Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1889-08-09
IN A FAR COUNTRY.
Some Strange Things That Happened
After Railway Accidents.

After Railway Accidents.
There was once a Far Country, a
great distance from this. which was
ruled over by wise and just Caliph.
And it was so that there occurred a
serious railroad accident in this coun-
try, whereby many people were gath
cred to their fathers And the next
day there came to the palace of the
Caliph director of the railroad on
which happened this accident, and af-
ter bowling to the ground he lifted up
his voice and said
ooh, most wise and just Caliph, the
rails spread out on us-tralnps had
pulled out the spikes with their teeth,
but we knew it not. OF certainty
the rails did spread on us. Behold, it
was the act of Allahr'
500" answered the Caliph, as he
stroked his beard; truly l grieve to
hear that the rails spread. But Allah
is good. Mesrour," he continued,
turning to his executor, "behead this
man at the fourth hour without fail. "
And it was so that at ten minutes
after the fourth hour his body was de-
livered to his friends.
And the next month there was an
other grievous accident on another
road, whereby more true believers
were cut off, even as may be the enc
mics of the prophet. And the day
following the president of the road
knocked at the palace gate and was
admitted by a slave. And when he
was come into the presence of the
caliph he Frustrated himself and said
There is but one God, and Mahomet
is his Prophet Most wise and Just
Caliph, we have had an accident on
the Damascus Short line, and many
true Mussulmans are slain. Allah is
good Behold, there was washout,
and our engineer visit it not but
plunged in at the slow rate of sixty
Christian miles to the Christian hour.
See, weep that such things should
be!'
Indeed! y answered the mighty Ca
lph; 80 there was washout that We
wOt not Of l suspected as much.
Mesrour, when the faithful go to noon
day prayers, behead this man who
was ignorant of the washout."
And, behold, the true believers were
even then passing to the MONDAY
prayers, and Mesrour took the presi-
dent to his studio and finished up the
job in time for late prayers himself.
And on the tenth day of the eighth
month, on another road, there was
still another accident; and a score OF
true followers of Islam bit the dust.
And the next day at the ninth hour
after midnight the board of directors,
and president, and a general manager
or two, and three vice presidents,
knocked and prayed that they might
make speech with the most wise and
just Caliph. And he suffered them tc
enter and they fell on their faces and
worshiped him, and then the presi
dent said:
Commander Of the Faithful, Ma
homet is mighty, and thou art his true
vicar on earth. By the beard of the
Prophet there has been trouble with
the Mecca limited. Great Caliph. many
of thy subjects are no more. Thus i
was: The locomotive was a new one
and it became frightened at a BICYCLE
and snolted a couple of times ant
jumped into the ditch. Truly we knew
not that it was one of these skittisE
locomotives. Oh, mighty son of the
Prophet, we rend our garments that i
is SO. But the ways of Allah are mys
terious."
"Mesrour," said the Caliph, it seem!
to me that l have heard this story be
fore"
You have, son of Mahomet.'
The engine SHE'D on them-well
you know the old prescription-giv'
'em the same-razzle dazzle en-
And the great Caliph, who was wis'
and good as he was great, took up tn,
blessed Alcoran and read its words
but ere he could finish page they
were razzled.
J For Mesrour never let business &C
! cumulate on his hands.
And it happened that there wer,
never any more accidents in the lane
of the Commander of tie Faithful
even unto this day.
The other railroad folks took the
hint.
But in closing it should be said tina
this is very Far Country indeed, be
ing great many days journey from
THIS country.-New York Tribune.