Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-11-13
THE VICTORY OF AN ATOM.
How n Child shsmed n Crowd OF Jeer-
Ing Mon on n Railroad Train.

How Child shsmed Crowd of Jeer-
Ing Mon on n Railroad Train.
A largo jag" rolled into the smok-
Ing car of a New York and New Ha-
ven train at one OF the Connecticut sta
tons says the New York World 1t
had possession OF a small man, who
was accompanied by an atom OF hui
manity which huddled down by the
small man in the corner of the seat
and was completely hidden by tho
seats high back and by the man. Tho
man fumbled in his pocket for his tick
ct and when he found it tried to put
it between his teeth. where he could
find it easily when the conductor came
around. His hand went TO his eyes
nose and ears. to the amusement OF the
spectators. AT last he succeeded in
getting the ticket into his mouth.
where it remained about minute,
and then fell out and into the lap OF
the atom beside him. Soon the man
missed his ticket. He arose with
Mortified expression on his face and
announced TO the car occupants with
indistinct articulation that no had
swallowed il. The delighted passen-
gers made various suggestions To the
man. One advised him to swallow n
railroad guide to go with the ticket
Another suggested that he would swal-
low the conductors punch with a
string attached so that the ticket
might be punched and the punch re-
covered At this point a short fat
man, wearing pair OF green glasses
and a snuff colored suit asked the man
where he was going.
"Sheeder I'll, " was the reply. Cedar
Hill was the station he meant
The fat man pulled out time table
consulted it a moment pulled out
from under tho seat sandwich grip.
opened it took out small vial and.
rising, said:
I'VE are now at Wallingford. /
find the running time between here
and Cedar Hill, whittier our unfortu-
nate fellow pilgrim is bound, is fifteen
minutes. now hold in my hand a
bottle OF my famous Getthereeli. or
Rapid Transit Pellets. | propose to
enter them in n race against this train.
| will now administer six of them to
our friend, and stake my reputation
as a benefactor 81 the race against the
price of another ticket that they will
overtake the ticket in its wayward
course and restore it to its rightful
owner before Cedar Hill is reached.
The crowd shouted. The fat man
approached the patient pills in hand.
while all the passengers roared. Sud-
denly bundle rolled of the seat and
tumbled out into the aisle in front of
the pill man. 1t was the atom. His hat
had fallen off and II mass OF tangled
yellow curls fell around his shoulders.
His blue eyes blazed and his sturdy
little legs were planted wide apart
In his fist he held the missing ticket.
His childish, treble voice rang out
clear and true.
"You bad mans. You makes fun OF
my poor papa. You SAINT do it, you
naughty mans. He's my papaw
He stood there like an infant A iax.
glaring defiance at all OF them for "a
moment Then his chubby fists went
up TO his eyes and tempest Of sobs
burst forth.
A silence fell on the crowd. Tho
pill man stood a moment with mouth
agape looking down on the atom.
Then he slipped into his seat looking
very sheepish. The atom climbed
back into his corner while the smiles
faded from the faces around. Some
looked very steadily out of the win
dow and others with a sudden revul-
sion OF feeling. looked reproachfully
at the pill man. The conductor came
busting in, sized up the Jag" instant
ly and shook the man sharply. do
handing his ticket receiving only
mum bled and indistinct replies while
the atom looked up at him with such
a world OF helpless wonder and trou-
BILE in his eyes as would have melted
the heart OF an iceberg. The pill man
saw that look, arose touched the con-
ductor's shoulder and asked how much
the mans fare was to the Cedar Hill.
paid it out OF his own pocket, sat
down and looked the crowd squarely
in the face with the air OF a man who
has done the proper thing and knows
1t. A colored man entered the car
announcing in succulent tones,
Oranges! bananas! figs! candiesm
One man bought box of candy.
reached over and dropped it into the
lap Of the atom with benlgnant and
self-satisfied air. IL was catching. end
soon the atom was half covered with
all sorts OF peace offerings. He looked
at the things in a dazed sort of way.
and then his blue eyes went from face
to face with a puzzled expression.
Pretty soon two men were hanging
over the back OF his seat two moro
over the back Of bhe seat in front Of
him and the aisle near him was
crowded with men. all anxious TO talk
TO him, and to show him that they
were not the bad mans" he had
thought them. The gigantic Jag. Z"
with man attachment had dwindled
+ - A.