A LESSON FOR RAILWAY SERVANTS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 103, 19 August 1876, Page 3

A LESSON FOR RAILWAY SERVANTS.

| F»>r some days past (says the //".if I jS'rtrx) the station at Lille, on the in ittior I of Belgium and France, lift* been the scene of a complete panic. It p»rill:i were ensconced behind the re. f iv.->Minc-nt bar, otr a tigress with a young family installed in the waiting-room, there could not he a greater state «»i" alarm prevalent amongst travellers antl officials. The origin of all this trouble forms a little history in itself, am! as there is a m ">ral to the tale it b ijiiite worth recounting. It appears that short time ago a small packet waa despatched from the Zoological Garden at Antwerp to the director of "the museum lat Paris. Arrm'i at the frontier station it Had to be detained awhile for inspection by the Custom-house people, and was accordingly deposited for a time in a room full of railway The latter, who have a keen seent i.r any curiosity, and are natniv.lly of a somewhat int|ftrsttive dis>>«>»itton, were instantly attracted by the b« x, which was very small, and very light, but contained some article, valued at no less than £•{». A first examination only served to enhance the mystery. They shook and pinched the parcel, they peeped through the holes in the lid, but without obtaining any satisfaction. JJriefly their curiosity triumphed,, the box was opened, and there shot forth a small but very lively and vici-ous-looking snake. Of course no one dared restore the escaped prisoner to his cage, and the box was fastened up again, and forwarded empty to its destination. Shortly afterwards arrived a telegram from the disappointed consignee at the Paris 3luseum. "Search everywhere," said the man of science, " for the contents of thai little bos. The snake is a coral serpent, a most dangerous species." Further inquiries ahorred that the bite of the coral kills a man in a faw minutes. The terror which has since pervaded the station is easily imaginable. Eaeh nervous passenger expects that the monster is coiled up tinder the seat oC bis own carriage, dreads- to pttt his ha* id in fits own poektt, and only puts on a »r.t or t:i>at after first shaking it thoroughly. I»nt tho worst condition is that of the porters, Wi'o are compelled to work night and day ammgst the litter of a goods depot. Hers tf'ey go about their usual tasks with blanched cheeks and trembling bawls. At the very touch of r.traw they shu lder, and at tfo Las\, a«>n. kI ibuy are rwv!y »o scatter in dismay. At l*»c s,w» tima no ••n-e is inclined i.> j.ity t' em, c«*Kß.lorii»g thai; it was t'wdr w?itc'» h»,>se this terribl;- seo'tThey are l.:'X »in* pamftttly a lessor ic»; i£ would hi to teaea to a nany ot'.cr oni>t»>jh ;« the foreign lines.