St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1879-08-29
A Good Story Well told.

The following story is told by the
Rev. J. Hyatt Smith: ..
"We stopped at Syracuse, New York,
for dinner. You remember the railroad
depot, centrally located, with its east
ern and western entrances, which are
exactly alike-as much as the two ends
of car. After we had dined the de-
pot master informed me that we had
fifteen minutes to spare before the de-
parture of the next train. This, thought
l, will give me an opportunity to see
the city, and a glorious chance for a
smoke, provided clergyman could be
tempted into such wasteful and world
ly amusemont. sauntorcd FORTH, and,
after an absence of exactly thirteen
minutes, having enjoyed a delightful
and soothing stroll, was leisurely re-
turning, watch in hand, when, to my
astonishment, 1 beheld the train slow
depot, and increasing in speed at every
puff of the gigantic locomotive.
Here indeed was call which admit
ted neither correspondence nor delay !;
there was no time for taking it into
consideration. So, without comforting
with flesh and blood, put like sky
rocket with double fuse. For a mo-
nent 1 thought 1 was gaining ground,
although knew l was losing wind. /
was encouraged in the race by sundry
helpful fellows, who cried out as pass
ed: Go it, CATERS = 'Plucky boy p He
amt left-oh, no = and other well mean
ing and benignant exhortations. Though
they intended, perhaps, to help me over
the course, l found that the more they
shouted the less l was inclined to run,
and the more decidedly did the locomo-
tive make its 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 with my
friends-all this was bad enough, but
the thought of encountering all the way
back to the depot that line of interest
ed individuals who, with their cheering
exclamations, had so feelingly encour-
aged me on my onward journey-this
was the bitterest pill in this unexpect-
ed dose.
But it must be done, so, taperiDg off
gradually, gave up the contest, and
concluded to find the depot master,
whose blundering statements were the
cause of all my trouble. Without search
that individual advanced to meet me
with the bland recognition of a fact
that nobody could well deny:
well, you got left, did your @
/ Ireplied with the resentment of a 81
lencing eye. If looked as / tried to
look, my photograph at that instant
would hardly be chosen to grace an al
bum gallery of eminent divines.'
SaUapal hy- fa nAarc i,,f forp,o
ton asked, with show of confidential
interest, in what wise the thing hap
pened and others, wishing to point
moral, advised me to be on hand a lit
tie earlier next time.
With returning breath, relief and
words came together, and squarely
charged the railway official with all
blame. 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 with
a triumphant exhibition of My watch,
the seventeen minutes are even now
barely up, and yet the train had gone
clear out of sight,
After no little hot talk had shot back
and forth, with the usual variations
and final perorations of you did, and
you didn't you're another ETC., l
asked him if would he risking another
chance of being left if depended upon
him to give me the exact hour of the
next eastern train.
Eastern p exclaimed he.
Yes, eastern, l replied, with decid-
edly upward and rising infection.
Why quoth lie, the train you have
been chasing with such good luck
wasn't the eastern, but the western ex
press
With much interesting confusion and
excitement, l stammered out: Then
where in Joppa is the eastern train p
why, there it is,' replied he, .iust
getting under way at the other end of
the depot leg it OF you'll lose that
If ever made quick time 1 made II
then. l felt as if / was all legs. One
glance, however, at the rear door of the
last car as l was nearing it, came near
being too much for me. I discovered
the group of my lost friends, whose
forms and faces seemed bursting with
peorly-suppressed and ilI-timed mirth.