Wisconsin tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1847-1854, 1851-01-16
VOLUME ". AUriBER IL.
The Glass Ra.lrold.
" There vas a moral N lhal dream.

There was a moral IL thag dream.
A dream Of the :. Milford B ard" during
one Of his fits Of mania potu.
- 1t seems to me- said the bard. "as
though had suddenly been aroused from NV
siumbers- | looked around and found utvs.if
IN the centre Of gay and happy crowd. The
first sensation experienced was thar If beircr
borne along with peculiar gentle notion
soft, gliding motion. l looked around me and
found that ! was in one Of long train Of ears
that were gliding over railway Icould see
the train far. far ahead IL was turning. bend
IN the railway and seemed TO be usauv miles
IN length and was imposed Of cars. Each
car opened at the top, and was filled with men
and woman-ail happy. all laugiug. talking.
or singing. The peculiar gentle motion OF
the car Interested iue. / looked over the side
and 70 my establishment, found the body Of
the cars, and The wheels were all Of olass.-
The glass wheels moved over the glass rails
without the least noise or oscillation. This
sott gliding motion produced i feeling Of ex-
quIslte happiness. l was SO ha5pv Itsaerued
to me that every thing was at resi- within me
/ was full OF pence. While was wondering
over the circumstance, new sight attracted
my gaze All along the road, on either side
within foot of the track were laid loar lines
OF collins, one on either side Of the road, and
every one contaInlnga a dress e corpse ftr burial
with lis cold white face upturned to the
light. The sight filled me with urutterable
horror. yelled Ia agony, but could make no
sound The gay throuE around me redoubled
their singing and laughter at my agony. and
swept on, and on. gliding with glass wheels
over the glass railroad. every moment coming
nearer to the bend which formed an angle in
the road. far far in The distance.
" Who are those = I cried at last. nointIno
to the dead in the collins
" These are persons who made this tip be-
fore us was the reply Of one Of the gayest
of the persons near me.
. " hat trip p asked
= W by, the trip we are now making. The
trP IN these glass cars, over this 4 ass T4il-
way was the answer.
" Why do they lie along the road, each one
in his coffin e.
l was answered with whisper and half
laugh wh en- fTaze my blood.
- They were dashed 10 pieces at the end Of
the railroad" !" said he whom / addresscd.-
= ! ou know tie railroad terminates II an abvss
that Is without bottom or measure. Il is lirtd
WIKI pointed rocks. As each car arrives at
the end 1t PrecipItatCs its passengers into the
abyss They are dashed TO pieces against
the rocks, and their bodies are brought uo
here and placed IN coffihs, as a warming 10
other passengers; but no one minds il. We
are 50 happy on the glass railroad"
/ can never describe the horror with which
these words inspired me.
" What is the name of this r4ilro4d," |
asked.
The person whom / addressed, replied in
the same low voice
4" Il is tie Railroad Of Habit. l. IS ve-r
easy to get into these cars. but very hard %
gei out For once in these cars. every one is
delighted with the soft gliding motion. The
cars move 50 gently, Yes, il is the Railroad
Of Habit and with glass wheels We are w hirl-
ing over the railroad towards the fsthcmiess
abyss. In a few moments well be there
and then they'll bring our bod les and put
them in c5.Iins as a warni IL o others, but no
body viii miad it. will they g.
was choked with horror. ] struggled f-r
breath-made frantic efforts % leap from the
cars, and in the struggle. awoke.
knew 1t was only a dream. and ye. when
ever | think Of it, | can see that long line Of
cars moving gently over the glass raiIr0aI-I
can see the cars far ahead, as they are turning
the head Of the road. can see the dead iu
their collins clear and distinction either side
Of the r1ad-aHd while the laughter and sing
ing Of the gay and happy passengers resounJ
IN my ears. only see those cold faces Of the
dead, with their CLASSY eyes uplif,ed, and
their frozen hands upon their shruuds."
L D.