Middletown transcript., 1895-08-10
THE TIMID LADY.
And the Surprised Clergyman.

"Yes, I'll tell the story though it is
on myself" said a well-known clergy
man of this city, who was one of a
jolly party the other night at subur-
ban resort. He had referred to a re-
cent experience once or twice during
the evening, and his last remark was
in answer to numerous requests to
tell it.
'A few weeks ago." he continued,
81 was coming in to New York on the
D., L. and W. road. The train was
due at Hoboken at about II p. M, and
had been breathing in Jersey ozone
and, possibly, argon, all day, was SO
sleepy that l dozed nearly all the trip.
Note the fact of my doing, and also
the fact, known to you all, that have
no affinity with the gentry known as
'mashers,' for those two facts are
essential to the point of my story.
"Well, though | was doing, 1 was
dimly conscious that there was a lady
in the seat behind me, whom judged
to be stranger, for she appeared to be
on the point of getting off at several
stations, though when she entered 1
heard her tell the conductor that she
wanted to get off at New York. I
kept on doing, however, until the
train came to stand-still for a few
nome nts just before entering the tun-
mel. Then the lady leaned forward,
and addressed me thus: Pardon me,
sir, but do [ get out here for the
Christopher street ferry?' No, madam
l replied momentarily turning around
for the first time. we have TO 60
through the tunnel first. When we
arrive at Hoboken l will show you the
ferry, if you will permit me to do so.'
Now, l leave it to the crowd if there
was anything in my remark that could
frightened the most timid woman. To
be sure my offer to point out the ferry
to her was not literally called for by her
question, but it seemed to me that bare
civility required that should show a
nervous and anxious fellow-traveller,
no matter of what sex, at least that
much attention.
''She made no audible reply to my
offer, and I almost forgot about her
until the train drew up in Hoboken
when l glanced around at her. She
had large travelling bag, and l was
just about to ask her if | might carry
it for her to the ferryboat, when l no.
ticed that she had already seized it,
and was making her way in great ap-
parent excitement to the rear door of
the car. l followed her, though, of
course, I did not speak TO her, still
ready, if she should desire it, to see
her safely on the Christopher-st. boat.
But to my utter amazement, when
she reached the platform, heavily laden
as she was, she began literally TO run,
not toward the ferry, but toward the
rear end of the train. At first 1 was
about TO call out to her that she was
going the wrong way, but luckily l
didn't. In moment l realized the
disagreeable truth that she took me
for 'masher,' and in pure desperation
was running toward the tunnel to
avoid my wiles. The thing becomes
all the more ludicrous when add that
the lady was neither young nor attrac-
tive. The incident caused me con-
siderable chagrin, but it taught me
hereafter not to show as much civility to
women as l would have 9th men show
to my sister, under the same circam-
stances, for your attentions will al
most certainly be misunderstood. -
N. Y. Tribune.