She was glad she got to the ticket window too late

A woman and her two sons, paid her father a visit, They had to get up at two o'clock in the morning and catch an early train in order to make connections at another city, if they would reach her father's home by night that day. She made the first train all right, but when she arrived in the city where she had to make connections for the train that would carry her to her father's, she was compelled to go across the city two miles in a hack to reach the other depot. The hack-team driver was tired, hence she missed her train two minutes.

Rushing up to the ticket window, almost out of breath, she asked the agent "if the train going to was on time?" He replied, "The train has just pulled out." She wrung her hands and exclaimed, "Oh, isn't that awful! It is simply too bad that I missed that train! That old hack team, those old bony horses did not go fast enough! That driver was a poky man! Tell me, will I have to wait here six hours and a half? Six hours and a half before I can catch a train for my father's!" "Yes, you will have to wait six and a half hours." She went over and took a seat and sat there crying and worrying and be-meaning the hack driver.

In about one and a half hours the ticket agent rushed out and across the station to her exclaiming, "Oh, lady, you should rejoice, you should be very happy in missing that train, you saved your life and the life of your two children! That train was derailed and killed the engineer and fireman and flagman and thirteen passengers!" She clapped her hands and cried, "O God, how I thank Thee! I praise Thee for permitting me to miss that train!" How often we misjudge, misunderstand God's providential leadings.

From "Praying Clear Through"

By William J. Harney

From: TICKET STORIES COMPILED BY DUANE V. MAXEY FROM THE HDM LIBRARY

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