Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1871-10-25
A Good Story Well Told.

A Good Story Well Told
BY REV. j. HYATT SMITH,
We stopped at Syracuse New York; for
dinner You remember the railroad depot,
centrally located, with ts eastern aud western
entrances exactly alikc-as much 80 as the
two ends Of car. After we had dined, the
depot master informed me that we had seven.
teen minutes to spare before the departure Of
the eastern train This, thought l. will give
me an opportunity to sec the city, aud go-
rious chance for a smoke, provided a clergy.
mau could be tempted into such wastofu
and worldly amusement, | sauntered forth,
and after an absence Of exactly thirteen min
utes, having enjoyed a delightful and sooth-
ing STROLL | was lcisurcly returning, watch in
hand, when, to my sudden astonishment,
beheld the train slowly gliding out Of the 9TH
er end Of the depot, and increasing its speed
at every puff of the gigantic locomotive.
Here indeed was f" call' which admit
ted neither correspondence or delay there
was no time for taking into consideration.
So without comforting with flesh or blood,
put like a sky rocket with double fuse
For a moment thought had it all my own
way | thought was gaining ground al.
though knew was losing wind. | was en-
couragcd in the race by sundry helpful fell
lows, who kept crying out as | passed, Go
it CATERS !! Plucky boy !" " lie amt
left, Oh no !" and well meaning and benig-
nant exhortations. Though they intended,
perhaps, to help me over the course, found
that the more they shouted the less was
inclined TO run, and the more decidedly did
the locomotive make the terrible Roadway
against me.
To give up the chase to submit to the
chagrin Of being left to lose my party and
my passage; to meet with disappointment
and not meet with friends all this was bad
enough but the thought Of encountering, all
the way back to the depot, that line of inter-
csted individuals, who, with their cheering
exclamatons, had so feelingly encouraged me
on my outward journey, this was the bitterest
pill in this unexpected dose.
But it must be done so, tapering of
gradually | gave up the contest and turned
back to meet my fate, and-if could find
him-the depot-master whose laundering
statements were the cause of all my troubles.
Without search that individual advanced to
meet me with the bland recognition of a fact
that no one could well deny, "Well, you got
left, did you2"
replied only with the resentment Of a
"silencing eye" If looked as tried tC
look, my photograph, taken at that instant
would hardly be chosen to grace an album
gallery of "eminent divines.n Several by
ISLANDERS, seeking information, asked with q
show Of confidential interest in my case
in what wise the thing had happened anC
others, wishing "to point moral, advised
me to be on hand a little earlier next time
With returning breath, relief aud words cam
together and | squarely charged the ralroa,
official with all the blame. Ispoke of his in
competency in no measured terms, recallin,
how, after | had placed my party in the car
he had assured me that there was full seven
teen minutes to spare before the train wen
out, "whie here, said L. with trumphan
exhibition ofmy watch, the seventeen "min
utes are now barely up, yet the train is gou
out of sight"
After no little hot shot cast back and fort
with the usual variations and perorations q
"you did aud you didn't" you're another,
ETC., asked him if | ran another chance Q
being left, if depended on him to give tn
exact hour Of the departure Of the Hert east
ern train. " Eastern !" exclaimed he " Yei
Eastern % replied, with decidedly upwar
and sarcastic infection. why" quoth h,
"the train you've just been chasing with SUE
good luck wasn't an eastern train, but th
peStern cypress"
With much and interesting confusion an
I excitement, | stammered out, Then whei
in Joppa is the eastern train ?" Why, thei
it is" replied he, "just getting under way
the other end of the depot leg it, or you
lose that" If ever | made Dexter time
made it then. | passed right through thi
depot like the wind. felt as if | was a
legs One glance at the rear door of the la
car as | was nearing it came near being t.
much for me. | discovered the group Of II
: long lost friends, whose forms and faces seer
! ed bursting with poorly suppressed and i
timed mirth.
9 As reached safely the platform the f
opened upon me could only be equaled f
" its merciless effect, by the fire in the rea
i from which | had proyidentally fed
y heard jibes and jokes and jeers. heard Il
d hoarse laughter of full-chested men, and Il
's terrible efforts of mirth-exhausted wome
l. They had all witnessed my chase after Il
% wrong train; now fearful lest should owe
II take it, and then rejoicing at my evident la,
% of what jockeys call "bottom," as my spe
|, began to slacken and my chances with the !
J. comotiye began to grow "small by degre
Q and beautifully less" They had witness
y the "blowing up administered to the dep
o master, the strange procrastnation in star
ing for the right train, until at length it hi
A. actually started and had entered upon
d sacond "stern chase" Then they feared tn
: | was left again, as they looked with breat
L less interest at the unequal contest of le
s. versus locomotive. They had witnessed n
y final triumph, but how gratefully | was We
o coined, and with what feelings receiv,
. 2 their peculiar congratulations, | leave II
u hearers to imagine