FOOLING- A CAR DRIVER.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4571, 13 November 1875, Page 2 (Supplement)

FOOLING- A CAR DRIVER.

(Prom the Detroit Free Press.) THE PASSENGER WHO WOULD NOT PLACE HIS FAKE IN THE BOX. The other night, as the “ last car ” on the Michigan avenue route was turning around on the table at the corner of Woodward and /'Jefferson avenues, two young men, who had fixed up a straw man in good shape, helped him aboard and seated him at the end furthest from the driver. The “ dummy ” man had his hat pulled low, his arms down, and was so braced up against the end of the car that “ho” looked as much a passenger as any one. The car moved off after a while, and as it turned into Michigan aveuue an old lady got aboard. She paid her fare, the two young men followed suit, and the car moved on again, the driver keeping his eye on the “ dummy,” and wondering whether he was going to try to beat his fare. At First-street the driver jingled his hell for fare, and the two young men and the old woman looked over at tho straw man. The car moved on to Third-street, and the driver looked through the window and yelled “Fare,” and jingled the bell again. There being no response, ho opened the door aud called out to the straw man. “ Say, you ! You want to pay your faro !” There was no answer, and after going half a block he shouted out again : “ You man, there —walk up here and pay your fare!” „ One of the young meu sat opposite “dummy,” and he squeaked out iu reply ; “ Drive on the old hearse!” “What! what’s that!” shouted tho driver, pushing the door clear opeu. “Oh! hire a hall!” was the reply. “ Seo here, mister, you’ve got to pay your faro or get off !” exclaimed the driver, winding the lines around the brako. “Grashus me ! If there’s going to be a fight let me off !” shouted the old lady, aud she rushed down the car aud made a clear jump from tho door. “ Now, then, are you going to pay your faro ? ” said tho driver, as he entered” the car. “ Pay be hanged,” was the muttered reply. “ You’d hotter look out for him ; he’s ugly ! ” whispered the other young man to the driver.

“I don’t care if he’s as ugly as John Jacob Astor ; he’s got to pay his fare, or off he goes ! ” The driver slid down to the end of the car, spit on his hands, and continued ; “ Come, now—out with your fare, or off you go ! ”

There was no reply, no movement; and spitting on his hands he again called out ; “Well, here you come!” and grabbed “ dummy” by the shoulders. His object was to jerk the “ fellow " out of doors, and expecting a struggle he put forth all his strength in a mighty effort. It was very successful. The driver went out of the car heels over head, with the straw man on top of him, and the young men leaped off the front end of the car just as the victim was trying to get his thumb in the straw man’s eye.