The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1844-05-22
VOL. TX.


| immemorial difficulty.
"Where is Mr.. Great-heartl'' inquired /.
| beyond doubt, the Directors have engaged
| that famous old champion to be chief con-
ductor on the railroad %
| "Why, no." said MIR. Smooth-it-away, with
dry cough. "He was offered the situation
of brake-m man but, to tell you the truth, our
friend Great-heart has grown preposterous-
ly stiff and narrow, in his old age. He has
so often guided pilgrims over the road, on
foot, that he considers it sin TO travel in any
other fashion. Besides, the old fellow had
entered so heartily into the ancient feud with
Prince Beelzebub, that he would have been
perpetually at blows or i'll language with some
of the Princes subjects, and thus have en-
broiled us anew. So, on the whole, we were
not sorry when honest Great-heart went off
to the Celestial City in huff, and left us at
liberty to choose more suitable and accom-
modating man. Yonder comes the conduc-
tor of the train. You will, probably, recog-
nize him at once"
The engine at this moment took its station
in advance of the cars, looking, must con-
fess, much like sort of mechanical demon,
that would hurry us to the Internal regions,
than laudable continuance for smoothing our
way to the Celestial City. On its top sat a
parsonage almost enveloped in smoke and
flame, which-not to startle the reader-ap-
peared TO gush from his own mouth and
stomach, as well as from the engines brazen
abdomen.
''Do my eyes deceive mel" cried l.
''What on earth is this A living creature
If so, he is own brother TO the engine that
he rides uponl"
''Poh, poh, you are obtuse!" said Mr..
Smooth-it-away,with hearty laugh. Don't
you know Apollyon, Christians old enemy,
with whom he fought so fierce battle in the
Valley of Humiliation He was the very fell
low to manage the engine; and so we have
reconciled him to the custom of going on
pilgrimage, and engaged him as chief con-
ductor."
"Bravo, bravo" exclaimed 1, with ire
pressible enthusiasm, ''this shows the liberal
ity of the age; this proves, if anything can,
that all musty predjudices are in a fair way
to be obliterated. And how will Christian
rejoice to hear of this happy transformation
of his old antagonist | promise myself
great pleasure in informing him of it, when
we reach the Celestial City"
The passengers being all comfortably seat
IN, VIC HOM away
plishing a greater distance in ten minutes
than Christian probably trudged over in a
day. 1t was laughable while we glanced
along, as it were, at the tail of thunderbolt,
TO observe two dusty foot travellers, in the old
pilgrim guise, with cockshell and staff, their
intolerable burthens on their backs. The
preposterous obstinacy of these honest people
in persisting TO groan and stumble along the
- tl.o,, L.
of modern Improvements, excited great mirth
among our wiser brotherhood. We greeted
the two pilgrims with many pleasant gibes,
and a roar of laughter; whereupon, they
gazed at us with such woeful and absurdy
compassionate visages, that our merriment
grew tenfold more obsreperous. Apollyon,
also, entered heartily into the fun, and con-
trived to flirt the smoke and flame of the en-
CINE, or of his own BREATH into their faces,
and envelope themin an atmosphere Of scald-
ing steam. These little practical jokes anus
ed US nightly, and, doubtless, afforded the
pilgrims the qualification of considering them
selves martyrs.
At some distance from the railroad, Mr..
Smooth-it-away pointed to large, antique
edifce, which, he observed. was tavern of
long standing, and had formerly been a no.
ted stopping-place for pilgrims. In Bunyan's
road-book it is mentioned as the Interpreters
House.
81 have long had curiosity to visit that
old mansion" remarked l.
at is not one of our stations, as you per-
ceive," said my companion. 1.-The keeper
was violently opposed to the railroad: and
well he might be, as the track left his house
of entertainment on one side, and thus was
pretty certain to deprive him of all bis repu-
table customers. But the foot-path still pass
es his door; and the old gentleman now and
then receives a call from some simple travel
Ter, and entertains him with fare as old-iash-
Toned as HIMSELF
Before our talk on this subject came to a
conclusion, we were rushing by the place
where Christians burthen fell from his shout
ders, at the sight of the Cross. This served
as theme for Mr. mooth-it-away, Mr.. Live
for-the-word, Mr.. Hide-sin-in -the-heart. Mr..
Scaly-conscience, and a knot of gentlemen
from the town of Shun-repentance, to descant
upon the inestimable advantages resulting
from the safety of our baggage. Myself, and
al the passengers indeed, Joined with great
unanimity in this view Of the matter; for our
burthens were rich in many things esteemed
precious throughout the world and especial
ly, we each of us possessed great variety of
favorite Habits, which we trusted would not
be out of fashion, even in the polite circles of
the Celestial City. Itwould have been sad
spectacle to see such an assortment of valua-
Bile articles tumblng into the sepulchre.-
Thus pleasantly conversing on the favorite
circumstances Of our position. as compared
with those Of past pilgrims, and of narrow
minded ones at the present day,we soonfound
ourselves at the foot of the Hill Difficulty
Through the very heart of this rocky noun
tain tunnel has been constructed, of most
admirable architecture, with lofty arch, and
a doubletrack; SO that, unless the earth and
rocks should chance to crumble down. it will
remain an eternal monument of the builders
skill and enterprise. 1t lis a great, though in
cidental advantage, that the materials from
the heart of the Hill Difficulty have been en-
ployed in filling up the Valley illumination
thus obviating the necessity of descending
into that disagreeable and unwholesome hol-
low.
This is wonderful improvement, in
Decd" said l. "Yet should have been clad
OF an opportunity to visit the Palace Beauti-
full, and be introduced to the charming young
y