The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1904-10-04

TX E%k MS Trunk ana sualSnteutA
up, with satisfied look on
his scholarly face. Then he went
downstairs to pay his hotei~bill, for he
was about to start for home-home
nearly 1900 miles distant, and from
which he had been absent whole
month. 1t was an entirely new thing
in the professors experience to be so
far away alone. His wife had always
accompanied him on his former trips
and taken care of him. for he was very
absent-minded and a mere child in
many ways But she had been COM
PEELED to remain at home and help pre-
pare for their daughters wedding.
1t was for the purpose of attending
this event that the professor was now
giving up his researches.
He had postponed his departure as
long as possible. There was but one
/ through eastern train each day. 1t left
/ Portobello at o'clock in the after
noon. He must get this particular
train on this particular day or he could
not reach home until after the we'd
ding.
1t was about 8 o'clock in the morning
when the professor paid his bill at the
hotel, and he, therefore, had seven
hours to wait for the train. 1t occurred
to him that he might use this time to
good advantage by going to What
mere, little town thirty miles down
the road, where, be had heard, there
4r,4o n
| posits. They told him at the hotel
that his train would stop at Whatmere
and that he could get aboard there just
I as welias at Portobello. Furthermore,
IL he hurried he had just about time
enough to catch a local train that
would land him at Whatmere In an
hour.
The professor, full of enthusiastic
anticipations, rushed away, made con-
nections all right, and soon found him
self upon the platform Of the little sta
ton at Whatmere.
| moment" he said to himself, "I'll buy
my ticket now"
Having paid over $3.50 for the long
printed slip that was to give him pass
age home, provided that he complied
with about a hundred and twenty
seven conditions, the professor hurried
away to explore. He had fine luck and
by 2 O'clock possessed all the specimens
it would be possible for him to carry.
So he went up to the station to get his
| lunch and wait for the train. He had
just bitten into a raw ham sandwich
when he remembered that his trunk
was still at the hotel at Portobello.
The ticket agent suggested that the
professor hurry out and catch car
on the trolley line. They sometimes
made the run to Portobello in an hour
and half, and if he had good luck
he might yet be able to get home in
time and have his trunk with him.
The professor demanded the money
back for his ticket, and had to take
all but 81 Of it in silver, mostly change.
Then he rushed away to catch the
trolley car. Dogs ran after him, bark
ing; geese squawked and waddled out
Of his way, and boys shouted after him,
but he didn't care. He caught the car
and anxiously asked the conductor
how long it would take to get TO Porto
bello.
We're due Mt 3.45," was the reply,
land will get there on time if there's
no delay"
He inwardly cursed everybody that
wanted to get on or off along the way,
and once when a man with load Of
potatoes got stalled on the track in
front of the car the professor got. out
and called the driver horrible names
and offered to fight with him. In adj
dition to his other wild performances
the professor wriggled and bobbed
around and mumbled to himself and
took queer stones out Of his pockets
and fingered them neryously, SO that
the other passengers soon began tap
ping their brows and shaking their
heads at one another. They permitted
him to have one end of the car all to
himself, and the conductor kept his
hand upon the iron rod used for turn
ing switches, SO as to be ready in case
of an outbreak Of violence.
When the car was within two miles
Of Portobello there was sudden fizz
and fash and then dead stop. Ev-
erybody jumped up to see what was
the matter, aud the motorman, after q
hasty examination, announced that q
plug had been burned out. TO make
matters worse, he had no more plugs
with him. The professor jumped up
and down in his frenzy and said things
about trolley companies in general and
that one in particular that only a mad
man could utter.
Gritting his teeth and shaking his
fists at the car, the motorman, the
conductor and the passengers, who
stood around in d wondering group,
Professor Sophocles Bardsley started
down the road as fast as he could run.
Up hill and down he went, with his
dry tongue sticking to the roof Of
his mouth and The perspiration trick
ling down bis back The dust and
sweat made little streaks Of mud upon
his face, his eyes bulged out, and as
he got into the town people began
running after him In troops. Some
called out that he was escaping from
a band Of lynchers, others yelled
horse thief ana the professor could
feel bis heart hammering away at his
..t,7~, .s ~ ~ ,,a,ee< e.4roa&. 1890 - !. =