Thegentlemaninthesilktravelling-capnowtookachair，andanumberofsympatheticlistenersdrewtheirchairsabouthim，andthenbegananinterchangeofexperience，inwhicheachrelatedtothelastparticularallthathefelt，thought，andsaid，and，ifmarried，whathiswifefelt，thought，andsaid，atthemomentofthecalamity。Theyturnedthedisasteroverandoverintheirtalk，androlleditundertheirtongues。
Thentheyrevertedtoformeraccidentsinwhichtheyhadbeenconcerned；
andthesilk-cappedgentlemantold，tothecommonadmiration，ofafearfulescapeofhis，ontheErieRoad，frombeingthrowndownasteepembankmentfiftyfeethighbyapieceofrockthathadfallenonthetrack。“Nowjustsee，gentlemen，whatalittlething，humanlyspeaking，lifedependsupon。Ifthatoldwomanhadbeenabletosleep，andhadn’tsentthatboydowntowarnthetrain，weshouldhaverunintotherockandbeendashedtopieces。Thepassengersmadeupapursefortheboy，andIwroteafullaccountofittothepapers。“
“Well，“saidoneofthegroup，amaninahardhat，“Ineverliedownonasteamboatorarailroadtrain。Iwanttobereadyforwhateverhappens。“
Theotherslookedatthisspeakerwithinterest，asonewhohadinventedasafemethodoftravel。