A RAILWAY STORY.

Thames Star, Volume XVI, Issue 5011, 3 February 1885, Page 3

A RAILWAY STORY.

Yes, said he, the way I came out here was all along of a bit of bad luck. The bad luck came in the shape of a £100 Bank of England note. You see, I was un engjne driver, in the Old Country. One evening a gentleman calls on me. I believe, says he, you drive the 10.15 a.m. from , terminus to town ? I do says I. I bare beard, went on the gentleman, that you were, uutil receutly, ill and out of work for some time. Three months and more, says I. Well, then, he goes on, you're likely to be a bit hard up? I am that, says I. Would a £100<note do you any good Phe asks me. I thought he was joking, until he went on. lam told you are an excpllent and careful driver, and can do, anything you like with your eDgine". Do you think you couid manage when your entine changes ends at the terminus to-trbrrow, just to give a good, hard bump to the carriages ? I said it was easy enough; the difficulty was not to bump them. It might lead, says I, to accidents, li might, says he, and he looks hard at'me. 1 ben he pulls out a £100* note and gave it to me. Of course, says he, I've got the number of that note,- and if no bnmp happens it will be reported as lost. I didn't care about the thing, but whilst I was thinking it over and looking at the note the gent booked it. I had the note, and for all I knew might be prosecuted for it; who would believe my story against the gent's? Next morning my, engine bumped hard against the train. There was au accident. Strange to say, it was my friend of the night before. He' fell down and got took with a fit of some kind, foaming at the mouth, and rolling about the platform. He was taken to his house, and for weeks after used to fall down in them fits io all sorts of places, sometimes three or four times a day. He got £1500 for that bump, and I got the sack. I got a rare spell of bad luck since, and my £100 soon went. I have heard that fit business is managed with a bit of soap in the mouth. He's not identical with the gent that sent back £600 a Company paid him for an accident as too much damages. Oh no, you bet.