Meigs County telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy [Ohio]) 1848-1859, 1851-10-07
rHE GLASS RAILROAD.
"There was moral in that dream. "

| nThere was moral in that dream"
| "a dream Of The "Milford Bard" during
one Of his fits Of mania a potu.
81. seemed to me-" said the Bard. as
though had been suddenly aroused from
nv slumbers. Il looked around and found
myself in the center of q gay and happy
c, ovid The first sensationI experienced
was lha. of being borne along with pecu-
| liar gentle motion. + looked around and
found that was in one ofalong train Of cars
aha, were gliding over railway. Il could
sec the train far, far ahead !. it was turning
bend in The railway and seemed TO be
many miles in length, Ii was composed of
cars Each car opened al the top and was
! filled with men and womtn-a|l happy, all
laughing. talking and singing. The pecu-
| liar gentle motion Of the car interested me.
| | looked over the side, and 10 my astonish-
men, found that The railroad and cars were
made Of glass. The glass wheels moved
over the glass rails wisbou, the least noise or
oscillation. This soft gliding motion pro.
duced O feeling Of exquisite happiness. |
was SO happy! Il seemed 10 me as if ev,
ery,hng was at resi- within me-lwas full of
peace. While was wondering over the
circumstance new sight attracted my gaze.
All along the road, on either side, within a
foot of The track were laid long lines of col-
fins, one on either side Of The road, and CIV.
cry one containing corpse, dressed for bu.
rial, with It's cold, white face upturned to
the light, The sigh, filled me with unut-
terabIe horror, lyellcd in agony but could
make no sound. The gay throng around
me only redoubIcd their singing and laugh
Ter at lhe sight Of my agony, and we swept
on. and on, gliding with glass wheels, over
| The ga.s railroad, every moment coming
| nearer the bend which formed an angle
with the road, far, far in the distance.
"Who are those !'' cried u, last, point
! ing 10 The dead in the coffins.
Those are persons who made The "Trip be-
fore as was Ihe rep y oi one Of the gay
est persons near me.
"Wha. trip :" asked.
"Why, the rip WE are now making. The
mp in these glass cars over this glass rail-
road was The answer.
"W by do they lie along the road, each
| one IN ms CONN $!
was answered with a whisper and q
half laugh which frozo my blood.
They were dashed 10 pieces at the end
Of the railroad" replied he whom ad-
dressed, "You know the railroad termi-
nales a, an abyss tha, is without bottom or
measure. 1t is lined with pointed rocks.
As each car arrives a. The end i. preciplates
lis nasspnunrs into tho ??hr-~., TL-,. -
dashed to pieces against the rocks, and thelr
bodies are then brought up and placed in
coffins, as warning 10 other passengers
bu, no one minds ii, we are SO happy on
The glass raiIroad' | can never describe
the horror which these words inspired me
"Wha, is the name Of his glass railroadP
| asked. The person whom addressed re
piled in The same low voice
,, alt is the railroad Of Habit. Ii is very
easy 10 get into these cars, but very hard ,c
! get out. For, once in these cars, every ont
is delighted with the soft gliding motion
, The cars move so gently! Yes, ii is rail
= > road of HABIT, and with glass wheels W
: are whirling over the glass railroad lowar
;, The laIhomless abyss. In few moment
J, we'll be there; and then they will bring ou
:. bodies and put them in collins as warnn
. to others, but no body will mind it wi
~, they?"
:, was choked with horror, struggled (c
- brealh-made frantic efforts TO leap fror
:, - the cars, and in the struggling awoke.
" knew it was only dream, and "
whenever think Of it, can see that Ion
!, line of cars moving gently over the glaS
'I 't railroad. can see the dead in their coffin
J" clear and distinction either side of ii
:" - road, and while The Laughter and singing {
!, the gay and happy passengers resound
~ ~ my ears, | only see those cold faces of II
10 -, dead, with their CLASSY eyes upliiled al
~ their frozen hands upon their shrouds.
q was horrible dream.
- And The Bard's changing features al
y" Frightening eye atlesled the emotion IN
-. had been aroused by The mere memory
~ ~ lhe dream.
- II was, indeed horrible dream, loI
w. train of glass cars, gliding over a glass ra
y" way, freighied with youth, beauty, and m
- sic while on either hand are stretched /
=. =, victims of yesterday gliding over the ra
-"' way of habit, towards The fathomleSs aby
I" "There was a moral in that dream"
'u' Reader, are you addicted 10 any sinful ha
'nl it? Break it off, ere you dash against
TO- rocks.