St Louis Post-Dispatch, Missouri, August 23, 1907

..there were still a lot of aisle seats vacant. There were plenty of men sitting alone, but a person of the “chappy” sort came in and chose the seat beside me. At the moment I wondered why he did not sit with some of the men, but thought perhaps he was one of those persons who never think of the right thing and so habitually act with poor taste.

As he sat down he crowded me. ‘Here,’ thought I, ‘is one of those street car hogs who always take up more than 5 cents’ worth of seat.’ I moved over as close to the window as I could, but still I could feel the man sitting with intimate nearness. He opened his paper and pressed his elbow close to my side.

I tried to read my paper but I was so uncomfortable from being crowded unreasonably that I couldn’t read.

This semblance of manhood alertly watched for a sign of response to his disgusting attempts  to make a “mash.”  I was fuming with wrath at his insolence, but as he did nothing which might not have been only accident in an ill-mannered person who has no regard for others’ rights, I couldn’t ask him ‘to stop.’ If I had said ‘stop’ he would have innocently looked aggrieved and asked ‘Stop What?’ and I would have appeared the foolish one.