M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1855-01-19
The Glass I,niIrOnd.

"It seemed to me ss though had
been suddenly srOused from my slumbeF.
l locked ground and found myself in the
center Of ga, crowd. The FIRST sensa-
tion ! experienced was that Of being
borne long, with peculiar motion. ]
looked around and found that was in
long tTain OF cars which were gliding
over railway, and seemed TO be many
miles in length. II was composed OF
many cars. Every car, open at the top,
was filled with men aud women, all
gaily dressed, all happy, all laughing,
talking and singing, The peculiarly
gentle motion OF the cars interested me.
There Wss no grating such as we hear
on the railroad. They moved along
without the least jar or sound. This, !
Ely, interested me. locked over the
eide, and 20 my astonithment found the
railroad and cars made Of glass. The
glass wheels moved over the glass rails
without the least noise OF oscillstion.-
The soft gliding motion produced q feel
ing Of exquisite happiness. was hap
pyl 1t seemed as if everything was at
Iest within-l was full Of peace.
while / was wondeTing over this
Circumstance. a new sight attracted my
gaze. All along the road, on either side,
within foot Of this track, were laid
loug lines Of coffns on either side Of the
ietlroad, and every one contained a
corpse dressed for burial, with its cola
White lace turned upward to the light.
the sight filled me with horror; yelled
ia agony, but could make no sound
Tie gay throng who were around me
only redoubsd their singing and laugh.
Ter at the sight of my 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 sn angle with the road, far, far
ic the distance.
who are thosSH' ! cried at last, point
ing 10 the dead in the collins.
These are the persons who made the
Trip before US, was the reply Of ore OF
abe gayest persons near me.
what trip3' Iasked.
why, the trip wa are now making.
The trip on this glass railway was the
answer.
why do they lie along the road, each
one in his coffinp was answered with
whisper and half laugh which froze
my blood:
They were dashed 10 death OF the END
Of the railroad, said tho person whom
addressed.
You know the railroad terminates al
an abyss which is withot bottom Of
measure. 1t is lined with pointed rocks
AS each car arrives at the end, il pro.
cipitates its passengers into the abyss
They are dashed 10 pieces against the
rocks, and their bodies are brought here
and placed iu the cofins as warning
10 oIher passengers; but no one minds
1t, we are so happy ON the glass rail
road
i can never describe the horror with
which those words inspired me.
What is the name Of the glass rail.
Toad1' | asked.
The person whom ! asked, replied in
the same strain:
1t 10 very easy to get into the cars
but very hard TO get out. For. once in
these cars, every body is delighted with
the soft, gliding motion. The cars move
gently. Yes, this is a railroad of ha bit,
and with glass wheels we are whirled
over glass railroad towards fathom
less abyss. In a few moments we'll be
there, and they'll bring our bodies and
put them in cofins as warning 10
others; but nobody will mind it, will
IheyH'
i was choaked with horror. strug.
gled 10 breathe-made frantic efforts to
leap from the cars, and in the struggle
awoke. know i. was only q dream,
and yet, whenever think Of it, can
zee that long train OF cars move gently
over the glass railroad. can see cars
far head. as they are turning the bend
OF the road. can see the dead in :heiI
cofiins, clear and distinct, on either side
Of the road, while the laughing aud sing
ing Of the gay and happy passenges re
sound in my ears, only see the cold
faces of the dead. with their CLASSY eyes
upliiied, and their frozen hands upon
their shrouds.
ut was, indeed. q horrible dream. A
long trnin of glass cars. gliding over q
glass railway, feighted with youth;
beauty and music, while on either hand
stretched victims of yssterdOy-gliding
over the railroad Of habit, towards the
abyss.
There was a moral in that dream
Reader, are you addicted to any sin
ful habit' Break it off ere you dash
nuainRt the rncks I;nn,.J