UNSUCCESSFUL PURSUIT OF A TRAIN.

Western Star, Issue 1540, 28 February 1891, Page 1 (Supplement)

UNSUCCESSFUL PURSUIT OF A TRAIN.

The train for Cleveland was pulling out, and had gained considerable headway (says the Indianapolis News), when there came a whizz and the sound of splitting wind, as a man with a tall silk hat crushed down on his ears dashed through the gates. He carried two big valises, but they were apparently as light as feathers, for they did not interfere with his mad rush after that train. He fairly flew along the platform, and the brakeman on the car was so busy looking at a girl in the window of the National Hotel that he did not see him. The crowd yelled and whooped, “Get there, old man!” “ Pull for it hard!” “ You’ll make it if you don’t fall dead !” and a hundred such aggravating remarks. The man made an heroic effort, but he didn’t have the legs, and the brakeman didn’t see him, thus ho missed the train. He came slowly back to the gate, put down his grips, mopped his face, and remarked—

“ Well, I’ll be blowed !” He didn’t say blowed, but let it go at that. “ Had a lively run,” suggested a meek and lowly gateman. “ Rather. Just my luck, though, to miss that train. Wny, I wouldn’t have missed that train for fifty dols.” “ Where were you going ?” once more asked the gentleman with the gingercoloured whiskers.

“ Lafayette. And I have an important engagement there to-night.” “ Well, you can keep It.” “ Hey 1 ” “ The train you were chasing goes to Cleveland. The Lafayette train don’t start for eight minutes yet. There it stands.”

The drummer did’nt say a word. He gathered his grips and 'climbed aboard the car, while the faintest bit of a smile hovered about the meek and lowly gateman’s face.