Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1869-12-23
Chasing Railroad Trains.

trail in time:
I've stopped at Syracuse, N. Y, for
dinner. You remember the railroad de-
ant centrally situated, with its eastern and
western entrances exactly alike--as much
60 as the two ends of car. After we had
dined the depot master informed us that
we had seventeen minutes to spare before
,he denarture of the eastern tram. This,
thourht |, will give me an opportunity to
see the city and a glorious chance for a
smoke, provided clergyman could be
tempted into such piece of worldly and
wasteful amusement. | sauntered forth,
snd after an absence of exactly thirteen
minutes, having enjoyed delightful and
soothing stroll, | was returning, watch in
hand, when, to my establishment, | beheld
the train slowly gliding out of the other
end of the depot, and increasing its speed
at every puff of its gigantic locomotive
Here, indeed was "call =" that admitted
neither correspondence nor delay; there
was no time for taking it into considera
ton" SO, without comforting with flesh
or blood, put off like sky-rocket with a
double fuse. For moment | thought |
had it all my own way; thought | was
gaining ground, although knew l was
losing wind | was encouraged in the
race by sundry helpful fellows who kept
CRYING out as passed, go it gai-
tersr' "plucky boyw "he amt left,
O. nor and other well meaning
and benignant exhortations. Though
they intended, perhaps helping me over
the course, | found that the more they
shouted the less inclined l was to run. and
the more decidedly did the locomotive
make terrible Roadway against me. To
give up the chase; to submit to the chagrin
of being left; to lose my party and my pas
sage to meet with disappointment and
not to meet with friends, all this was bad
enough; but the thought of encountering,
all the way back to. the depot, that line of
interested individuals who with their
cheering ordinations had so feelingly en-
Outraged me on my outward journey, this
was the bitterest pill in this unexpected
dose But it must be done, so tapering off
gradually gave up the contestant turned
back to meet my fate, and--if | could find
him-the depot master whose laundering
statements were the cause ofall my trouble.
Without search that individual advanced
to greet me with the bland recognition Of
fact that no one could well deny, We'll,
YOU got left, did your | replied only
with resentment of silencing eye"
If | looked as | tried to look, my photo
graph taken at that instant would hardly
be chosen to grace an album gallery Of
eminent divines.' Several bystanders
seeking information, asked, with show
of confidential interest in my case, on
what wise the thing had happened?
and others wishing to point NOR
AL" advised me to abe on hand a
little earlier next time" With
returning breath relief and words came
together, and squarely charged the rail
road official with all the blame | spoke
Of his incompetency, in no measured
terms, recalling how that after | had
placed my party in the car he had assured
me that there were full seventeen minutes
to spare before the train went out: "while
here" said |, with triumphant exhibit
ton Of my watch, the seventeen minutes
are even now barely up, anC yet the train
is gone and out of sight" After no little
hot shot cast back and forth, with the
usual variations and final perora,ions of
"you did and you didn't" you're anoth-
err" etc, asked him whether | would be
nsking another chance Of being left if /
depended upon him to give me the exact
hour of the departure of the meet Eastern
train. Easternw exclaimed he. eyes,
EIstern," replied /, with decided upward
and sarcastic infection. "Why," quoth
he "tho train you've just been chasing
with such poor luck wasn't an Eastern
train, but the Western Expressw With
much and increasing confusion and ex-
element stammered out, "Then where
in Joppa is the Eastern train?" "Why,
there it is" replied he, "just getting
under way at the other end of the depot.
Leg it, or youth lose that" If ever l did
make Dexter time | made it then. |
passed right through that depot like
the wind. | felt as if was all legs.
One glance, however, at The rear door of
the last car as was nearing it, came near
being too much for me- l discovered the
group of my long lost friends, whose
forms and faces seemed bursting with
poorly suppressed and ill-timed mirth. As
N"Nh'" oaiciy Vic piatlOlul, Viz hiC tHdt
opened upon me could only be equalled
Tor its mercless effect by the fire in the
rear, from which / had providertially fled.
| heard jibes, and jokes, and jeers; ! heard
the hoarse laughter Of full-chested men,
the hysterical efforts of mirth- exhausted
women. They had all witnessed my chase
after the wrong train now fearful lest in
deed l should overtake it, and then re-
loiced at my evident lack of what jockeys
call bottom" as my speed began to
Ss!lacken and my chances with the locomo-
1--WE began to grow "small by degrees
ana beautifully less, They had witnessed
the blowing up" administered the depot
master, the strange procrastination in
starting for the right train, until at length
II had actually started and had entered
upon q second stern chase" Then they
feared was left again, as they looked
WIN breathless interest at the unequal
contest OF legs UtrsuS a locomotive. They
AdQ witnessed nv final trIutnph hut how