Smyrna times., 1877-12-19
WHOLE NO. l,l81.
A Good Story Well Told.
The following story is told by the Rev.

NAJ HOAl 1UIuI
n, ne ne following story is told by the Rev. J.
We stopped at Syracuse, New Yorl,
Tor uIhner. You remember the railroad
uelot, centrally situated, with its eastern
ana western entrance, which are cxactIv
aIlke, as much as the two ends of cor
Alter we had dined the depot master in.
formed me that we had fifteen minutes 70
spare before the departure Of the next train
Ihls, thought |, will give me an opportunitv
10 see the city and a glorious chance for =
smoke, provided a clergyman couId Lo
tempted INTO such a worldly and tasteful
amusement. ! sauntcrcd forth. and. aftor
an absence Of exactly thirteen minutes
haVln9 enjoyed delightful and soothin1
Stfo0I, ! was Iesurely returning, watch in
nahd, when to my astonishment | beheId
Ihe tram moving slowly out Of the other
END OF the depot and increasing in speed at
every pull OF the gigantic locomotive.
nere indeed was call which admitted
neither correspondence nor delay; there
was no time for taking it into considera.
ton.
So, without comforting with nasb and
gIoCG' ! put like sky rocket with a
double fuse For moment | thouoht
was gaining ground, although | knew That
was losing wind. | was ENCOURAGED to
race by sundry helpful fellows who Kent
crying out as passed: go it CATERS ~
"piucky boy y "he amt Ieft-oh. nor' and
wcIlmeanlng and benignant exhortations.
though they intended perhaps to help me
over the course, | found that the more
they shouted the less | was inclined TO RIM.
ana more decidedly did the locomotive
make It's way against me
10 give up the chase, to submit to the
chagnn OF being left, to lose nv party and
my passage, meet with disarpointment.
not to meet my friends-al this was bad
enough; but the thought Of cncounterino
all the way back to the depot that line of
interested individuals who, with their
cheering eXclamations, had so :celincly on.
couraged me on my outward iourney.this
was the bltterest pill in this uneXnectcd
dose.
But it must be done; so, taperinc off
gradually, gave up the contest, and. if
could find him, the depot master, whose
oiuhderlnG statements were the cause of
all my trouble. Without search that in.
dlvldual advanced to meet me with the
bland recognition Of fact that nobody
could well deny:
Well, you got left did your"
/ replied with the resentment of
sllenclng eye. If | looked as | tried TO
look my photograph at that instant would
hardly be chosen to grace an album gallery
of eminent divines."
Several bystandcrs seeking information
asked, with a show Of confidential interest
IN my case, in what wise the thing had
happened; and others wishing to p0int
moral, advised me 10 be on hand a little
earlier next time.
With returning breath relief and words
came together, and | squarely charged the
railway official with all blame. spoke of
his lncompetency in no measurable terms.
recalling how, after had placed my party
IN the car, he had assured me that there
Was full seventeen minutes to spare before
The train went out while here" said I.
with triumphant exhibition of my watch.
the seventeen minutes are even now
barely up, and yet the train has gone clear
Out of sight"
After no little hot talk had shot back
md forth, with the usual variations and
lnal perorations Of ''you did,; and 81
tdnt," your another" etc, asked him
would he risking another chance of
leing left if depended on him to give mo
he exact hour of the next eastern bound
rain.
Eastern p exclaimed he
4" Yes EASTERN" | exclaimed with de.
,idadly upward and rising infliction.
Why" quoth he, "the train you have
1een chasing with such good luck wasn't
he eastern train, but the western express.
With much interesting confusion and
excitement l stammered out: Then
where in JOppa is the eastern train ?"
Why, there it is" replied he, '.just get
ing underway at the other end of the
Iepot; "leg it, or you'll lose that"
IT ever | made quick time l made it
hen. felt as if | was all legs. One
lance, however, at the rear door of the last
ar as was nearing it came near being too
much Tor me. | discovered the group of
ny lost friends, whose forms seemed burst.
ng with poorly-suppressed and ill-timed
nirth."