The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1879-03-06

/ Catchlng q tram" IN England Is a
/ very different affair from catching it in
this country, for there it signifies the
Individual has sufficient time to enter
the railway carriage before the guard
closes the doors and gives the signal to
start. After that, no matter who arrives,
I II Is too late,
The laws against getting on or of
moving trains in ENGLAND are very strict,
and also in guarding the tracks at the
station and vicinity and are not to be
infringed upon OF broken with impUnity,
as an American friend recently found to
lis s0rroW.
He CHANGED to be on a train going to
London, and had written to have his
baggage sent from certain point to
meet him, to be put on board the train
at an intermediate station, where also
bis wife and son were to get on. Ar
rived at the latter place, where the train
stopped for q few moments, he left the
railway carriage, put his family on board
and sought for his luggage to place on
the train but in vain. Meanwhile the
time for starting the train arrived, yet
still he tarried, thinking to jump on at
the last moment, American fashion, and
started to do so, but was restrained by an
official.
'But I must 60 on this train; my
wife's aboard" said the anxious Ameri-
can.
Cant help it, sir; trains in motion
against regulations"
But you are going" said the traveller,
as he marked the long train gradually
moving, car after car, past them, and the
official preparing to take his place.
Certainly; Pm the guard-last man
on. take the van. Stand backP
So saying, the guard, or, as we call
him, the conductor, pushed back the
American and leaped to his place on the
step Of the guards van, or last carriage
in the train.
Quick as he was, the American was
equal to him, for with two or three
bounds, despite the cries and rush of
the porter, he leaped after the guard,
Clung to him on the step of the carriage,
and both were hurled out of the station
in that manner, after which they tumbled
into the compartment of the guard to-
gether The official was white with
rage.
SI told you that you could not get
upon the train when it was in motion"
"Ahl but you see I did" 1
'Do you know we both narrowly
missed being hit by that crane as the
train went out of the statiOnP
"a miss, my good fellow, is as good as
q mile.D
aAnd you have broken the regula-
tons, and made me and yourself liable
to prosecution"
ooh, fudgel The company won't take
trouble to prosecute, / guess" said the
Yankee. But this time his national
guess was incorrect.
The train was an express, and he rode
in the guards van more than fifty miles
before another stop enabled him to re-
ioin his party in the other carriage and
continue his journey to London, during
which the matter passed from his mind.
Arriving at the station in London, our
American secured a fouT-Wheeler, Sc
lected his baggage, had it placed on the
roof Of the vehicle, bestowed his wife
and party inside, and was about to fol-
low, when he was tapped on the shOul-
der by quiet, plainly-dressed individ-
ual, who remarked:
"Sorry to detain you, really; very
unpleasant duty, but you are wanted on
a charge of assaulting the guard in the
discharge of his duty, as the train left
bennington"
Here was a dilemma. A stranger in
London, after dark, arrested What
should he do? He at once explained.
eHe was an American tourist he was
not aware Of the law. His wife and he
both strangers. Hadn't even been to |
their hotel yet. Couldn't it be arranged |
in the mOrningP
"Oh, certainly, if he would kindly
give his card, the official would call at
his hotel at eleven tomorrow"
No sooner said than done. The Amer
lean whipped out his card-case, handed |
over the bit of pasteboard to the officer,
who glanced at it, nodded to the cab |
driver, who closed the door of the |
vehicle, and the party were soon rattling |
over the London pavements. As they |
whirled along, the first view of London |
by gaslight was forgotten in the explana-
ton of the affair by the American to his
wife.
''But it is all over now, 1 guess" said |
he "for although I gave the fellow my /
name, I-didn't give him any address, ]