him that half year off for good behavior had they known how bad his behavior had been; how he had always had his "coke," and never missed his little nip. It was not a pretty story. I went back into the ear with the weeping woman and the ohlisnto patriot. I wanted air. Seeral times I chummed for blocks find block with thp eandvictut. fl trim! to kocp opinion of )in felUiwi. hut th-j pA'.otko were luy persistent, loo nrM- clem. 3U would nhnhc IiIh heud as though expression failed hiui. Often there we-ro flglUn aboard. Ho never struck miyono, Up alwnys stepped In, no matter how dnhKoroiiit It luokrd, but only an a paclflCAtor, never as a com-batcnt. com-batcnt. Mfl was Utf and he wan cour-neoous cour-neoous end ho wrh strong and he wag Rubor. And he v.na right So he always triumphed In the end and Induced the pugnacious to elt down and reasonably behave or get out and do their rough-houHlng rough-houHlng elsewhere, He was a thorough executive. And he never epllled unnecessary blood. That is the right temperament for a night car conductor. A man with a fiery temper would commit murder the first night, and one with an officious predilection for "butting in" would be murdered the second. sec-ond. It always grieved him when one of his charges grew boisterous beyond the accustomed manner. He took it as though his unruly children refused to behave, causing trouble for himself and shame and worry for them. "They're a crude lot," he would say "I don't know where they pick up those loads they bring on board here. Some of 'em get on hours after the last saloon is supposed to be shut. But they come in reeking vfcith grog and blistering with fight. "Some of 'em are pretty decent people, I guess, at other times. But the late air gets 'cm. It takes the respectability out of 'em. Lota of men and women get drunk, but no matter how drunk they get they can still think and remember can forget f,r ft while that men and Wvrnen 1b coarno and low and crooked." That truck me as one of the finest Rpeeohoi I had ever heard. Here waa thin lima who, of all men, had thrown up for him In caw relief and in repeated procetwton tho iniquities and obliquities of the P.eah of his fellows, and he would have believed them all awry had it not been that In his own nest there was the odor of home and tho companionship of a clean, pure wumaji. It was the saving grace of his life. One morning It chanced that I rode even later than usual it was the morning morn-ing after election day, T think, when we In the newspaper office had remained and labored past the usual deadlines. I was with him on his final trip of the night. He was relieved, and to my surprise sur-prise I found that ho lived not far from me got off at my corner. We fell into step together he walked my way, too. Before a neat little frame cottage he stopped. "This is where I get off at," he said, smiling in anticipation of the greeting within, the clean balance that made him find block with thp candvictut. Il trim! cun forget fr ft while that men and 7f to kocp opinion of li!e felUiwf, hut wvraeu la coartio and low and crooked." f Jt th-j pA'.otko were luy persistent, loo nrM- That struck me as one of the finest 11' fV (lent. would nhnhc hlu head as Rpeeohon I had ever heard. Here waa li'f "J. V though expression failed hiui. thin mm who, of all men, had thrown ' '"w Often there we-ro flglUn aboard. Ho up for him In caw relief and in repeated dHlfi ' " w. never struck unyoiio, Hp alwnys stepped rroceoalon tho iniquities and obliquities pi V ""M"jcw In, no matter how dniiKorou It luokrd, uf the fie ah of his fellows, and he would ' fltft 1 "' '' '" "i"'''"-''" but only an a padflcAtot, never as a com- have believed them all awry had it not S ' f ' j - v' batrnt. M was Lltf and he wan cour- been that In his own nest there was the fcft 'j.:7 " " neooua end ho wrh strong and he wag odor of home and tho companionship of Cl. fa ; . M -?-wr ' 1 " ' ' 1 " Rubor. And he v.ns right. So he always a clean, pure woman. It was the saving ; jf?v- p,,, ;m.,il-h f'' " "-j-r." 'T'r triumphed Jn the end and Induced the grace of his life. f t - j?'' V'j , - , ' 5 K pugnacious to eit down and reasonably One morning it chanced that I rode r -r?:: , 1 i hehave or get out and do their roueh- even later than usual It to? the morn- fojiy T4$S fH 4 ' "'' tV lioiiwliifr elsewhere. ing after election day, I think, when we if ? ' I?" 5-?k-vf5 ,V ' ' vi? :.. "' ; ri Je wa a thorough executive. And he In the newspaper office had remained l , g;" f'i'-i'-t - ''' '' t i , nevr apMld unnecessary blood. That Is and labored past the usual deadlines. 1 Civ-'" wi;V- $.'t : : the right temperament for a night car I was with him on hia final trip of the ,'$1$ P;'T:.5f "J iSS'n K-S: ' . 4'$ conductor. A man with a fiery temper night. He was relieved, and to my sur- ?V:- ":v'r -'"l '-'V ::;;r--;:'N , b li would commit murder the first night, prise I found that ho lived not far from J ffsjMh'-'Ci'S .Sji-.! ' ' 1 r 1"'"", and one with an officious predilection for me got off at my corner. I Jfi; 'M g-SiVRv -fyy'M -' ':A J 'butting in" would be murdered the sec- We fell into step together he walked J3A lplfl&iKi'A Vi'-''A I 3 t...n- ,,. J V oud. ny way, too. Before a neat little frame FlM'lv&'&a r ' .;i t'val; 1 ' I I J- It always grieved him when one of cottage he stopped. ' ?W -$-'ffi- ' ' i tjf jf his charges grew boisterous beyond the "This is where I get off at," he said, flSf W Si ,4t , " J " v tf' v v i aT accustomed manner. lie took It as smiling in anticipation of the greeting f.?. ': V, 111 1', T-. i ? 1 though his unruly children refused to within, the clean balance that made him B iS?.-! if-Si&L f- J behave, causing trouble for himself and .v.;i.v' (f ;'v ''iT-v 1 . t. ... , i laf Bhame and worry for them. v -A''::-'lf ' 'f'l1':i''-'-'ifc.-A: fi? 'jZf They're a crude lot," he would say rfV tglAU W . cVV T'S1- ttittrA f i i.1 ' V loads they bring on board here. Some 01 ff.XW 4 $MIU;t4fMM'pV ; fej?! -Mf 'em get on hours after the last saloon is i-tpl fE!gi& "c ' ''l J ...fV.UI feMrrW :- I supposed to be shut. But they come in jT ' ' ' 'if ' V- J-fe i p !kj? WW7 reekmg th gr-og and blistering with f JSA 00 W "Some of 'em are pretty decent people, &. "IO jT -fl E AV l I a ' i 1 V Vt ' ' 1 I guess, at other times. But the late air JSSK V I V 'i l'" ' P ' 4.1 itUT Sfei ' gets 'cm. It takes the respectability out $0" 1 jf K i ' pi WMif 4 1 1 : :iJ if of 'em. Lota of men and women get , Mifc X ftfilt' PjflfKa fitlWA'-l Ef drunk, but no matter how drunk they ST V ilk MtW ll K2f get they can stiU think and remember ' JXS i V !Stf MfJ U Wii if ' The man I L W fc 'V " 1 fV'. Sf the sinister. jmm ' &iL"f$ipi whom I used to J$mmWmmm6$ J "i W JJr see with thewom. - t only been marricrl 'ess than a year. behind it all the one little woman in v. Ll yW Maybe we'll have everything some whom be had faith, who was clean, who WWj? 4aV day'" ' redeemed to him the murky world upon W 'TO'P V Jpy 1 tipped my bat ana walked on. I which it was his mission to look. Vt B0lns home' t0- 1 oould easily see And so it was with emotions which & now how that picture could drive out of need not be here detailed that I saw, one -K fcv.' -H Ihe brain of that girl's husband the mem- morning about a week after that election JT n'" ' tHrlf ories and impressions of a night of han- day, as I was passing the conductor's lp' YV? f 6VmB bra'lvlers nnd crooks and male- cottage at about 4:30 o'clock, a man W J Vt' factors of both the sexes. Why, it had slink out of the conductor's front door. ,yltp . driven them out of mine. I could see Two hasty glances I gave. . M "mT'y' Li i now only that pretty little bride with the One discovered that the little wife was Y -v T1 fA natty 99-cent wrapper, smiling tho mom- standing in her front room, peering out .vgf in"'S ETeei,ns to her nusky husband, for through partially opened curtains. Sjt t VV'V fVV ,vhom She had ,,Pen wai,in in the win- Tlie other revealed that tho man ws V f ' H 1 S" ? 1 dow, washed, tidied, expectant. the sinister looking foreigner whom I -i tVl V7" i After that I was even more eagerly used to see with the woman who won ?W T. im interested in my friend the conductor. weeping the first night that I saw her N5!nh MWMM Whenever I saw his masterful handling without him. jjj v"""-. 0t brlsands and the outcasts I saw Copyright, I16, by J. KMlj cjyfil Animals Under Fire " 00 J X-W -T) OMBAP.DMEKTS affect different an- ously in billets with an identification disk X SK Imals in different ways. Dogs, as a around its neck. rule, show great distress when shells Regimental mascots arpear to ha,T burst near them and howl plteously. On the best time, for they stay In binftt that others are looking at 'em, and that makes 'em try to stay tts straight as they can. "But past a certain hour that diea out. Folks at this time of night have an idea that there's no one to pee 'em. So they just cut loose and the worst w'het's in 'em far worse than you nor I nor they themself ever dreamt was there-comes there-comes out. "I tell you it makes me see ghosts and nightmares sometime?. 1 1 makes me think the whole world is reeling, swearing, swear-ing, fighting drunk. "The only thing that savps me, T guess, is that evry night ends for me at 7:05. Then I get out of this ntr of smcke and cussing and staggering and go hnme. "And, say I gut some home. I got some little wife, too. "When I see her waiting thre for me with her clean, sweet smile and her bine wrapper on and everything neat as a pin and pure as a gardea and sober then I hold his faith in humanily in spite of its constant jumping with its own wabbly feet in the pan of the scales that bore down toward the side of depravity. As we daliicd there a second the door opened. A woman stood at the threshold. 3 1 was hia wife she must have been watching and seen him arrive. She beamed a smile of welcome. He grinned back at her with almost the sheepishness of a suitor. She w-as a pretty lit lie thing, with black eyes and hair as dark as her eyes. She w"ore a blue gingham, house gown and little rag slippers. But her cheeks r hone with soap and rubbing and her hair was neatly done up In a simple little lit-tle coiffure that seemed more artistic than cne would lonk for on the head of the wife of a night car conductor. "Any kid??" I asked almost before I knew what I was saying. "N'o," said my friend the ekippr. "We got everything else but kids. We oniy been married less than a year. Maybe we'll have everything some day." I tipped my hat and walked on. I was going home, too. I could easily see now how that picture could drive out of (he brain of that girl's husband the memories mem-ories and impressions of a night of handling han-dling brawlers and crooks and malefactors male-factors of both the sexes. Why, it had driven them out of mine. I could see now only that pretty little bride with the natty 99-cent wrapper, smiling the morning's morn-ing's greeting to her husky husband, fur whom she had been waiting in the window, win-dow, washed, tidied, expectant. After that I was even more eagerly interested in my friend the conductor. Whenever I saw hia masterful handling of the brigands and the outcasts I saw The man warn ihe sinisterAooli-- ing foreigner whom I used to see with ihe worn- an who was weep- Jji ing the first nighi I saw her without him. behind It all the one little -woman In whom he had faith, who was clean, who redeemed to him the murky world upon which it was his mission to look. And so it was with emotions which need not be here detailed that I saw, one morning about a week after that election day, as I was passing the conductor's cottage at about 4:30 o'clock, a man slink out of the conductor's front door. Two hasty glances I gave. One discovered that the little wife was standing in her front room, peering out through partially opened curtains. The other revealed that tho man was the sinister looking foreigner whom I used to see with the woman, who wos weeping the first night that I saw her without him. Copyright, IM6, by J. KoalejJ |