The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1872-01-28
Catching tho Train.

We stopped at Syracuse, N. Y, for
dinner. You remember the railroad de-
pot, centrally situated, with its Eastern
and Western entrances exactly alike-as
much so as the ends of car. After we
had dined, tho depot.master informed
mo that we had seventeen minutes to
spare before the departure of the East
ern train. This, thought T, will give me
an opportunity to see the city and glo-
rious chance for smoke, provided q
clergyman could be tempted into such
wasteful and worldly amusement I
sauntered forth, and after an absence of
exactly thirteen minutes, having enjoyed
q delightful and soothing stroll, L was
ieisurely returning. watch in hand, when,
TO my sudden astonisment, beheld the
train slowly gliding out of the other
end Of the depot and increasing it's
speed ut every puff of the gigantic loco
motive.
Here, indeed, was ''cal" which ad-
Iniited neither correspondence nor de-
lay; there was no time for "taking into
consideration.
So. without comforting with flesh and
blood, put like sky-rocket with dou-
ble fuse. For a moment thought I
was gaining ground, although I knew I
was losing wind. l was encouraged in
the race by sundry helpful fellows who
kept crying out as I passed, "Go it,
gaitersl' "Plucky boy!" "He amt left,
oh, no!' and well-meaning aud benig-
nant exhortations. Though they in
tended, perhaps, to help me over the
course. l found that the moro they
shonted the less was inclined to run,
and more decidedly did the locomotive
make it's terrible way against me.
10 givo up the chase, to submit to the
chaigrin OF being left. to lose my party
aud my pnssage, meet with disappoint-
this was bad enough; but the thought oi
encountering, all the way back to the
depot, that line Of Interested individuals
who. with their cheering exolamations,
had 80 feelingly encouraged me on my
outward journey, this was the bitterest
pill in the unexpected dose.
But it must be done. So, tapering of
gradually, I gave up thee contest and
turned back to meet my fate, and, if I
could find him, the depot.master. whose
blunderlng statements were the cause of
all my trouble. Without search that in
dividual advanced to meet me with the
bland recognition of fact that nobody
could we'll deny.
"WclI, you got left, did your'
l replied only with the resentment Of
'silencing eye" If I looked az tried
to look, my photograph taken ut that in
atant would hardly be chosen to grace
an album gallery of "eminent divines. ~
Several by-standers, seeking informa-
ton, asked, with show of confidential
interest in my case, in what wise the
thing had happened; and others, wish
ing to point moral, advised me to be
on hand little earlier next time
With returning breath, relief and
words came together, aud I squarely
charged tue railroad official with all the
blame. I spoke of his incompetency in
no measurable terms, recalling how,
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 I,
with triumphant exhibition of my
watch, "the seventeen minutes are oven
now barely up, and yet the train is gone
out OF sight"
After no hot shot cast back anG forth,
with the usual variations and final pero.
rations Of ''you did, and lyon didn't,
you re another" etc.. asked him whe
ther l would be risking another chance
"a coihS leAt Al uepouOou Oh ulm tC
give me the exact hour of the departure
of the next Eastern train.
'Eastern!" exclaimed he.
"Yes, Eastern, replied, with de
cidedly upward and sarcastic infection.
"Why, quoth he, "the train you We
just been chasing with such good Iucl
wasn't the Eastern train, but the West
ern Express"
With such Interesting confusion anc
excitement, stammered out, "Then
where in Jobba, is tho Eastern traiu?"
why, there it is, replied he, 'jus
getting under way, ut the other end O
the depot; leg it, or you'll lose that"
If ever 1 made Dexter time, I made i
then. passed right through the dcpo
{ like the wind. I felt as if I was Ill legs
One glance. however. at the rear door o
the last car as | was nearing it came nea
. being too much for me. L discovere,
the group of my long-lost friends, who's,
/ forms and faces seemed bursting will
. poorly.suppressed and ill-timed mirth.
= AS l reached safely the platform th,
fire that opened upon me could only b,
, equnlled, for its mercless effect, by th,
2 fre in the rear, from which had proyi
/ dentially fled. heard jibes, Jokes ant
: A.