The Four-Masted Cat-Boat; And Other Truthful Tales (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1899 Excerpt: ... XXXI A STRANGER TO LUCK HEN I got off the train at Darbyville, which, as all will remember, is the junction of the L. M. & N. and 0. P. & Q. railroads, and found that, owing to an accident, it would be an hour before the train came in on the latter road, I was vexed. Although ordinarily my own thoughts are agreeable companions, yet events of the past week, in which my good judgment had not borne a conspicuous part, made it likely that for the nonce these thoughts of mine would be more or less unpleasant, and so I cast about for some human nature to study. At one end of the platform three or four farmers were seated upon trunks. They were alert-looking men, and, like me, were waiting for the train. As I neared them, one of their number, a tall, lanky, sharpboned, knife-featured fellow, imperturbably good-natured-looking, and with an expression of more than ordinary intelligence in his eyes, left them and sauntered off down the road with long, irregular strides. It was one of those calm, clear, dry days when sounds carry well, and although I did not join them, yet I heard every word of the conversation. Indeed, as their glances from time to time showed, they were not averse to having an auditor. "It 's cur'us," said one of them, a ruddy-faced man with a white beard, " how unlucky a man c'n be an' yit manage to live." His eyes followed the shambling figure that had just left them. "I 'll help myself to some of thet terbacker, Jed. Left mine to hum, an' I have the teethache--awful." This to a short, stout man with a smooth face, who had just taken a liberal mouthful of tobacco from a paper that he drew from his hip-pocket. "He'p 'se'f " said the one addressed. Then he added, " Meanin' Seth, I s'pose?" "Yes," replied the other. "I b'lieve thet ef Seth was to hev...