The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1894-06-21

forgotten the slap Of care. All were
happy, all were gay. OF course this
does not apply to The COMET man,
who had quietly slipped on the train
at Johnson City, and was not certain
just how he was going to get his din
ner. His disguise had not yet been
penetrated by the. Jolly crowd, many
Of whom he knew, out the recognition
was not mutual by hall, and the unob-
trusivc newspaper man finally lodged
in the baggage car and had a pleasant
interview with the colored boy Of the
party, from whom the notes OF this
article were obtained, and who stood
guard over the great mountain OF din.
ner baskets piled in the end Of the
car with an attack OF insomnia almost
as violent as that OF the immense
dragon OF Aetes which guarded the
golden fleece.
When the party got to Elizabethton
two young blcods Of that hamlet, who
we're acquainted with some ofthe girls,
got aboard and entered into charm
ing conversation which lasted until
the train was getting under good head
way. When they discovered that they
we're being carried away they made a
dash for the platform. The train was
running almost at full speed and it
was dangerous for even an expert to
take the risk Of getting off, but the
smallest OF the boys thought Of having
to pay his fare to Allentown and
back, and being Of financial
turn Of mind, determined to get off or
perish in the attempt.
His corpulent friend tried to prevail
on him to desist, but he would get off.
He had no trouble about the getting
off part-he could have gotten off If
the tram had been running twice as
fast. Everything pointed to sue
cessful dismount from the time he left
the step until his feet touched the
ground This contact slightly con-
fused the gravity Of the young man,
and, if there had been any gravity in
the crowd up to this time. there was
none moment later. He went paw
ing the air with his feet and hands as
| II he was not quite sure which end he
ought to try to walk on each seemed
to have an equal claim on the soil
and this antagonism resulted in the
complete prostration Of the young
man. But he was determined to stop
and in his emergency brought his
stomsch down on tie lying by the
side Of the road with such force that
his momentum was instantly smoth-
cred. His coat tail, however, was not
expecting anything SO sudden, and
did not stop until ii had followed the
train few car lengths.
At Roam Mountain Dana Harmon,
the Republican nominee for attorney
general and jolly fellow beside, got
off and got in such way Of shaking
hands with his constituents that he
recognized the forlorn reporter when
he got back on the train and invited
|him to eat dinner with the party,
There was not a discord from here on
The Brabson band, consisting Of sev
enteen members, walked the slumber
ling echoes with fine music at every
stop. The scenery in the gorge, which
was new TO most of the party, wal
greatly admired the feeling Of mirtl
| had to give way for a moment to tha
OF awe, while the mind contemplated
the sublime in nature.
Il Cranberry was reached about tel
i o'clock and the party at once repairet
to beautiful park where dinner wa
spread. Here the reporter left then
to their fate and accepted an invita-
|. ton from Capt. w. A. Darden, the au
perintendent of the road, and who's
guest be was, to dine with him at th
groaning board Of Mr.. and Mrs. ].
Huddle. There has not been as man
good things eaten at Cranberry IN
long time as we're devoured at thl
> time, and YET there WAS plenty lei
The unstinted hospitality oithe HUI
dies still excites the saliva glands !
the memory OF that meal fingers.
After dinner the party visited II
mines in struggling delegations, N
the soft beauty Of The boudoir was el
hanced by The wild beauty Of Che etc
nal hills. a few hours oE climbir
over rough rocks and through dal
tunnels, and all gathered around Z
train, carrying branches Of fern, n,spTue
laurel and ~ild aoweFa.
AT four O'Clock the train started
return with all on board save two.
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