Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1895-02-05
HOWTHEY CAUGHTIT
TWO ENGLISH LADS WHO HADN'T ANY
TIME TO SPARE. (

| clal so as TO CaJcn Cne SGeamer For Japan
A Railroad Officials Story of Two Cool
Ones.
1.-THE English tourist is often a surpris-
ing person." said o railroad official, land
have frequently had cause to wonder at
him. Some time ago l had an experience
with two English tourists that was out OF
the ordinary. was in large western
city in charge Of the passenger business OF
transcontinental railroad which ran two
special trains a week to the Pacific coast.
One afternoon was about to close my
desk and go home when the local ticket
agent came into my office with two
young men. 1t was not necessary to look
Of them twice to understand that they
were Englishmen. They were the typical
tall, big boned, blond haired men whom
! one recognizes Immediately as being Eng
lish. They were dressed in ultra English
| style and carried themselves with the self
confidence and independence Of men who
thoroughly believe in themselves and are
utterly Indifferent to the estimate placed
upon them by others. l call them men,
though they could not have been over 10
or 10 years old. The agent told me that
they wished to see me about matter of
business. / assured them that l was at
their disposal and waited, wondering what
they could want of me. The taller of the
two acted as spokesman.
1--WE want to get to San Francisco,
he said, in time to connect with the next
steamer for Japan.
81 am very sorry, 1 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.
81 suppose, said the tall one, that the
next regular train will be too late to con,
meet with the steamer.
oh, yes, said /, you would be de,
layed about week in San Francscop
oh, that will never dol he replied
we must catch that steamer. You will
have to make some arrangement by which
we can overtake this special train
Il was paralyzed by the cool assurance
with which he suggested this. The train
he wished to overtake was known as the
Golden Gate special and was a record
breaker. 1t was one of the fastest trains
on our road, and we were proud of the
time it made, yet here were a couple of
youngsters who wanted to know whether
they could not arrange to catch it with
the same calmness that they might have
asked for a cup of coffee. smiled ON
them pityingly.
Don't you know said I, that this is
an exceptionally fast train, and that it is
almost impossible to beat itY Why, even
If it were possible to do what you asked
the expense would put it out Of the ques-
ton.
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 at
tached to the British embassy at Tokyo
and have been travelling on a leave of alb
sence. Our time will be up the very day
that that boat reaches Japan. We must
be there at that time, be ause we have
promised to. We had intended to catch
the previous boat, but we were having
such a good time that we thought we
would chance it and wait over. Now, moth
ing can be allowed to interfere with our
plan.
Well, said 4 don't see how can
aid you, sorry as may be for you.
The Englishman looked at me in a
bored sort of way and said:
i don't see why there is any need of
arguing about this. We want u 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 looked in amazement at these two
clerks-that is what they amounted to, l
suppose, at least what we would consider
them in this countrywide were coolly
asking for special train to cross the CON
tinent. was not at all convinced that
they appreciated the enormity of their do.
mand In fact, l felt more amused than
credulous.
" 1 suppose l said, you have some
idea of what it will cost you to do this?
"Oh, we are willing to pay whatever
1t is, was the reply in drawling tone.
lit will cost you $500 il we overtake
the special at her first stop, said l. $500
If we have to wait for the second stop and
ST. 600 if we go clear across. 1t is barely
possible that we can make a connection at
the first stop
THE Englishman made no other reply
than to thrust his hand into his trousers
pocket and pull out big roll of bills He
counted out 1000 and laid them down
ON the desk
"'Of course he said, L presume if we
make the connection that you speak of
will get back what have paid in excess.
IL saw then that he was in earnest
took out $500 to guarantee us and returned
the rest to him with the understanding
that he was to pay the conductor if he
missed the first connection, according to
the terms had outlined. at once set the
machinery in motion to get out the train.
1t required good deal of work. In the
first place. we had no engine in which the
fire was up and found it would save time
to have one brought on from another sta
ton Then we had to send for an engineer
who would be capable Of running the train
at the high rate of speed that was de
manded and still avoid unnecessary risks
AS ours was in the main only single
track road we had to telegraph all along
the line to keep the track clear Of freight
trains and arrange to have the ordinary
passenger trains side tracked at conven-
lent times and places. Altogether about
four hours were taken up in these prelim-
inaries. During that time the English
men loafed around, looking very bored
and not at all interested in our efforts to
hurry things When 1t was announced
that the train was ready, they invited me
to drink to the success of their trip in
bottle of wine, a condescension on their
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