Show MERCERS OFFENSE he crossed a railroad track in japan and great was the commotion the true story of how congressman mercer of omaha caught the train at tokio japan last summer his has never been told it is this says bays the washington hobt in the first place there is a law lav in fit japan against crossing a railway track if tile the train you want is on the other oilier bide of the platform you cross a viaduct which lands you on oil another platform next to your train to cross the track a la Anic american rican is not only unlawful but sacrilege in tile the eyes of the japanese to see a man s swing sving himself upon a moving train stamps him with a tendency to paresis mercer had been delayed in making change to pay fare tor for himself and party to the next station fifty miles distant and the ladies had crossed the viaduct arid and taken their seats beats just as the ne nc braskas came running out of the lie waiting room the train was pulling out in japan the trains always move faster when they start than when they are under full headway to tile religious dismay of the crowd of japs on oil the platform mercer made a dash tor for it right the intervening track and landed on oil the platform of tile departing train with a graceful bound in a moment panic arid and pandemonium ak ere rampart among the crowd ot of official and onlookers and saine say the imperial guard of japan as wella well a a regiment of sharpshooters were called out at all events tile hie excitement produced by mercer hercer daring feat mas as as great ablia tile the claucie Clu cie had thrown a company of into the flank of the spectators mercer saw raw that there was violent iol crit signaling with a red flag from the engine cab and answering nas with red flags by the switchman ahead and then the train slowly came to a stop slop lie ile was vaguely conscious that all the confusion and excitement was about him but blissfully ignorant of the cause of the great sensation he had produced he had never studied the revised statutes of japan and the municipal laws of the city and tile the grav ty lyof of his offense never occurred to him As soon as he stepped down to the ground he was immediately encircled by a train officials all gesticulating and bering gibbering jib in one grand symphony of 0 protestation it looked blue for mercer his friends say he told them in english that he wat was a member of the fiat fifty y third congress of tile the united states and his person was avab sacred ile he denies this but I 1 fortunately at this critical juncture an american elbowed his way say through and called out to him film stranger youre all right keep a stiff upper lip what the devil is it about asked Al mercer ercer you crossed the railroad track and against tile the law said the american oil oh is that the cause of all this excitement cit ement said mercer 1 I thought I 1 had committed lese nias peste or was suspected of wanting to hold up tip a train the japs kept crowding around and mercer began to edge up against a coach to protect his back dont let eni em touch you shouted the american they have no law for I 1 that hat ill lay out the cirlia mail inan that puts a finger on me if I 1 get shot for or it sald said mercer by tile great horn born spoon there goes the train and my cifes aboa aboard r d an ail old trick ot of the theirs its bai said d tile other but you can telegraph her to wait for you at the next aeji I 1 station mercer saw the train disappear and after a short delay the american brought brou glit in an ail interpreter and in live five minutes tile the difficulty was in course of adjustment the japs by this time had recovered their politeness and were making bo boas 6 on every side bide to show they were borry tor for what happened and in a short time lime the station agent or whatever the mans mails position portion was brought out tea and cake to the offended congressman to show that they harbored no ill feeling bler telegraphed his wife at the next station to wait for him and took the next train to meet her she was there but the telegram had not reached tier her 11 however 0 w the operator had received it lie 1 le pulled it out of his vest pocket and handed it to the congressman with a broad grin 4 all right said aid mercer just fojut the way v we do it in the united stales you people are rapidly becoming americanized |