The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1852-1855, 1854-12-07
The GIass Railroad.

| ~ NNs~-S0 ASaAASH
1t seemed to me as though l had been
suddenly aroused from my slumber.
looked around and found myself in the
center Of gay crowd. The first sensation
l experienced was that of being borne a
long, with peculiar motion. l looked a
round and found that was in a long train
of cars which were gliding over railway,
and seemed to be many miles in length
1t was composed of many cars. Every
car, open at the top. was filed with men
and women, all gaily dressed, all happy,
all laughing, talking and singing. The
peculiarly gentle motion of the cars INFER
ested me. There was no grating such as
we hear on the railroad. They move a.
long with the least jar or sound, This, ]
say interested me. looked over the side,
and to my astonishment found the railroad
and cars made Of glass. The glass wheels
moved over the glass rails without the least
noise or oscillation. The soft gliding mo-
ton produced feeling of exquisit happi-
ness. was happy! 1t seemed as if eve
rything was at rest within-I was full OF
peace.
"While was wondering over this cir
cumstance, new sight attracted my gaze.
All along the road, within foot of the
track, were laid long lines of cofins on Ell
ther side of the railroad, and every one
contained corpse dressed for burial, with
its cold white face turned upward to the
light. The sight filled me with horror; l
yelled in agony, but could make no sound.
The gay throng who were around me only
redoubled their singing and laughter at
the sight of my agony, and we swept on,
gliding on with glass wheels over the rail-
road, every moment coming nearer to the
bend ofthe road, far, far in the distances.
"Who are those?" cried atlast, point
ing to the dead in the coffins
"These are the persons who made the
trip before us" was the reply ofone ofthe
gayest persons near me.
"What trip?" | asked.
"Why, the trip we are now making
The trip on this glass railway" was the
answer.
"Why do they lie along the road, each
one in his cotfin?' Twas answered with
a whisper and laugh which froze my
blood. Z. ..a .a
They were dashed to death at the end of
the railroad, said the person whom ad-
dressed
You know the railroad terminates at an
abyss which is without bottom or measure.
1t is lined with pointed rocks. AS each
car arrives at the end, it precipitates into
the abyss. They are dashed to pieces a.
gainst the rocks, and their bodies are
brought here and placed in the coffins as
a warning to other passengers; but moo
minds it, we are SO happy on the glass rail
road .s
Il can never describe the horror with
which those words inspired me- a'
What is the name of the glass rairoad?'
asked 5r.,..- .a4.,,.... .......
The person whom l asked, replied in
the same Strain;
1T is very easy to get into the cars, but
very hard to get out For, once in these
cars, everybody isdclighted with the soft,
gliding motion. The cars moye gently
Yes, this is railroad of habit, and with
glass wheels we are whirled over a glass
railroad towards a fathomless abyss. In g
few moments we'll be there, and they Il
bringo bodies and put them in cofins as
a warning to others; but no body will mind
t, will theyH
'Iwas choked with horror; I struggled
to breathe-made frantic efforts to lear
from the cars, and in the struggle awoke
| know it was only dream, and et,when
lever think it, can see that long trar
of cars move gently over the glass railroad
/ can see cars far ahead, as they are turn
ing the bend of the road. can see the
dead in their collins, clear and distinct, OF
either side of the road, while the laughing
and singing of the gay and happy passen
gers resound in my ears, | only see the
cold faces of the dead, with their CLASSY
eyes uplifted, and their frozen hands upor
their shrouds. ~, .. r-E
1T was, indeed, horrible dream. A
long train of glass cars, gliding over I
| glass railway, freighted with youth, beauty
and music, while on either hand are stretch
ed the victims of yesterday-gliding oyeI
the railway of habit, towards the fathom
less abyss.
'sThcre was a mortal in that dream"
Reader are you addicted to any sinfu
habit? Break it off ere You dash agains
the rocks. -Lippard
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