Reserve Your Seats.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7843, 8 June 1905, Page 4

Reserve Your Seats.

When a small boy sets- out to be a thorn in somebody's side lie .mostly does it with considerable effect. Example : The through train from New Plymouth was a »ne, and seats were above par. One party of travellers for Wellington, very tired with a rough sea voyage "down from Aucklaml, had comfortably seat"d itself ia, a first-class ear, and all was peace until Wungunui was reached. There lurked the small boy. Oho of the comfortable people left his s;'at for a few minutes, and on returning found the small boy squatting in it as it' ho had purchased the patent rights. Tho seat was engaged. The small ibtoy's face expressed regret. Ho couldn't help that. The guard had shown him its emptiness, and he had filled it. The loser went into the very elaborate explanation, and—'better see! the guard, said the boy. Very well ; the guard came, and tho •patter was explained to him. He couldn't do anything, «ncl the boy just laid low and said nothing. Better see Hie stationmaster at the next station, said" the guard. So it was done. The stationmaster came, heard the story, ami he couldn't do anything. The boy sat tight. All tho passengers studied the situation. Influences from all quarters approached the youngster, and protested. He was sorry—laden with regret —but he was unable to offer any help. 1h ; seat had been empty when he came, and he had filled it That was the end of the argument so far as he could see. At Longburn the small boy gave up his seat —because he had reached hid destination—<and the loser came into his own again. Not content with tlifat, he Irft it later, 'but this time ho put a portmanteau on it, to showthat it was engaged. A gentleman, who had been standing, hall'-frozcn on the pla'tforin, (found it thus, and substituted himself on the bag, amidst protests from the rest , of the wandering olio's pariy. in a minute," they said. " To-day is with me, to-morrow belongs to you. I wilt wait until he comes." At Johnsonville tile wanderer one iback! and when he saw his seat was occupied, his face conveyed wh;,t ■words) would have failed to do. The expression changed immediately, however, us he new occupant, being a grown. man,, instead of u small tfoy,. rose at once and gave up the seat. Thei moral of this slory is that throughi passeivgers should take advantage of the new system wherobv seats may IK) reserved and ticketed so on implication to the stationmaster.—New , Zealand Times.