Humors of the Electric Car.

Evening Star, Issue 8529, 30 May 1891, Page 4

Humors of the Electric Car.

The eleotrio street oars between Ansonia and Birmingham (U.S.) have always been a source of pride and wonder aB well to the people of the two towns. Never a country visitor oomes to see his relatives but he iB taken for a ride on the 'iectrio cars, and the workings are explained to him. Some of the oars "leak," and the metallic) parts are highly charged with electric fluid. One car especially is noted for this, The conductor and those who know the secret have lots of fun seeing the look of painful surprise that spreads itself over the faces of those who are shocked. Recently a lady got on the oar as it started, and as her foot touched the iron doorsill she gave a startled scream, and a look of blank amazement spread over her features as she remarked: " Something is the matter with my—limbs; I can't move them." The conduotor gave her a little push into the oar, and a sigh of relief esoaped her as she sank into a seat and blushed like an Italian sunset.

The next one to enter was a big Irish washerwoman. She was fat and jolly, and her size required an effort on her part to squeeze through the door. She planted both feet on the iron plate, and then screamed : " Howly Moses I Me legs is full of pins." The conduotor didn't laugh. He had too big a job to push her off the sill. Then came a gentleman, whose little dog followed him. The dog's feet struck the door Bill, his tail dropped down, the hair on his back rose up, and with a pitiful howl he dropped back, jumped off the car, and has not been seen since.

The man with rubbers on smiles a superior sort of smile as be steps iu, and this angers the conduotor. To get even with him he asks for the fare just as the rubber-shod man gets inside the door. Then the man with the bell-punch steps on the door sill, touches the other man's hand with his finger as he makes change, and a stern compression of the lip and a muttered oath is the only token the conductor has that his little scheme worked. The sensation is not at all painful, but its suddenness is apt to take the resolution out of a man as quickly as anything. People who are troubled with rheumatism ask permission to stand in the door during the whole trip, and declare that the shook is beneficial.