AN AWKWARD POSITION.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 6, Issue 1763, 16 August 1884, Page 4

AN AWKWARD POSITION.

A well-known theatrical and operatic entrepreneur had a very narrow escape from a serious accident on the main line of railway recently. He had taken passage by the express from Launceston to Hobart, and, like everyone else, felt a bit hungry when the train stopped at the half-way station. Unfortunately, he forgot to ascertain that the "intermission" was only ten minutes, and when he started out from tho refreshment bar the train was underway. He jumped at the platform of the car, and was in the act of clambering up when the wary guard spotted him, and seizing his arm. dragged him back to terra firma. The theatrical man, fortunately for himself, stumbled oyer a heap of mud when he touched the ground, otherwise some portion of his body would have come in contact with the moving train, As it was of great importance that he should not miss his passage, when he regained his feet it was the work ef a moment to push the guard on one side and chase tho train. The engine bad not got full way on when he caught up, and he managed to climb on to the dog-kennel, which, on the Tasmanian lines, is attached to the rear of the guard's van. There, like Mahomet's coffin, between heaven and earth, he clung until the train reached the next station. As he had to kneel on an extremely hard board, and hang on by his finger tips, he spent anything but a pleasant qaarter-of-an-hour, The dog-kennel is now known as Smith's "special carriage,"