The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1867-10-10
The Glass Railroad.

II seemed TO me as though had been
suddenly aroused from my slumbsrs. /
looked around and found mvself in the
centre Of a gay crowd. The frat sensa-
,ior experienced Was that Of being
borne along with q peculiar, gentle mot
ton. looked around and found I was
IN long trait Of cara, which were gliding
over n railroad many miles in ierg,h. II
was composed Of many cara. Every car
opened at tie top, Was filed with men
and women all Rsily dressed, all happy,
all laughing. talking and singing. The
peculiar. gentle motion of the cara inter.
ested ma There WA no grating. such 40
We hear on a railroad. This. I say inter.
ested me. looked over the side, and To
my as'onishment found the railroad and
cars were msds Of giass. The glass
wheel. moved over the glass rails with
on, the least noise Of oscillation. The
soft. gliding motion produced a feeling Of
exquisite hsppine. I was hsppyl 1t
seemed ~ IL every'hine ~as a, res, with
in-i, ~as full Of peace.
While Va, wondering over this cir.
cnmst1ace. n new sight attracted my p~xe.
All along the rnsd, sther side, within
foot 81 the track. were laid louy line. Of
e"ffins and every one con,a ained a corpse,
dressed for burial, with ita cold white face
turned upward to the light. The sigh.
filled me with horror. ! yelled in agony,
hut could make no sound. The pav
,hrong who were around me onlv redoub
led their .ongs and laughter at the sight
Of nv agonv and We swept on. gliding
with elass wheels over the glass railroad.
sve'v moment nearer TO the bend OF the
road. far, f.r in the dis,ance.
"Who are thoss I" c'i.d at last, p int.
ING To lha dead in their c"fiia..
"Thass are the oersons ~ho made the
trip before u.," "a. the reply Of the gay.
eat persons near me.
"Whst tripf 7 asksd. ...-'.. ....
"Whv the trip Va are now takine---,he
trip On this glass railway" WIS the an.
aver. '' 81" '..
"Whv do thew la .long the road, each
one in bis coffin I I was ans~ered with
. -huper end half laugh which frozs
nv blood ...-.
'They we're dashed to death at the end
Of the railroad" the person whom !
addressed "You know the railroad ter,
inmates At an ahyss. which ia ~ithout bo.
tom or measure. Il Ia lined With pointed
r"cks. As each car arrives st the end Il
p'scipi,stes il. passengers into the ahvss.
Thew are dashed to p;eces agains, the
rocks and their bodies are then brought
hero and placed in the coffins As warn.
ing to other pssssnge's, hu. M one minds
II. -s are 40 happy on the slass railroad.
| can never describe the horror With
shich these -"'ds in.p''sd ma. 49,.
| "Whst IA the name Of the glass rail
road I" I asked. ....r.. ..... ...
The person whom addressed replied
J." tho same arsin: ...
ct i verv easy 10 get into the cars.
hut verv hard TO Rat on' for ones in
these cars sserp one % delighted With the
soh gliding motion. THE ea,s tnove gent
ly. Yes. This is ssiIrnad of HABIT, and
~ith elss wheels ~e are ~hirled over a
gsss railroad tn a f.thom'ess shy-s. In
= fa~ momens Nail bs there, and thevW
bring our bodies and pm, them iecooffins
- . warning to Others. bot noSodv " III
mind V, will thevf" -'..."..'.' -' f. ..
| I ~as shocked -itb horror. I s,rus
gied 10 breathe. and made frantic effo,,s
IN leap f'om The cara. and in the s,rug
gle swoka. knew IL -ss only adresm,
and YET. ~hsnevsr ] think Of IL. ! can see
that long train Of cars move gently over
the glass railroad. I can see, cars far
shesd ~ thev are tuning the bend OF
the road lean ace the deal in thsiv cof
fins, clear and disdact Ion either side Of
the road. While the 'nnehing and sing.
ing Of the CAV and b.ppy passenger 70
sound ia my cara, ! oaiy zee those eold
faces on the dssd. with their gls@y eyes
up'ifed. and their frozen hands upon
their white shrouds.
ut wss horrible dvesm.n -r#
And the Bs'd's changing features and
b'ishteoing eye Anested the emotion
which h-d been sroused BY The very
memory Of ths, dream. Ia s..
u ~as indeed . horrible dream. A
long train Of glass can. gliding over
RI"ss railroad. ireieh,sd 9th youth, bean
~ and mpsic. vhiIs on sitbsr hand srs