A CONDUCTRESS SPEAKS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 289, 26 August 1918, Page 3

A CONDUCTRESS SPEAKS

Being in charge of a tramway car is not, or course, one-tenth as simple as it sounds. In addition to having all the fares in a big double-decker to collect, you must look out for passengers wiio I want to alight—your driver will gen- ; orally uccouiifc for Uiose who warn, to j get ;n—you must call the names of tho i stopping-places out "in :i loud and clear voice" (vide book of instructions, which nobody reads). You must keep your change correct and bar passengers from smoking downstairs ; you must record on your way- , bill every mortal ticket you sell; voii must be guide, philosopher, and friend to tho innumerable strangers and pilgrims who expect to find in you a living encyclopaedia and map of' the town combined; you •must prevent old ladies from fulling down the slops: and above' all, sinro tramway curs are run by lime-table not a whit loss strictly thaii trains, you must waste no second in ringing "on" ami "off" lest you and your driver alike find yourselves in for trouble. : There is a certain amount, of rough- : and-rrady pleasure sit niched to tho ' work; the. iimonseioii:; humour of the ' passengers; Ihe ouldonr life—although ! in told weather one. can almost get. too much of a good thing—and above all the eomraclot-hip. This last, you will find, leavens the whol-' lump; it puts heart into you with laughter, healthy cluilf, and ijiiick— not to say frank—repartee when you sail (ml, of depot of a grey winter morning, all the long, cold day before you. It keeps .that heart up through' the crawling hours, when you and the rest turn up your collars and bless the sleety rain ; nnd it adds In tin- saiisfiintion of tho finish, when you wait with Ui" others in s> rlwrlnl ijurur lo pay in and ihe dspot is full of the noise o'f homing ears. _ T'liiif i« the- best time of all; you linger for the unites whose, ways' lie with yours, and tramp together Ihrougli Ilif d;ilkncs~ comparing reviews of the day's experiences. Most of these make, for hiliiril.y--t.l>ere w.-w ihe skirmish May lind with a cnntinns contrnctholder. who eanie n/f weond host: there war. the man who wanted Jessie lo meet him to-morrow—much fun over this—and there was the old gentleman who walked right in front of Hilda's car, ea that her driver had to pull up t',e "jemmy" (electric brake), fo!■■oived by a more or less censored version of what the driver said to the old gentleman. Certainly you will gain by the hardy life as your interest in it awakens. Tho wider outlook, the new sympathy and understanding born of much contact with your fellows will compensate for many material diseomt'orts. —G. 0. T., in tiw -'Daty Mail."