Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1907-10-30
TALESOF TRAVELLERS
HOW SMALL THE WORLD IS, IS
SHOWN BY ODD MEETINGS.
People Run Across Acquaintances In
All Sorts OF Out Of the Way
Places In Every Part Of
the World.


Two men left the city the same day
going in opposite directions. says the
New York Sun. They met on their re-
turn and exchanged experiences.
II came back from my journey"
said the man who had spent his time
in New England. more Impressed
than ever with the idea that the world
Is growing smaller"
II went where had never been be-
fore and where was likely 10 meet
no one whom | knew AT the first
meal the stranger upon my right look
ed up from his newspaper and said
something about the bridge disaster
at Quebec.
THE stranger said he had special
dread of bridge accidents since he bad
been a victim In the Ashtabua affair
number OF years before. He related
his experience and concluded with the
statement that he owed his rescue TO
a man whom he had never met before
or since
The incident as described by him
was vivid in my recollection. ] was
the man who had saved him The ac-
cident happened about 80 years ago.
Singular that at our first meeting after
the affair the conversation opened OH
the subject mentioned
After the meal ! walked into tho
Office or the hotel and looked over the
register | noticed a familiar name.
The writer was from my home town.
| looked him up.
I'VE had not seen one another for
40 years. And then we lad parted as
enemies 1t was about girl. We had
a good laugh over the meeting. in
strange part OF the country. and con-
cluded that we had the best OF the
third fellow who won the girl later
and was afterward-but that is OF no
interest TO you"
Like you" began the other return
ed tourist. II went into new country
to me. thought ! had lost myself
away up the Saguenay river.
"One day I went out in canoe look
ing for fish After the catch my guide
padded ashore. and we prepared for
a feat Soon afterward another tourist
landed nearby He hadn't had bite.
After | had jollied him while
asked him to sit down and take pot
luck Then we fell to our pipes. You
know that is the bridge on which all
smokers meet. Later on offered him
my flask.
He declined, and laughingiy re.
marked that if he had not changed his
usual garb for the outfit he had on. he
might not have been asked He was
minister His story was interesting.
He left college in this country aft
or graduation and went abroad. He
kept on until he reached India There
he became interested in commercial
pursuits.
He failed He went broke. He met
Snowman who was organizing
minstrel company lie engaged to go
with him as a tenor The organization
made money 1t landed In Australia.
There it went to pieces.
"One of the company was negro.
He and this man who had shared my
fish dinner started out together to find
work. They fell In with Salvation
Army outfit. Both we're good singers.
The upshot was that the white man
became converted
He left the Salvation company and
became an Episcopal minister The
negro followed in his steps The white
man is rector of church in the north
west The negro is missionary in
Siam.
What is your name?" I asked the
dominic. And when he gave II | re-
Piled. we were classmates at -
university
THAT was the only experience I
had during my trip. But ! think 1t
beats yours
What was the negro's right manner"
asked the man who told the first
story.
The dominic gave IL as -"."
Then the first speaker said: ITS
the same coon He was the son or my
fathers old slave. He ran away when
he was boy. and the first We ever
heard OF him was after he had become
a preacher | think this rounds up the
two stories even"