Beating A Railroad

Many droll stories are told of the gentleman-beggar and polite swindler, knowa as Beau Hickman, who died last month at Washington. He inherited $40,000 ; but the lazy, dissipated, wastetul habits, of the Virginia " chivalry " of which he was a sprig- made him a poor " dead beat " for the last 25 yearg of his life. On one occasion, Beau being on a train without a ticket, took a seat in the cars, and after the train had been in motion soine time, he stepped into the next car andcalled out loudly, "Tickets!" when every one, thinking him the Conductor, held out their tickets. Beau only took up one, however, selecting that of a poor, honest oíd Germán farmer ; and, passing into the next car, took a seat, sticking the ticket into the band of his hat. In a few minutes there was the usual cali again f "Tickets!" and the real Conductor made his appearance. When he carne to the oíd Germán farmer, he attempted to explain ; but the Conductor cut him short, saying, " Show your ticket, pay your money, or get off the train." A good many passenger who had witnessed the transaction between Hickman and the farmer, and wondered at the time why their tickets had not beeu called tor, now carne to the relief of the Gerinan, and remonstrated, protesting that the man had paid, and the Conductor who had just passed through, had already taken up his ticket. The Conductor, thinking for a moment, said, m bet Beau Hickraan is on this train ; " and, sure enough, on entering the next car, here sat Beau, as largc as life, looking quite innocent, and his ticket exposed in full view. " Where did you get this ticket ? " asked the Conductor, pulling it out of Hickuian'a hat-band. " It was given to me by a gentleman in the next car," frankly replied Beau. " You ought to be ashamed to rob a poor oíd Germán farmer in that way. " Politest and cleverest people in the world on your road," said Beau with hig inimitable smile and little bow. " Why - would you believe me, sir? - I only needed one, but every man in the car, when they knew who I was, tendered me his ticket; and the ladies- God bless them - at least a dozen offered me theirs." The Conductor pasaed him.