The herald., 1894-12-10

uO6 bcieSrdpncC lOr u Derun, anu SO WAS
anxious to get down to the boat before the
crowd arrived.
Wo reached the Central station in good
time for tho 7:51, the last train but one
which would reach the Hook of Holland
from Rotterdam before the boat express
/ was 30 nervous about things by this
time that thought it right to make a
few inquiries on the platform. There was
q largo crowd on the platform, so collar
ed man in uniform and said:
From what part of the platform does
the train for tho hook 1eavef''
"There is no train for the hook, - he
answered.
tOh, nonsensei" replied. At have got
my tickets for it-the 7:51."
sThe 7:51 goes to Amsterdam" replied
the man.
Here was o fine state of things. Irushed
back to the ticket office.
"Look here" said, "the fellow on the
platform says that the ISL does not go to
the hook at all" ."~+
"Well, you tell him that 1t dves,n an
swered the ticket man.
"Are you certain it doesss.
"Of course I am."
This seemed reassuring, so went back
and again collared the man on the plat.
form.
"The ticket clerk" said "insists that
this train does 60 through to the hook.
Are you sure there is not carriage on
that goes that wayP"
II tell you the whole train" answered
the man, "goes to Amsterdam. 1t stops
at Schiedam and The Hague and does not
go anywhere near the Hook Of Holland"
uo oh IA Ia hot
faith in the clerk was once more shaken,
and rushed back to him.
"You will excuse my bothering you
again, but this man says that tho whole
train goes through to Amsterdam, stop
ping at Schiedam and The Hague, and
does not go near the Hook of Holland.
Now, what have you to say to that?"
"Of course it does not go near the Hook
of Holland. You get off at Schiedam.
Across the platform you will find another
train that goes to the hook
'Oh, I sce" replied, much relieved,
''but think you might have told me that
before"
My comradc who had been making in
quiries, having lost all faith in mo, now
approached and said hurriedly: "They
say this is the Amsterdam train that Is
coming i'm
"Oh, that &c all sight," answered air.
lily, waving my hand to intimate that
knew all about il. t'We get on this train
and go TO Schiet,am. There we change
cars and get to the hook. Don't you both
or. Leave IL all TO me-"
BY this tirns tho long train came tear
ing in. The platform man saw us board
the Amsterdam train. He came up to
tho carriage door and said:
''This won't get you to the hook, you
know
answered in an offband manner: "You
arc talking through your hat. You don't
understand the running of this line. We
get out at Schtedam and take the HOOK
train thcre.'
By this time the train was moving on.
"Very wcll,' he said as he closed the
door; "you try it,"
This remark did not tend to relieve my
anxiety, and my comrade would not have
been surprised If the train had landed us
in New York. We got off at Schiedam,
and there sure enough, on the other sido
of tho platform, was train waiting. 1t
was q little train, with second and third
class carriages in it, fashioned somewhat
otter tho American plan.
The Amsterdam express rolled on to-
ward Tho Hague, and we took our seats
ON tho local train.
II wish was sure" said my compan-
ion, that this train was going to tho
Hook of Holland"
There is nowhere else for it to CO."
answered loftily. ''This line runs right
along the river down to the hook, SO there
cannot be any mistake"
The conductor camc through and looked
ad ny tickots with mournful expression.
Ho shcoE his head solemnly as one who
would say n. G.
''gchat Is the matter9" I asked
"ThiS train only goes as far as Mas
slqis"
stAnG bow Ear IS that from the hook?"
IA bout eight or ten miles," he replied.
1.-The hook Is the next station
had wild idea cf hiring u carriage at
Maasaluis and driving the rest Of the way.
But I realized that Il 1 could not get a
carriage In Rotterdam was not likely to
get one in small village down the river.
In due time we reached EAassf1is Ihad
still another train mp my sleeve, which
left Rotterdam about 80 minutes after the
train we were on. ! had net counted on
that train because some nights it got down
before the boat express and some nights
after. However, 1t vas now our only hope
When we were turned off at Maassluis,
there was half an hour to wait. sought
out man at this station.
"There is another train for the hook to-
night?" said.
1.-Two of them," he answered-"the
boat express and the local, but neither of
them stops at this station
This was the last straw. broke out
into language that was painful and free.
My last ace was taken by Is trump. A
man who heard me talking came up and
asked mo what was the matter, and told
him the situation.
''Oh, you're all right still,~ he said.
s'The boat express won't stop, of course,
but If you aAk the station master he will
flag the local train, but If the boat express
passes first there will be no use in taking
the other train, for the steamer leaves q
few minutes after the express comes in"
I may state that my hard luck relented
In time, and tho. local train came first.
Thus we got stateroom and the boat five
minutes before the express came tn.-De-
troit Free Press.
AI'Eye with Legs.
"Depend u2oa it, children, " said the