The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-14
NO TIME FOR CONCENTRATION.
The Case or the Littie H1an who Caught the
Steamer re Was Running For.

Tho Case or che Little man who Caught the
Steamer re was Running For.
"a little Incident of my vacation this summer
taught mo the absurdity of volunteering con.
CALCULATIONS to n man whom apparently he is a
target for them unless you know all Of tho cir
cumstanoes In tho case" said Joe Watson.
"Now. you might naturally suppose that a man
who had had q narrow escape from death would
be pleased to receive congratulations, wouldn't
youi That isn't always true.
I've struck the st. Lawrence River at q port
from which several boats wore going to leave on
tho morning Of our arrival. The Blue Bird
that isn't her name, of course-was our boat and
she was bound down the river. The Black Bird
sailed from the same pier twenty minutes later,
and shc was bound up tho river. We made
close connections with tho Blue Bird, and tho
gangplank was pulled aboard just after we ar
rived. As the deckhands were throwing off
the ropes l saw q speck away up tho viii
lnye street that was rapidly growing larger.
It was a belnted passenger. and he had nearly
an even chance to beat the deckhands, who
were lazily loosening the steamer. As he came
nearer l saw that no was small. and that no
wore glasses and carried a Gladstone bag. which
sadly handicapped his speed. The tails of his
cutawuy coat spread out behind and his eyes
seemed to be popping through his glasses. The
SAS''N W. yea ''eS h'NSboSs 49,
leaned over the rail and shouted:
"'Come along, old chap! Hit her up. Spread
your stride and you can make It'll Look out you
don't Interfere! That's moro like it, and by
this time the little man struck q pace that babe
fair to land him a winner.
unfortunately. the Blue Bird had been I'M
tied and she was drifting slowly from the pier.
however, and as he reached the pier he gave the
Gladstone bag u swing and let her go. Tho bag
scared gracefully over the rail and landed on
tum in that effort, and when he saw that 1t was
successful he stepped back a few PAGES, ran TO
boa eof FSo .. sm ME p Chat h aap r sRlhans ' ON his ta seS
when he saw the bag safely landed faded when
he found himself in the air midway between tho
"".CIimb upT shouted the crowd on the rail,
and then seeing that he had misjndgel his dis
man shot down into the water with a loud
splash. A deckband, who had foreseen this
hos 3 Leaned an !; ever n,o the tS. rail rail. With VI H. a ,i long 6G%t
cutaway coat as he came TO the surface. and
with the assistance Of the crowd pulled him
the exhaustion after his long run had
used him up completely. He was carried
clothes. int! The 'e Espt sns'G ssvd room 3Re 81 sfsn dry to h Fs
ahead full speed and the passengers got together
and talked it over. We voted that the little
escaping with his life. i was particularly intor-
csted in him, and half an hour laterI went down
tions. 1 saw him sitting beside the engine with
his chin sunk in his hands, the picture of dejec-
tion. l thought that 1t was because Of his wet
tinp. As / stepped toward him tho engineer
came forward and stopped.
"..Sh,h.h,' he said. DON'T disturb him
"'I simply wanted to congratulate him.
Don't do it. said the engineer, he's in
trouble enough
".Ho will dry his clothes in an hour I said.
and he got tho Blue Bird
"'Sh-h.h! don't speak 80 loud said the en-
gineor. 1t was the Black Bird that he wanted,
and Qhn u.na fiah nm IN tho hnrk all fha fipra' r.
II sneakod upstairs. and Ill never bother
to offer congratulations to a stranger again."