The southern enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1854-1870, 1854-11-24
gntrrrsting Hli5rrllung,
The Glass Rail Roaa.

'Ir seemed to me as though ] had been
suddenly aroused from my slunber. look
ed around and found myself in the center Of
a gay crowd. The first sensation I expert
enced was that Of being borne along, with a
peculiar motion. looked around and
found that ] was in a long train of cars which
were gliding over the railway, and seemed
to be many miles in length. It was compos-
ed of manyscars. Every car, open at the
top, was filled with men and women, all gai-
ly dressed, all happy, all laughing, talking
and singing. The peculiarly gentle motion
of the cars interested Inc. There was no
grating such as we hear on the railroad -.
They moved along without the least jar or
sound This, SAY, interested me. look
ed over the side and to my astonishment found
the railroad and cars made of glass. The
glass wheels moved ,ver the glass rails with.
out the least noise or oscillation. The soft
gliding motion produced feeling of exquis-
ite happiness. was happy 1t seemed as
if everything was at rest within--l was full,
Of peace.
'WhileI was wondering over this circum
stance, a new sight attracted my gaze. All
along the road, on ethics side, within foot
of the track, were laid long lines of coffins Oh
either side of the railroad, and every one con-
tanned corpse dressed for burial, with its
cold white face turned upward to the light,
The sight filed me with horror yelled in
agony, but could make no sound. The gay
Ithrong who were around me only redoubled
their singing and laughter AT the sight ofmy
agony, and we swept on, gliding on with
glass wheels over the railroad every moment
coming nearer to the bend of the road, which
formed an angle with the road, far, far in the
distance.
Who are those Y cried at last pointing
to the dead in the coffins.
Those are the persons who made the trip
before u.s. was the reply of one OF the gay
est persons near me.
What tripf Iasked. "
| why, the trip we are now making. The
trip on the glass railway was the answer.
why do they lie along the road, each
one in his coffin 2 was answered with a
whisper and half laugh which frozo my
blood :
'Thev were dashed TO death at the end of
the railroad said the person whom l addres-
sed.
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 its passen-
gers into the abyss. They are dashed to
peices against the rocks and their bodies are
brought here and placed in the cofiins as a
warning to other passengers but no one
minds it, we are so happy on the glass rail,
road
i can never describe the horror with which
those words inspired me. '.E' a p.
'What is thename Of the glass railroad 2
| asked. saa
The person whom aoked, replied in the
same strain: r' a-
1T is very easy to get into the cars, but
very hard to get out. For, once in these cars,
everybody is delighted with the soft, gliding
motion. The cars move gently. Yes, this is
railroad of habit, and with glass wheels we
are whrled over glass railroad, towards a
fathomless abyss. In few moments well
be there, and they'll bring our bodies and
put them in cotfins as warning TO others
but nobody will mind it, will tley?'
Il was choked with horror. Istruggled to
breathe--many frantic efforts to leap from
the cars, and in the struggle awoke. know
| it was only dream, and yet whenever |
think of it, can see the long train of cars
move gently over the glass railroad. can
see cars far ahead, as they are turning the
bend Of the road. | can see the dead in
their coffins, clear and distinct, on either side
Of the road, while the laughing and singing
e he gay aud happy passengers resound in
my ea~s. only see the cold faces of the dead,
with ths.,- CLASSY eyes ;phfed. and their fro
zen hands upon the shrouds.
1T was, indeed, horrible dream A long
train of glass cars, gliding over glass rail.
way, freighted with youth, beauty aud mu.
sic, while on either hand are stretched the
victims of Yesterday gliding over the rail
way Of habit, towardsthe fathomless abyss.
There was moral in that dream
Reader, are you addicted to any sinful
habita Break it off ere you dash againsttbe
rocks. s.--Lippard.
| IT is said that out Of four hundred yonng
men just now seeking British Government eIn-
ployment only thirty could pass the follow
| ing examinations, viz To write good busi-
ness note take down q paragraph from a
STANDARD suthor from diction write ont the
names Of the different counties in England,
and exhibit q knowledge Of the -four first