Wisconsin herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1846-1849, 1847-10-23
Dreaming ahead fifty years.

last October. He crawled into the mouth Of
a cave opening into the eastern bluff, a few
miles below Prairie du Chen, near new
distilIery, and there, watching the fleets OF
sivery duck as they sailed up and down the
wide glistening river, enjoying the hazy sun
shine of autumn, and watched the yellow
/ leaves dropping into the current, from the
: limbs of giant trees towering above jungles
f of purple grape vines, siumber spread the
misty veil before his eye-lids and he slept
I and dreamed-dreamed that he had just
/ awakened in the same spot after lapse OF
\ fifty years. Stretching his paisied limbs,
4 from which the decayed garments fell ~
tatters, he arose and rubbed open his eyes
and looked around him. The old distillery
was in ruins--and every thing but the gray
bluffs seemed changed. Swift vessels,
beautiful and of models entirely new to
him, dashed up and down the river, pro-
PEELED by some unseen agency. lie looked
around him, to find some person to answer
his inquiries. Presently he saw man
emerging from cavern before him, open
/ ing from under the bed of the river.
Stranger" said he, can you tell me
what propels yonder vessels! can see no
appearance Of steam"
Why, old man, electricity, of course
steam went out Of date long ago. Where
have you bccni"
Oh! never mind"
"Is shall mind you, my old cock-i Judge
that you have broken loose from the Lam
caster Insane Asylum. IL is my business
TO mind you. The first shall know, you
will be lying across the rails; and it is my
business to keep the track clear"
What track"
Why, you old fool, the track OF this
section of the Grand Atlantic and Pacific
Railway--or at least, of the tunnel here,
through which il passes under the river"
/ Here the old mans ears were saluted
with heavy rumhing noise in the west,
/ which roared like all the chariots of heaven
/ let loose ina thunder storm--which, rapidly
I approaching, now seem TO eonvulse The
| earth itself-and now forth dashes from be-
meath the river, long train of magnificent
railroad ears filed with thousands of pas
/ sengers of every descriptions from the
shrewd Yankee to the Hong merchant with
his Chinese queue--and away dashed this
mighty avalanche Of Vehicles mile long,
and in another minute, mile nearer the
wide Atlantic - laundering along with its
terrific rumbling of wheels, day and night,
over rivers aud through mountains.
" Then, this is the Whitney railroadf
! inquired the old man.
This is the Western railroad; and in
tersects the Northern railroad from New
Orleans to ST. Peters, just on the other
hank of the river. But, come, you must
keep out of the tunnel, old fellow; the OPP
position line of cars, called the " hell-iire''
train, will be along directly. That train is
propelled by chain-hghtuing, and left the
city of Oregon about twenty minutes ago
and will be here and gone again in twink
ling. You had better hold your hat on" ~
Before he had done speaking-whiz-some-
thing flashed -bright--evanescent as a
meteor rushing through the vaults OF hcay-
en-, il shot away and away and now is lost in
tho haze of distance.
4" Halo old fellow; so il blew you over;
told you to hold your-well, well; here is
your old mouldy hat and wig lodged to-
gether in a tree-topl Here, old chap, is
two pence to buy new ones, for which you
can send by telegraph TO the city of Cass-
Vile. Buy Of Barbaroaux in nineiy-first
street, No. 1904. Do you see that passen-
ger vessel, dashing up stream'"
do. What is III"
& One of the Dubuque, Potosi, Cassyille
and Prairie du Chen hourly packets. You
must be a stranger in these par,s;n
"a stranger-yes indeed sighed the old
man; stranger to the times even. What
newspaper is that in your hand'" asked the
old man.
This. Why, the Wisconsin Herald,
paper established while Wisconsin was
vet in the bud. 1t is published in the. city
of Lancaster, the county seat of old Grant,
county of such influence that it almost
sways the destinies % the State. Whatl-
DO YOU know nothing of Lancaster' moth
ing of Plauevillel nothing of Beetown:
each with their ten thousand inhabitants
nothing OF Galena, Hazel Green, Potosi