Forty Minutes Late 1909

"Forty Minutes Late" by Francis Hopkinson Smith is a funny short story about a lecturer's difficult trip to a speaking event messed up by bad winter weather. The story shows how travel can be confusing and uncertain, especially with delays and mixed-up messages. The main character struggles against the snow and arrives late because the train was delayed. When he gets to Sheffield, nobody is there to meet him, so he has to carry his bags through the snow to a farmhouse where the event organizers are. He gets angry about being late and argues with the event manager, which ends up being funny for the audience. In the end, because of nice people he meets and a good place to stay, the lecturer goes from being frustrated to feeling warm and friendly, showing that life can be unexpected and that there's humor in everyday problems.