Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1849-07-13
Select Gale.
From an English Journal.
A RAILWAY EXPRESS.

ais my special engine ready!"
"ln a moment, sir; the engine man will be
here directly. What speed do you wshl"
"At least mile minute"
"Very good, sir; the lire is perfectly clear
and with only one light carriage it can be easi
ly DONE"
dispatches ready in my pocket, and shall go
upon the engine!"
"YOu will hardly have eyes left in your
head, if you do, sir. Better have frst-class
carriage put TO it,"
"Never fear; am tolerably accustomed to
that sort of thing. Never blink an eye in the
longest of your tunnels"
"Very we'll, sir; you know best. IT'S your
train, and of course you may either ride on the
engine or in carriage, as you please"
"The engine, then; and pray be smart; every
moment spent here is lost"
| stood during the foregoing conversation up.
on the platform of an extensive railway station,
in large town in the north of England. My
lnterocutor was the resident superintendent
| was the bearer of dispatches of great impor-
tance for London morning newspaper, and
somewhat more than three hours was the ut
most space oftime could afford, 10 shoot over
the two hundred miles of rail which separated
me from the office in the Strand.
1t was pleasant summer evening, and the
rich radiance Of the setting sun streamed thro'
the sky lights Of the huge iron roof, and spark
led among the web of interaced bars and bolts
which stresched, in vstas of angles and lozen-
ges, and all manner of mathematical figures
beneath 1.-THE metallic rafters of the terminus.
On the half dozen rails which divided the two
platforms lay, as usual, long strings of first and
second class carriages, in the process of being
furnished up by lazy gang of corduroy-clad
porters. On the left line of rails stood my spe-
cial engine. bright and brazen, and shrieking
as it shot its spirit column of rushing, whist
ling steam upward from the brass cone, which
appeared TO act as chimney for the fierce va
por.
Some half-dozen porters, policemen, and
news-venders, stood carelessly about TO see the
start; and the stoker of the especial" greasy
looking mass Of solid fustian, with a wonder
fully dirty face, clambered mechanically about
the engine, after the manner of his tribe, list
lessly rubbing the cleaning metal with hand
tul of oily rags.
| was growing, idgety, and impatient
Throwing glance upward, | saw the sun no
longer lighted the high windows-the station
was fast assuming the dusky gray of evening.
"What can be the matter with Westhorpel"
exclaimed the superintendent "He don't stay
long here if that's the way he does his duty"
81 have sent two porters after him." said a
policeman, "he reported himself fit for duty this
morning"
"What! He has been ill" said |.
"He's ne'er the same man, sir, since Mary
Slane died so suddenly" replied the police
man.
"Ohl bother! we can't allow love-sick engine
drivers on this ine," struck in the superinten.
dent.
"But why don't you let me have another man
if this Mr.. Westhorpe Of yours is not fit for
his work! You have plenty of hands | sup.
pose?"
"Why. yes, sir; but the fact is, that our men
have been a good deal worked lately, and as
Mr.. Westhorpe sent word this morning that he
was ready to come back to duty, we made our
arrangements accordingly"
"Seven o'clock past" | replied, glancing al
the station dial; ':if you do not start me in five
minutes | eountermand the engine, and will
have my own remedy at law"
Before the five minutes were elapsed, the tar.
dy englne'man made his appearance. He vas