Desk and Debit; or, The Catastrophes of a Clerk

on the old lady, though I was willing to al

the old lady. "Put me out of the car! He's a

is duty to perform,

otected woman out of the car; and he wou

otive sounded, and we heard the scraping of the brakes, as the train prepared to stop. The conductor promptly appeared, and again deman

be done!" sai

ticket or the twelve doll

er. I hain't got the mone

m. Then you must

here. Won't you trust m

and we do not giv

ere, knows me. My son's

no trouble about it," added the polite official, as he

e old lady, and shook his he

ce," said he, after a hasty glance at her face, a

r partner in business,"

aware that I ever saw her," answered the head of

e, madam?" demand

? Don't he know the na

your name

-Mrs. Whippleton; and

son is your partner," said the conductor, aga

"My partner's name is Whippleton, but I don't know that l

ust her for

. Collingsby, in a tone which implied that, if the conductor knew what he w

y does not kno

on, bitterly. "I don't believe he'd know his own fa

say; but he doesn't know you.

g you, I hain'

must get

on't m

I help you out w

you when I g

d, madam, I don't believ

you think I'd

so. If I mistake not, you hav

impe

e conductor, reaching forward and taking t

t, Mr. Conductor," I interposed, unabl

do you

him to go with me to

you know this woman?" dema

with as much dignity as Mr. Collingsby could have assum

the conductor, with a glance which indicated how much he pitied my greenness. "She has mon

esponsible f

dded the conductor, s

is enemy. I took out my porte-monnaie, and from the fifty-three dollars I had left of the sum I had taken to pay my expenses, I gave the conductor twelve. He handed me a c

for one where he had a whole chair to himself, at some distance from the old lady. I had no doubt he was glad to escape from the vicini

Mrs. Whippleton, as I resumed my seat at her side. "Don't

right now,

n Charles would have taught him what it was to perpetuate such an outrage on his moth

u ever m

he looked right at me! And now he don't know me! No matter; that conductor d

which the gentlemanly

t's

r ch

perlite. How came h

n a low tone; for I did not care to expo

u d

ly have put you out of

elieve a w

He says you have done

harles all about it, and, if he has any

nductor is to blame.

o blame," said she, p

lost you

?" she interposed, quick to ca

But the conductor cannot pass every

s a mean trick, and I'll t

bout it. It will only worry him;

ut a lone woman out of the car

ctor didn'

s road only a week ago, when I went

e conductor might have entertained a different opinion of her. I wanted to obtain some information of her

does not know you," I said, in

's pardner i

onally acquai

him. His folks and ourn don't visit much, for

rother, I h

h is in Europe, with hi

, deeply interested in

-for-nothin' feller in St. Louis, and

u ever

n 'em jest about as proud as Lucifer, and as consayted as a pullet over her fust egg. They're rich, and that's all that can

Collingsby h

d and consayted, and they come naterally enough by it, for the

not in bu

of the house of Collingsby and Whippleton. He put some

hten me in regard to the character and antecedents of the Collingsbys until the train stopped for dinner. I got out, and took a lunch, after the old lady had refused my invitation to do so. Reflecting that she had no money, I carried her a cup o

ake you into the seat with me when you fust got in," said she

you said you had not money enough even to buy a

for my tea," she continued; and, to my astonishment, she took from the

oney!" I exclaimed, ama

I ain't afeered on 'em," she added, as she hande

ind your ticke

d it," she replied, wi

will get the

she answered, in a low tone, and with a vile chuckling, which indic

ld. I did not blame Mr. Collingsby for not recognizing her, even if he did know