The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1895-02-07


men who thoroughly believe III them
selves and are utterly indifferent to
the estimate placed upon them by
others. / call them men, though they
could not have been over eighteen and
nineteen years old. The agent told
me that they wished to see me about
a matter of business. | assured them
that | was at their disposal. and wait
ed, wondering what they could want
of me- The taller of the two acted as
spokesman.
We want to go to San Francisco"
he said, in time to connect with the
next steamer to Japan"
Il am vely sorry" replied, ''but
our special train which connects with
the steamer passed through here two
hours ago"
They looked serious at this, but
did not seem overcome.
Il suppose" said the tall one, that
the noxt regular train will be too late
to connect with the steamer"
oh. yes" said |, you would be de-
layed about week in San Francisco"
''Oh, that will never do" he replied,
I'VE must catch the steamer. Io1
will have to make some arrangement
| by which we can overtake this special
/ train !"
Il was paralyzed by the cool assur
ance with which be suggested this.
| The train which he wished to over
take was known as the Golden Gate
J special, and was record breaker. 1t
was one of the fastest trains on our
road, and we We're proud of the time
it made. Yet here were couple of
youngsters who wanted to know
whether they could not arrange to
catch it with the same calmness with
which they might have asked for a cup
! Of coffee. [ smiled on them pityingly.
Don't you know" said [, that
this is an exceedingly fast train, and
it is almost impossible to beatit? Why,
even if it We're possible to do what you
asked, the expense would put it out
of the question"
They listened calmly and without
change of expression, Then the one
who had spoken before, said:
Yes, [ know all about that. but we
have got to catch that boat. We are
attached to the British embassy at
| Toxic. and have been travelling on a
| leave Of absence Our time Will be up
the very day that the boat reaches
Japan. We must be there in time be
cause we nave promised to. We had
intended to catch the previous boat,
but we were having such good time
that we thought we would chance it
and wait it over Now nothing can
be allowed to interfere with our plan.
We'll, i said, Il can't see how | can
aid you, sorry as | may he for YOU"
The Englishman looked at me il a
bored sort of a way. and said:
Il don't see why there is any need
Of arguing about this We want a
special train to overtake that special.
and If we can't DO it any other way
we will have to follow it across the
continent"
Il lOOkedin amazement at these two
clerks is what they amounted to,
| suppose, at least what we would con
slider them in this country were
cody asking for d special train to
cross the continent. | was not at all
convinced that they appreciated the
enormity Of their demand. La fact, [
felt more amused than credulOus.
Il suppose" [ said, you have some
idea of what it Will cost you to do this
"Oh, we are willing TO pay whatever
it Is" was the reply in drawing tone.
1T Will cost you $500 if we overtake
the special at her first stop said [:
$500 if we have to wait for the second
stop, and $1,000 if we go clear across.
1t is barrel y possible that we can make
a connection at the first stop"
The Englishman made no other re-
ply than to thrust his hand into his
trousers pocket and pull out a big roll
of bills. He counted out $1,000 and
laid it down on the desk.
"Of course" he said, Il presume if
we make the connection that you
speak of, | will get back what | have
! paid IN excess?"
l saw then that he was in earnest.
took out $500 to guarantee US, and
returned the rest to him with the I'M
derstanding that he was to pay the
| conductor If he missed the first con
nectlon, according to the terms [ had
outlined. L at once set the machin-
cry IN motion to get out the train. 1t
required good deal of work. In the
first place, we had no engine in which
the fires were up, and found it would
save time to have one brought from
| another station. Then we had to send
for an engineer who would be capable
of running the train at the high rate
| of speed that was demanded, and still
| avoid unnecessary risks. As ours was,
IN the main, Onl Y singletrack road,
we had to telegraph all along the line
| to keep the track clear of freight
| trains and arrange to have the ordi-
nary passenger trains side tracked at
convenient times and places. Alto
gether about four hours were taken
up IN these preliminares. During
that time the Englishmen loafcd
| around, looking very bored, and not
at all interested in our efforts to hurry
things. When it was announced that
the train was ready they invited me
TO drink to the success of the trip in
bottle of wine. condecension on their
part that amazed me, and the last
saw 0fthem they We're bowling from
the rear platform of their car as the
train went flying out of the depot.
They made the connection at the first
junction as | learned that night by
telegraph. How they ever did it 1
don't know, but | have shrewd sus-
plcion they bribed the conductor and
engineer to run the train at a rate
never known before and that would
have been CONDEMNED by the higher
authorities if they heard of it."
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