The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1859-09-14
RIDING ON A cowcATcHER.

N p Willis and others recently made an
excursion over the Baltimore and Ohio rail-
road Mr.. Willis gives an amusing account
of ride upon cowcatcher. He says
"We had reached Martinsburg, on our re-
turn-retracing in sixteen hours the four days
route of exploration, and of course travelling
at full railroad speed-when our kind official
entertainer, Prescott Smith, spointing to the
front of the engine, asked if I would like to
ride there. The thought delighted me, of
course, and took my seat at once on the sort
of gridiron wedge, in front of the locomotive
built for throwing to the right or left any num-
Der of stray cattle on the traek. With the
sun intensely bright, and the thermometer all
day at ninety-four degrees, my black iron seat
was not the coolest, and the glowing admira-
tion of the Martinsburg boys, who gathered
around in the few minutes that I.sat alone on
the cowcatcher, in front of the sultry station
house, made its promise at first to be too warm
an experience Presently, however, was
joined by another of our charming party, to
whom my example had proved tempting; and,
with Prescott Smith on onesside of me, and
Thompson, (of the Southern Literary, on the
other, 1 felt little more Ieconciled to the
risky possibility-that of being wiped off with
cumJer the track, or, in otherwords, served up
to fate in literary sandwich with forced cow
cumbers.' r 81 @
Well-the iron steed gaveIhis accustomed
snort, (Which it takes pretty good ear-drums
to enjoy as you sit directly under his explosive
diaphragm) and off began to rattle the fore
foot we bestrided Behind glided the streets
and people of Martinsburg, and the hot-air
along with them-for to our exquisite delight,
it grew cool enough in the second and third
minute. Smoke, cinders, and secondhand at
mosphere were all famed the rear. With
the accelerated speed, the rush of air was
strife of unseen caresses, myriad OF soft fin
gers stroking back the hair upon ones temples,
and pulling gently at the corners of ones
beard, like the shampooning by the daughters
of Eolus-(a little imaginative, perhaps, but
remember there were three authors on the
cow-catcher!) while the handkerchief with
which L endeavored to blow my nose was SO
forced up my nostrils as to make me sneeze-
The 'sleepers' or braces across the rail track,
at first separate and distinct, confused in to
solid plank. Cow after COW came in sight
and in the next instant had narrow escape
of our rather be-excusad bosoms-pig after
pig, sdena-iaena 6ocks of sheep, grazing horses,
drunken men and Irish children. What
gauntlet of accidents runs a common cow
catcher, to be sure!
But, to be thus telegraphed in ones hat and
boots, strangely removes same of ones early
prejudices. The way we jumped chasms and
skinned ponds-popped across rivers and cleft
open hills-shet into cayernsssEd under noun
tains, and spun away on-t he@etaes si7e-as If
nothing bad -happened-skirted precipices and
ropnded blufs-all at the same pace, and with
no manner of recognition of mortal mans
common hindrance and obstacles Why it
amounted to flight of fancyY 1t was thought
travel-ghost fitting-angePs GRAND going
Cor rather s'Adams Express" before fall)-a
realization, in fact, of two of my own once i'm
aginative questions, in an early poem:
Are you thought rapid? Can ye fly as far
As instant thought?
To which any rider on the cow-catcher of the
Baltimore and Ohio would answer, eyes
sir-eep'