The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1877-11-21
. GOOD STORY WELL TOLD.


railroad depot, centrally situated, with
its eastern and western entrance,
which are exactly alike-as much as
the two ends of car. After We had
dined the depot master informed me
that we had fifteen minutes to spare
before the departure of the next train.
This, thought l, will give me an op-
portunity to see the city and a glori-
Gus chance for smoke, provided a
clergyman could be tempted into such
tasteful and worldly amusement. I
sauntered forth, and, after an absence
of exactly thirteen minutes, having
enjoyed a delightful and soothing
stroll, was leisurely returning, watch
in hand, when to my establishment |
beheld the train slowly moving cut of
the other end of the depot and in
creasing in speed at every pull of the
gigantic locomotive.
Here indeed was q call which ad-
mitted neither correspondence nor de-
lay; there was no time for taking it in
to consideration.
So, without comforting with flesh
and blood, l put like sky rocket with
double fuse. For moment thought
/ was gaining ground, although l knew
was losing wind. I was encouraged
in the race by sundry helpful fellows
who kept crying out as passed: go
it gaiters!" "plucky boy!" she amt
left-oh, mol" and well-meaning and
benignaDt exhortations. Though they
intended perhaps to help me over the
course, found that the more they
shouted the less was inclined to run,
and more decidedly did the locomotive
make it's terrible way against me.
To give up the chase, to submit to
the chagrin of being left, to lose my
party and my passage, meet with dis
appointment, not to meet my friends
all this was bad enough; but the
thought of encountering all the way to
the depot that line of interested indi-
viduals who, with their cheering ex-
carnations, had so feelingly encour-
aged me on my outward journey-this
was the bitterest pill in this unex-
pected dose.
But it must be done; so, tapering
off gradually, l gave up the contest,
and, If could find him, the depot.
master, whose laundering statements
were the cause of all my trouble.
Without search that individual ad-
vanced to meet me with the bland
recognition of a fact that nobody could
well deny: ...--.
swell, you got left, did youq"
replied with the resentment Of
silencing eye. If l looked as / tried to
look my photograph at that instant
would hardly be chosen to grace an
album of "eminent divines."
Several bystanders 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 q moral, advised me to be
on hand little earlier next time.
With returning breath relief and
words came together and l sQuarely
charged the railway official with all
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 o triumphant exhibition of my
watch, "the seventeen minutes are
now barely up, and yet the train has
gone clear out OF sight"
After no little hot talk had boen
shot back and forth, with the usual
variations and final periorations of
"you did," and "you didn't "you're
another" etc., asked him if I would
be risking another chance of being left
if l depended on him to give me the
exact hour of the next eastern train.
eastern 2" exclaimed he.
"Yes, EASTERN" replied, with a de-
cidedly upward and rising infection,
"Why," quoth he, "the train you
have been chasing with such good luck
wasn't the eastern train, but the west
ern express"
With much interesting confusion
and excitement, / stammered out :
"Then where in Jobba is the eastern
train Z"
"Why, there it u.s." exclaimed he,
'just getting under way at the other
end of the depot, leg it or you'll
lose that"
II ever made quick time 1 made it
then. / felt as if | was oil legs. One
glance, however, at the rear door of
the last car as was nearing it came
near being too much for me. / dis
covered the group of my lost friends,
whose forms aud faces seemed bursting
with poorly suppressed and ill-timed
mirth.n