Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1894-10-05

Ill ltlCk InhU was lOllONluB US Noblu IA
tend to the train service, and that we
wonld miss the boat altogether, and SO re-
fused to search any longer for the Grande
cafe
1t may strike any person who docs not
\ 0w the circumstances that the correct
: ing to do would have been to take the
Loaf express at o'clock, which went right
Trough to the steamer without stopping.
IL was Just because this was obviously the
! ght thing to do that did not wish to do
and for this reason; The boat express
amps down at the Hook of Holland some
hundreds of persons who probably have
not telcgrnphcd for berths, Now, l had
not tclegraphod for a BERTH and so l was
Vnxious to get down to the boat before the
Irowd arrived.
We reached the Central station in good
time for the 7:51 the last train but one
which would reach the Hook of Holland
from Rotterdam before the boat express.
l was so nervous about things by this
time that l thought it right to make n
few inquiries on the platform. There was
large crowd on the platform, so l collar
ed n man in uniform and said:
From what part Of the platform does
the train for the hook leayeF"
There is no train for the hook" he
answered.
Oh, nonsense" l replied Il have got
my tickets for 1.-THE 7:51."
The 7:51 gees to Amsterdam" replied
the man.
Here was fine state Of things. Irushcd
back to the ticket office.
Look hcry T." said, 1.-THE fellow on the
platform says that the 7:5l does not 80 to
the hook ut all. "
"Nell. YOU tell him that it docs, an
swercd the ticket man.
Are you certain it docs?"
"Cf course l am
This seemed rcassuling, so I went back
and again collared the man on the plat
FORM
"The ticket clerk, " / scid, "insists that
this train does go through to the hook.
Arc You sure there is not carriage on
that goes that way?'
4 tell you the whole train, " answered
the man, goes to Amsterdam. Il stops
at Schicdam and The Hague and does not
go anywhere near the Hook Of Holland. -
He was so positive about this that my
faith in the clcrl, was once more shaken,
and l rushed back to him.
You will excuse my bothering you
again, but this man says that the whole
train goes through TO Amsterdam, stop
ping at Scliodam and The Hague, and
does not go near the Hook Of Holland
Sow, what have you to say to thatS'
"Of course il does not 60 near the Hook
of Holland You get off at Schiedam.
Across the platform you will find another
train that goes TO the hook -
oh, see, =" replied, much relieved,
but think you might have told mo that
before.
My comrade, who had been making in
! Quiries. having lost all faith in me- now
/ approached and said hurriedly; "Thcy
say this is the Amsterdam train that is
coming in"
"Oh, that is all right, I answered air
lily, waving my hand to intimate that /
knew all about it, 1--WE get on this train
and go to Schicdam There we change
cars and get to the hook. Don't you both
or Leave It all to me"
BY this time the long train came tear
ing in The platform man saw us board
the Amsterdam train. He came up to
the carriage door ana said;
This won't get you to the hook, you
know"
answered in an ofihand manner: You
are talking through your hat You don t
understand the running Of this lire. We
get out mt Schicdan and take the hook
train there
~ this tiIna the train was moving on.
Very w II. he said as he closed the
door; you trF it
This roman; Gid not tend to relieve my
anxiety, ana my comrado would not have
been surprised if the train had landed us
in New York We got off at Schicdam
and there, sure enough, OH the other side
of the PLATFORM was Il train waiting. Il
in u M
class carriages in it, fashioned somewhat
after the American plan.
The Amsterdam express rolled on to
ward The Hague, and we took our seats
on the local train.
Il wish was sure, " said my compan
ion, THAT this train was going to Tho
Hook of Holland.
There is nowhere else for it to go, "
answered loftily. "This line runs nigh
along the river down to the hook, SO thCr
cannot be any mistake
The conductor came through and lookeE
at my tickets with a mournful expression
He shook his head solemnly as one wh'
would say n &.
What is the matter?'' l asked.
"This train only goes as far as Mas
sluis.
And how far is that from the hook"
About eight or ten miles,! he replied
1.-THE hook is the next station"
had wild idea of hiring n carriage a
Maassluis and driving the rest of the way
But / realized that if | could not get
carriage in Rotterdam l was not likely t
get one in a small village down the river
In due time we reached Maassluis. ha
still another train up my sleeve, whic
left Rotterdam about 30 minutes after tn
train we were on. l had not counted o
) that train because some nights it got dow
before the boat express and some night
l after. However, it was now our only hope
l When we We're turned off at Maasslui.
there WAS half an hour to wait. sough
0 out a man at CHS station.
There is another train for the hook tC
t night" l said
Two of them," he answered. tn
t boat express and the local, but neither {
them stops at this station"
This was the last straw. broke OF
8 into language that was painful and FREE
My last ace was taken by a trump.
= man who heard me talking came up an
asked me what was the matter, and l tol
It him the situation.
o ''Oh, you're all right STILL" he saiC
I