The Placer herald., 1870-01-15
How Reverend J. Hyatt Smith Chased a
Locomotive.

Hyatt Smith:
We stopped at Syracuse. N. Y for din
ner. You remember the railroad depot, csn'
trally situated. its eastern and western Gu
frances exactly allks-as much 80 al the Two
ends of a car. After We bad diusd the
depot master informed the that We had
seventeen minutes TO spare before the de-
psrturs of the Eastern train. This thought
|. will give me aud opportunity to see the
city, and glorious chance for "a smoke
provided a clergyman could bs tsmpted iuto
such a piece of wastsfu and worldly smuss-
msnt ssuulered forth, and after an alb
sencs Of exactly thirteen minutes, having
enjoyed soothing aud delightful stroll, !
WAS ssursly returning, watch IN band, when.
to my sudden astonshmsnt, | bebeld the
train slowly gliding out Of the other end
Of the depot, and increasing its speed at
every puff OF its gigantic Locomotive.
lere indeed was a 'calI' that admitted OF
usltber correspondence or delay-lhsrs WAS
no lime for taking into consideration So
without conteIIug with flesh or blood, put
.h like sky rocket with double fuse
For moment thought bad it all my
Own way; thought | was gaining ground.
although knew | was loosing wind. was
encouraged IN The race by sundry helpful
fellows who kept crying out rs | passed,
Go it CATERS? plueky boy lie amt left.
O-no' and other well meaning aud be-
nignant exlortations. Though they in,en-
tended, perhaps. helping mo over tbs course.
found that he more they shouted, thu less
was inclined to run, and the more dscid-
sdly did the locomotive make terrible head
way agslns me. To givs up the chase; TO
submit 10 the ohagTin OF being left; to loose
my party and my baggage; to meet with
disappointment and not with friends; all
this was bad enough; but the thought of
sncountsring, all the way back to the depot,
that line Of interested individuals who with
ibsr cheering excamations had SO issllag-
~ encouraged me- in my outward journey,
his was the bit,erest pill 10 this unexpected
dose.
But it must be done; so tspering off grad
ually gave up the contest and turned back
10 meet my ta,e, aDd-it could find him
the depot master whose blunderlng sta e.
,uents were the cause of all my trouble.
Without search that individual advanced
to grsst tue with the bland rsco milton Of
"a fact that no one could well deny, We'll
yon got left. did you? lreplied only Win
ths resentment of a siencing eye. II |
looked as | tried 10 look, my photograph
taken at that instant would hardly bs chosen
to grace Al album gallery Of eminent d.
vines Several by-standeis seeking infor-
nation, asked, with show of coutidentla lal
interest IN my ease, on what wise the hing
had happened and others shing TO point
IA moral, advised me 10 be on hand n Int 10
earlier next ume.' With returning breath
relief ard words came together. and
squaraly charged tha railroad official with
ali the blame. spoke Of bis incompstency,
in no measured terms, recalling bow after
had placed my party in the car be had AS
cured mo there were fall seventeen minu ss
70 spare, before the train went out; 'whlla
here replied |. with triumphant exhbi.
ton Of nv watch, The seventeen mnutes
are even now barely up, and yet the train is
gone and out Of sight
After no little bot shot ca.t back and
forth With The usual variations and final per
orations of you did and you didn't you're
another, etc, ! asked him whether | would
bs risking another chance of being isf if
depended upon him to give me the exact
hour Of the departure Of the next Eastern
train. EasterD, exclaimed he Yea, East
srn,' IrepIlsd with dscidedy upward and
sarcastic infection. why quoth be, the
train you have just been chasing With such
yood luck was not an Eastern train, but the
Western express!
With much and intsrssting confusion and
excitement | stammered out. Then whsrs
10 Joppa is the Eastern train = why
ho,s 1t Vs. replied be. just getting under
WY at the other end OF tbs depot; leg it
ar You'll loose that If ever | did make
Dexter time | made it then. | passed right
through the depot like the wind. | felt as
,souyh | was all legs. One glance how
ever, AT the rear window of tho last car as
aas nearing IT, came near being too much
for me. discovered the group of my long
lost friends, whose faces and forms seemed
bursting with poorly suppressed and il't'msd
mirth.
A reached satisfy the platform. the fire
that opened upon me could only bs squaIsd
for its msrriIsss effect by the fire in the rear
from which | had provldently fled. | hssrc
ibes and jokes and jees. | heard th'
hoarss laughter of full chestsd men, the
h, stsrral eff 'rts Of mirih- Exhausted women
They had all witnessed my chase after 'h'
wrong train; now fearful lest indeed
should overlake it, and thsn rsioiced at IN,
evident lack Of what the jockeys call bot
tom; az my speed began to slacksn and my
chances with lhs locomotive began to grow
small by degrees and beautifully less They
had witnessed the blowing up administered
the depot master, the strange procastlna
tion in starting for the right train, until q
length it had started and had entered up
on a second stern chase. Then they feared
was left again. as they looked with breath
less interest at the unequal cen'sst OF leg
versus a locomotive. They had witnessed
my tinal triumph. but how grarsfullv wa
welcomed, and with what feelings rscsve'
their pee liar congralulalion | leave m