LIGHT THE LANTERN

One night a motorist was run down by a train at a grade crossing. The old signal man in charge of the crossing had to appear in court. After a severe cross-examination, he was still unshaken. He said he had waved his lantern frantically, but all to no avail. The following day the superintendent of the line called him into his office. ‘You did wonderfully well yesterday, Tom,’ he said. ‘I was afraid at first that you might waver.’

‘No, sir,’ replied Tom, ‘but I was afraid that old lawyer was going to ask me whether or not my lantern was lit!’