Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1864-09-15
THE ABBEY BRIDGE.


Although it is quite possible that if the
time should ever arrive when my friends find
it necessary to prove that am incapable OF
managing my own affairs-and it may be adj
duced as strong presumptive evidence of in
SANITY must confess to a great weakness
for locomotive engines Let me strengthen
the testimony by confessing, in fact, that this
weakness extends to railways and all their
belongings.
OF course, my readers must understand that
| am in no way professionally connected with
locomotives. The wcakness-it it is a weak
ness-is not that of professional enthusiasm.
Roughly speaking, indeed, it can be reduced
TO two distinct authorizations, which L here
take the opportunity submitting to Dr.
Forbes WinsloW and the rest of them for their
consideration. First, that | have discovered
poetry where others see only the effect Of
boiling water and, second, that Smith, the
engine driver, as well as being oily, is III my
eyes encircled by halo of romance.
Shall | lin anticipation of the i JURY above
alluded toy plead any excuse + thus flying in
the face of popular opinion Shall l refer
to that perfectly legitimate type of poetic
locomotion, the British stage coach, and con-
trast it with the ferruginous machine of the
present day, which, though pregnant with
poetic associations to myself, others scarcely
ever take the trouble to look at, and which
is simply AM austerely numbered 90? Co.
ing one step further, dare bring Smith, the
driver as | see him standing upon the foot
plate of No. 90, misunderstanding to re-
move the surplus oil from his black hands
with very suspicious piece OF waste" into
contrast for one moment with the timc-hOn-
ored stage coachman-with the man who,
wearing a broad=brimmed low crowned hat,
Il huge roll of colored handkerchief about his
neck, knowingly knotted and tucked in at the
bosom. enjoys great consequence and con
sideratiOn along the road; has frequent con
ierences with the village housewives, who
look upon him as 4 man of great trust and
dependence. who, when he dsmounts, is
generally surrounded by an admiring throng
OF hostlers, stable-boys, shoe-blacks, ana
those numberless hangers that intest inns
and tayerns, and run on errandS;' and who, ac-
cordlng to the authority quote, " look up to
him as an oracle, treasure up his cant phras-
es, echo his opinion about horses and other
topics of jockey-lore, and endeavor to imi-
tate his air and carriage :"
Well, have sufficient candor to make the
comparison, and yet must be allowed to re-
assert my prejudice i'll favor OF Smith the
oily driver. The delusiOn, you see is deep
seated, and the popular idea is not my idea
After this confession, then, the reader will
more readily understand what it was that
took me night after night, when l lived at
Hindlesham, and at time, too, when all sane
people were asleep, to the Abbey Bridge, for
the Abbey Bridge carried the Great North
and Southwestern Railway over the river
Swirl, and the Great North and Southwestern
express train hurtled along this bridge every
night at 1880, or Whereabouts, and at its very
highest speed.
1t was a grand sight to witness this mid
night passage of the express. But first of all,
let me endeayor to describe the Abbey Bridge.
Not that i'll itself, it merits description, for
it was in truth very prosaic, utilitarian bridge
indeed; a mere flat table of bridge, una
dorned by parapet or battlement, unless a
narrow rim of iron, raised about foot from
the surface on each side, and Sloping towards
the outer edge, could be diguifcd by that ii.
tie, ruled by the accustomed four parallel
lines of rail, and covered as to the rest Of its
surface with Il layer of the accustomed Gin
ders.
As its situation, however, redeemed it from
being utterly contemplate, | should like to
say u word or two about that. Resting, then,
1T each extremity upon the natural rock, the
bridge itself hung above the surface OF the
water at a height of some eighty feet, and,
viewed from beneath, looked, | must confess,
but ieartully trail structure to bear the
trains safely over that seething impetuous
river for the Swirl, in this part of its course,
was impatient OF confinement. Higher up,
where it washed the haugn" land OF the ru-
ined abbey, it flowed wide and shallow, and
dalhed i'll little backwaters amongst the peb-
bles; but here it was bound in a rocky chan
mel, which brooked no delay. There was
nothing tor 1t but a headlong rush throuch
the region of those memorable rocks and the
Swirl went at it with Il Will Even here
however, the cliffs were not so stony-hearted
but that they could afford, in narrow lodges
here and there, precarious harbor for stunted
birch, and heather turts, and clumps of blue
berry and bracken, which did their best to
soften the asperities of the r rugged features
Which did their best, say. But for all that
a look down from the dizzy height of the
bridge upon the rugged, precipitous sides OF
these cruel rocks, down to where the black
current of the rivor-fecked here and there
with little bergs of foam-eddled and chafed
in its narrow channel, now driven here, now
there, by the great angular boulders, which
fallen from the parent rock, protrudeo their
Jagged points above the Stream-was no very
pleasant sight; least of all, for timid folk
who SaZed at 1t from the windows of the
Great North and Southwestern carriages
To the Hindlesham people, however it was
tavorite resort; and a much-fruquented
pathway led from the town to the bridge.
passing on its way the ruins of the abbey,
from which the letter derived its name-a
pleasant, shady pathway, now down by the
margin OF the river, now high above it, but
ever within sound of the rushing water, and
ever enliyened by the sweet companionship
of the garrulouS Swirl.
1t was where a low stone wall only divided
this path from the railway, and close upon
the eastern end of the bridge itself, that nv
WE'LL if you ike-my "eccentricity" took
me night after night to watch for the
night express. l have reason to remem-
Der the place very well. Standing there.
and facing the railway, | remember that
the line stretched away towards the left
hand for distance of some quarter of mile,
until it disappeared in gentle curve in the
wood. To the right, after crossing the Abbey
Bridge, it continued straight course to-
wards Hindlesham.
The night express being an "up train,
approached from the left, its great eyolopean
eye first Lighting up the wood as it rounded
the curve of which have spoken above. But
could feel its approach long before it reach
ed that point-feel it by some mysterious
premonitions, which should erdeavor now in