The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1859-09-03
Riding OH a Co owcatcher.

an excursion over the Baltimore ana Ohio
railroad Mr.. Willis gives an amusing
accout of a ride upon cowcatchcr. lie
says: ...
awe had reached Afar.insburg, on our
return-retracibg in sixteen hours the
four days route of exploration, aud OF
course travelling at full railroad speed
when our kind officiul entertainer, Pres.
colt Smith, pointing to the front of the
engine, asked if | would like to ride there.
The thought delighted me, of course,
and took my seat at once on the sort of
grid ron wedge, i'll front of the locomotive,
built for throwing on the right or left
any number of stray cattle on the track
With the sun intensely bright, and the
thermometer al, day at ninety four dc,
srccs, my black iron seat was not the
coolest, and the glowing admiration Of
the Martinsburg boys, who gathered
around in the few minutes that Isat alone
on the cowcatcher, in front of the sultry
sta,lon,h house, made its promise at first,
to be to warm an experience. Presently
however, l was joined by another of our
charming party, to whom my example
had provcdtcmpting; aud, with Prescott
Smith cue side of me, and Thompson,
lot the Southern Litcrayy,) on the other,
felt little more reconciled to the risky
possibility-tha. Of being wiped off with
my two brother authors, by any cor that
should cnn.Ler the track, or, in other
words, served to fate in literary sand
wlch with forced cor cun,Jers.'
Well-the iron stced gave his accus-
toned snort, (Which it takes pretty good
ear r-drums to enj oy as you sit directly un
der his explosive Diaphragm and off be-
can to rattle the forcioot we bcstrided -
Behind g'ided the streets of Mar,iasLurg,
aud the hot air along with them---tor to
our exquisite delight, it grew cool enough
IN the second and third mute. Smoke,
cinders, and second. d.kaud atmosphere
were all famed to therear With the ac-
celerated speed, the rush of air was strife
of unseen carcsses, myriad of soft lin-
gers stroking back the hair upon ones
temples, and pulling gently at the corners
of the beard, like the shampooing by the
daus hters of Eolus--(a little imaginative,
perhaps, but remember there were three
authors Gu the cowcatcher , while the
handkerchief with which | had cndeay-
ored to blow my nose was 80 forced up my
nostrlls as to make me sneeze. The
slccpers, or braces across thc rail track,
Mt first separate aud distinct, became con
fused in to a solid plank. Cow after COW
came in sight and in the next instant had a
narrow escape Of our rather bc-cxcused
hosols-pg after pig i,leI2 --idea, tiocks
OF sheep, grazing horses, drunkcn men
aud Irish children. What a gauntlet of
accidents runs q common COW catcher, to
be sure
But, TO be thus telccraphcd in ones
hat and boots, strangely removes some of
ones early prejudices. The way we jump,
cd ponds~-popped across rivers and cleft
open hiIs-shot into caverns and under
and spun away on the other
side as if nothing had happened--skirt |
cd precipices and rounded bluffs-al at
the same pace, and with no manner of re-
cogniton of mortal mans common hin.
utaict aud oosLacic. why IL mounted
to flight of fancy 1t was thought |
travel-shost fittins-angel's errand-
going (or rather adams Express" be /
fore fall)--a realization, in fact, of two /.
Of my e,rly questions IN an early poem. |
Are ye thought rapid Can ye hy as far,
As instant a. thought'
TO which any rider On the COW catcher
Of the baltimore and Ohio" would ans
wer, "Yes sir ce.''