The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1901-03-09

saw what really scientific job he had
done they offered the shabby engineer a
| handsome position in their establish
ment. From that on his rise was rap
i'd, and, in concluding the little tale, he
laid especial stress on the apparent
/ hopeessness of his position the night
he was elected from the train, and
made the point that one should never
give way to despair. If that conduc-
tor had carried me on instead Of kick
ing me off, he said, L would have
missed the great chance of my life and
might be working now at the bench.
am really indebted to him for my start
in the world, and I have often wished
that I could meet him and tell him
about it."
This curious little narrative was
generally copied by the papers," con-
tinued the railroad man, land one day
conductor in our service came into
my office in great excitement and
showed me a clipping. I'm the very
man that put that fellow off, he de-
clared and after questioning him a lit
tie as to dates and details I concluded
he was correct about it. He remem-
ptitu tHC ihSiuOAt PCiiCSbiSb anu t'isC
recalled the fact that the big bridge at
the town had broken the following day,
but the subsequent career of his hobo
passenger was something he had never
heard Of. 1t filled him with awe and
veneration, and he was especially i'm
pressed by the generous disposition on
the part of the lucky man to attribute
his fortune to the circumstances Of
having been kicked off the train, and
his expressed desire to meet the per-
son who did the kicking. After ru1ni-
mating over the matter for a week or
two and reading the speech until he
knew it by heart, he concluded it would
be wrong to deny the millionaire an
opportunity to express his gratitude
and accordingly he applied for leave
of absence to pay him visit / grant
ed the leave, got him a pass and he de-
parted in high feather. AS soon as he
arrived at his destination according to |
his own story, he went at once to the |
mandatory, which was a great deal |
vaster and more impressive than he |
had expected, and asked to see the |
president. After some delay he was |
shown into magnificent private office |
on the second floor, where a stalwart |
gray haired gentleman was seated be-
hind a big mahogany table. The con-
ductor had prepared quite we'll
turned and witty little speech of intro
duction, for he realized, of course, that |
the millionaire wouldn't know him from
Adams house cat, but the splendor Of |
the surroundings and the sold blue eye
of the man himself knocked it all out
of his head, and the only thing he
could do was to spread the newspaper
clipping on the big table and blurt out:
I'm the fellow that put you off, In
deed!' said the president, looking at
him keenly How do you know"
The conductor stumbled over his story,
and before he concluded the magnate
jumped up, smiling warmly This is
a great pleasure he said, "a very great
something I have been look
ing forward to for years. It's mutu-
al said the conductor, grinning.
Thanks said the manufacturer. You
noticed, perhaps, in my little speech
that I gladly ascribed my start in life
to the fact that you kicked me off the
cars instead of carrying me to Dayton
IN that winter night which you rectal
with such remarkable precision?' Yes,
noticed that said the conductor, who,
without knowing why, suddenly began
% feel a curious sense of apprehension.
Exactly pursued the president, rub
ping his palms, and as far as results
ire concerned you were merely
IN instrument in the hands of Provi-
lence l have returned thanks to
Providence in various ways, and think
Providence and / are about even. ,
But the kicking he went on in the
anne silky voice which the conductor ,
avs made cold chills crawl all through
he roots of his hair, the kicking was y,
personal touch of your own--a sort of
humorous establishment, without
which the throwing off of a half-sick,
penniless wretch might have
een bit too somber. Let me see,' he
dded, musingly, 1T seems to me you