The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1901-10-29
HE WON A NEW CHAIR
A CASE WHERE NERVE AND PER-
SlSTENCY GOT THEIR REWARD.

A CASE WHERE NERVE AND PER-
SlSTENCY GOT THEIR REWARD.
The Station Master Called the Divi-
sion superintendent Bluff and
Went Out Through the Door In
stead of Through the Window.
Several division officials We're inform
ally congregated in the superintendent
Office of an eastern railroad one after
noon when the conversation turned to
the subject of elaborate Office furniture,
suggested by new Office chair which
had been presented to the venerable SUI
perintendent by his subordinates as a
birthday remembrance.
II never see an Office chair like that
without being reminded of an amusing
incident which occurred to me at almost
the commencement of my railroad expe-
rience," remarked the travelling freight
agent.
II commenced my railroad career as
spare agent for the Central Vermont
back in the sixties when old Man Hal
loway was superintendent of the north
ern division of that road. l only worked
about six or eight months in that capaci-
ty when | was assigned to a new station
just opened near st. Adams, VT, the
headquarters of the division. l shall
never forget the pride and satisfaction
which l experienced in the possession of
that, my first regular position. Were l
to be elected to the presidency of this
road tomorrow 1 doubt if it would afford
me anywhere near the self satisfaction
that l derived from my first agency up
there in the Green Mountain State. Like
everything else in life, though, there was
a drawback to my complete happiness,
and that drawback lay in the fact that,
while all the rest of my station equip
ment and Office furniture was entirely
new, the chair which they sent me, judg-
ing from Its appearance, had seen sew
eral years service at some other station
before being sent to me.
'Well, that chair didn't harmonic with
my ideas any more than it did with the
rest of the office furniture. | immediate
ly sat down and wrote the superintendent
at some length, stating the case in all
its details, which, when summarized,
amounted to the fact that an old chair
had been sent me in error in place of a
new one, and | asked him to see that the
mistake be rectifed. ] sent the letter on
the morning train, thinking, Of course,
that the new chair would be forthcoming
on the last train from ST. Adams that
night; but, although | watched every in
coming train from st. Adams with anX-
ious, eXpectant eyes for over week, the
coveted chair did not make its appear
ance.
Thinking the letter must have been
lost or mislaid, | wrote another, stating
the case at more length than on the for
mer occasion. On the following day re-
ceived my second letter back with an in
dorsement across the corner that a new
chair could not be provided just at that
time and for the present l would have to
get along with the one / had as best l
could. This somewhat dampened my ar
dor, but did not entirely discourage me in
my efforts to secure the new chair.
importuned the train dispatcher at least
three times week and made it point
to communicate my want to the train
master, the roadmaster and every one
else whom / saw and who | thought
would have any influence whatever with
the, to me, obstinate superintendent, but
all to no avail. Something like two
months passed, and | was still seated in
my old, ready to fall to pieces chair.
Being in st. Adams one day, decided
to call upon Mr.. Holloway in person and
ascertain, if possible, what the prospects
were relative to my chair.
after considerable trouble-it being
one of his busy days-l succeeded in
gaining admittance to his private Office.
/ have often wondered since that he did
not fire me out bodily and give me a ten
days suspension to boot for my presump-
ton, but he did not, preferring, evidently,
to bluff me out of the affair and at the
same time have a little fun all to himself
at my expense.
81 stated my case in as few words as
possible, being somewhat awe inspired
by his scrutinizing gaze. When | had
finished, he simply grunted an assent
and, turning around to his desk, proceed
ed to finish the letter before him, appar-
emily utterly oblivious to my further pres
ence. After he had finished the letter
and addressed it he slowly arose from
his chair, took off his glasses and laid
them on the desk in front of him and
Strengthened himself up to his full height
something like feet Pin way that
led me to think that my finish had ar
rived and that / was booked to go out
through the window. He did not fire
me, however, but what he did do was
equally radical in it's nature. Taking
the large, comfortable Office chair in
which he had been sitting by the back
with both hands and placing his right
foot underneath it, he partly threw and
partly kicked it over in front of where ]
sat, remarking in his most severe man
nor There will that do Won p
"For the tenth part of a second l was
completely nonplused; but, not desiring
to be bluhed, l caught up the chair,
swung it over my shoulder and, with
Thank you, Mr.. Holloway; this will do
very nicely l started to depart as | had
come, through the outer Office, where his
small corps of clerks were at work. See
ing my intention and evidently not want
ing me to go in that way, he directed my
attention to a side door leading directly
to the street, and, opening the door, he
bowed me out of his presence with as
much grace as if had been the president
of the road. l afterward learned that it
was several weeks before he got another
chair to replace the one l had taken. In
reply to the master mechanics query
shortly after as to how he came to give
his chair to Clarke he replied, with a
smile, Well, to tell you the truth, / had
no more idea that he would take that
chair than / now have that you will
shoulder this Office and carry it away.
whether the episode gave me any
prestige with the old man or not | am
unable to say. but was promoted to one
of the best stations on the line. "-Rail-
road Employee.
Startling Equine Sagacity.