New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-07-07

selves of a pleasure which lasts until the
time comes round to go back again.
Late experiments in Italy, beside those
made by Palmieri, the man who sat quietly
and noted the eruption of Vesuvius while
the lava boiled around him with no more
tremor in his limbs than a cook who stands
by and watches the soup boil until it gets
done, these late observations prove that
the soil has much to do with the climate,
or, rather, with the atmosphere. Thus,
highlands and rolling lands do not always
create that feeling of exhilaration impossi-
BILE to describe, because the soil, be it high
or low, that is all clay and powdered loan,
diffuses the same languid feeling of the
flats about New Orleans-the air may be
purer, but the soil is dweIt upon by the
same atmosphere as at New Orleans, and
one finds no change. But just as sooHRs
POnchatoula is struck by the train every
passenger feels he has got into different
kind of air from that which shrOuds New
Orleans and all the coast as high up as
Vicksburg. 1t is only few feet higher at
this point, so. the change is not in the
height, and as the train goes on through
the valley of the Amite and strikes the val
ley of the sefpentine Tangipahoa, the indie
Unable dullness which creeps over the most
energetic in New Orleans drops away from
him; new tingle is in his blood; new
ring in his ears new spirit in his soul.
The change is in the soil; the iron tinetured,
gravelly, rocky, sandy soil; in the trees,
which, are, beside, pine, oak, maple, beech,
ash; in the wild flowers, which. are as
abundant as at an horticultural garden;
and drink of the pure spring water CRATE
ful in the essences of mother earth, nature
distilled and fragrant, seems not only to
slake the thirst, but convey a new energy
in every crystal drop.
There is no sight of greater depth than
the view of a train dashing through gorge
of darkness, upon which it flashes a short
and fitful CLEAN, and then disappearing, fol
lowed by tempest of echoes which break
upon the shore of hills that skirt the valley
of the Tangipahoa And as the locomotive
speeds away, while the procession of tele-
graph poles marches stately by, baggage
wagon conversation takes various shapes,
and anecdotes of good engineers and con-
ductors pass away the time.
One instance of this kind was where a
jack, kept for breeding purposes, had been
run over, and bill of $500 being sent to
cover expenses of death, produced an in
vestigation.
Did you see him p asked the superin-
tendent of the engineer, testify.
81 did, SIR" replied the engineer, with
great unwillingness to say more lest be
might commit himself
What did you do p
"He was nibblin' bit of Bermooda grass
upon the track; it was in them days when
the road was sodded with that stuff. /
bowed short, like / always blows for cat
lie. The jack lifts his head as he might
say what do you want I'd like to know, and
instead of getting out of the way, ran right
5oward me in the middle of the track.
lidn't look for this. l downed brakes, but
t was too late, and the jack was hYsted"
'Why you suppose he ran toward your
II don't know; 1 s'pOse he must have
hought l was a whistling to give him corn |
did you see him after he was tumbled n |
Aye, he lifted his head and tipped me
he wink as we went by"
The jacks eyes had been filed with sand
y his tumble, and be was trying his best
Q see. This accounts for the winking.
The new conductors are all thorough |
BUSINESS men, and alive to the aecommoda- |
ion of the travelling public.
One of the former conductors name was
indy, wiry looking man, firm in his pur-
'ose and of great skill. His brother Billy"
vas a baggage master of the same train,
nd ''wentOut" with Andy, and of course
is habitual position was in the baggage
7agon. Andy, who could tell what portion
the road he was on by the sound Of the
7heels, and who had often stopped the
rain and looked out for danger ahead sim
ly by the peculiar clatter of the trucks.
ad gone to sleep for few minutes on the
light In question, many years ago, but, i'm
elled by strange feeling got up, shook
imself, and walked back in the smoking
ar. The train had reached a bridge be.
Ond Summit. Alarmed by the warning
lake of the trucks, Andy reached for tie
ell rope. 1t was too late. The locomotive
lunged down through the broken bridge,
nd'gOt mashed up in moment with the
aggage wagon and all its contents, and in
antaneOusly both began to shoulder in
cam and smoke and the furnace fire of the
lgine. Soon as he recovered himself Andy
lshed out. He heard the moan and stiftd
)ice OF his brother, who was buried be. |
cath tbe.expTess chest and heavy baggage,
I'D who cried out aloud for help. ANDY
lzed hold of the car and tried with all his |
rength to lift it, his brother CRYING
oud for haste, but it was too much for her
rength, and he let it down, the weight
ushing his brother in the ruins more thsn
7er Again he laid hold of it's bulk and
earned with all his powers, while his fail
g strength rOared and shrieked in his
nging ears like whooping devils. He
rained again, and was obliged to let it 90.
liking down with its ton weight on his
other still deeper than before. There was !
It one more chance for his life. The /
adOw of death hung around his brother.
d his last account was near. Brave as !
e buried man was, his means of agony
ire terrible. ANDY" said he, and the 4
ice sounded like groan from the tomb. q
you let it down on me again goodby." :
do let it down on you again, Billy, d
Piled Andy, I'm go with you" With that 5
gave one superhuman effort and the vast
light of over nine hundred pounds Welded