Middletown transcript., 1873-08-16

like, now showing the level aud unbroken
plain for miles upon miles. now displaying
the gigantic mountains, with their craggy
peaks reared upward until they seem to
meet aud kiss the sky, rs the clouds hold
them 10 fond embrace.
On. on, on We ,hundered. over the mar
row rails. seldom finding occasion TO stop.
but pushing forward, with an inccssant
rattle and jar, Tor the other terminus of
the iron road. We had just passed u train
that was madly dashing eastward. with its
burden Of human beings. and were about
to strike upon portion Of track which
lay in the midst Of long, level prairie.
Far ahead We could see dense column Of
smoke rising hcaycnward, as il the whole
island was on FIRE could not explain
this strange thing, but KEEP. my eye fixed
on the cloud. as ] leaned far out Of the
window, that might seq for myself wha,
was up. The conductor happening to
pass. stopped him, and called his at,en-
ton 10 the matter. After viewing the
huge pillows, as they rose one above the
other. for minute, he drew in his head,
and remarked:
- The train that had Just passed US has
evidently fred the dry prairie grass by n
spark from the locomotive Ii that
be tho case. nnd | think it 10. then We
shall have a lively time getting through
the fire. bu, 90 through it will, for I'm
bound this train shall not he the first one
on the road to fall behind time for a trilic, :"
and he went forward to speak with the en-
gineer
We reached the prairo. and found it as
the conductor had predicted, but the fire
was burning away from the track and no,
towards it Their appeared to be nothing
in the way Of our onward course, and the
locomotive jerking its pistons in aud out
Of the cylinders like lightning and grind
ing its huge drivers against the rails
which guided them in their course, kept
plunging ahead aud each moment nearing
the sea Of fire which lay To the right OF
the track Kissing aud lcapng. its
, tongues Of forkcd flame licking up every
thing which came within their reach, that
, great furnace was blazing along the road
for a distance Of two miles or more. and
making rapid advances in the direction Of
the wiud We hni all crowded 10 the
platforms of the train. eager to witness
the magnificent spectacle Every eye was
bent on the darting flames. Spreading in
three different directions. the fire was
{ some distance in front behind and to our
right, aud it seemed as il ono end of our
/, column wus running race with our eu-
CINE for /, gained on US every minute. and
: kept far in advance
i su iicnly the winl changed to iht
north, md now, ronring like n tornado,
the terrible sea of heat, aud smoke, and
fire, came rushing towards tue train, The
i ends Travelled faster than the centres
securing 10 be eager to clasp US in "A ho
: embrace. aud like a general marshallinl
IS his forces around the troop which he de
sired 10 exterminaie. SO that column o
flame now moved around us, until W
n were cneirclrd by it rs by a belt Fa
behind. il had crossed the track, and jus
e ahead of US the black rails lay in its yer,
bosom There was bat ono chance fD
escape Through it We must dash. ani
ir that quickly, else i, should deyour US il
its mad marfh.
a The engineer, fellow accustomed /
danger, ani possessed of nerves like steel
i gave a wild yell from the brazen throat .
- his iron charger. threw everything wid
open. nul waved his hat from the ca
ie window mt us III the ears, as We darte
like lightning towards the enemy whic
a lay IN our path. The drivers spun roun
with the speed Of the wind aud ll,r yer
r earth itself trenbled beneath the tread {
.. our giant as i, spnrncd the rails with il
iron reel, aud swept forward on its why
m One moment aud We we're in the yer
midst Of the Grc The ties were burnin
= ferccly. bright tongues Of flame shot Ii
all around u.s. aud kissed each other oy,
the tops Of our car. rnd the red hot raj
= bent under the weight Of the train as
sped onward through the gauntlet of fir
1t was indeed fearful moment Ey
at nv door aud window was closed, to kee
is out the dcyouring element, yet the atmo
is, phere Of the coaches was as hot as the a
ed Of Ilades. and the glass windows shiycr,
re By the excessive heat. kept cracking n,
he adding to the iumult.
of If rail should break. or bend /,
of much, all would be over. Our lives We
x worth little at that moment, and few Ii
insurance agents would have granted US
Ia policy on any consideration.
ed This terrible state Of affairs could n
,se last long One Of two things must ha
,ly pen VIC would either soon be safely thr
IS. the fames-or stopping in their midst
he devoured by them in their 6erco pl
10, around us.
lie The yarnish in the coaches was mclin
on tho woodwork Of the sides. tops and b,
,rd toms of tho cars, was almost hot enouJ
a to ignite. and already the outsides We
led smoking. when We suddenly emerged in
at pure, cool air, beyond the belt Of fl
ct, Hastily doors and windows were thro'
for open, though many hands were blister
Ia the operation. and 10 rushed out aga
red on the platforms to get some chance
he breathing without inhaling the fumes
rry boiling yarnish and smoking wood T