Some days since, the trains of the North London Railway were all late,
and consequently every platform was crowded. At one of the stations an
unfortunate passenger attempted to enter an already over-crowded
first-class compartment, but one of the occupants stoutly resisted the
intrusion. Thereupon, the unfortunate one said, “I will soon settle
this,” and called the guard to the carriage door. He then requested the
official to ask two of the occupants to produce their tickets, which
proved to be third-class ones. In spite of the delinquents protesting
there was no room in the train elsewhere, they were ejected, and the
unfortunate one took their place. The other passengers were naturally
rather indignant; and, seeing this, the successful intruder quietly said,
“I am very sorry to have had to turn those two gentlemen out, especially
as I have heard them say they were already late for an important
engagement in the city; and I am all the more sorry, seeing that I only
hold a third-class ticket myself.”
—_Truth_.