Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1873-10-11
THE GLASS RAILROAD.
lhere was moral i'm that dream.-Baro
A ORGAN.

1here was moral in that dream.-Bard
"lt seemed to me-" said the bard,
"as though l had been suddenly aroused
from my slumbers. I looked around
and found myself in the centre of gay
and happy crowd. The first sensation
experienced was that of being borne
along with a peculiar gentle motion-I
Looked around and found that / was in
long train of cars, that were going owe,
railway. 1 could see that train far a
head; it was turning bend IN the rail.
way, and seemed to be many miles in
length. 1t was composed of cars.
Each car opened at the top, was filled
with men and women-all happy. all
laughing, talking or singing. 1 looked
over the side ard to my astonisbment
found the railroad raj and cars were made
of glass. The glass wheels moved over
the glass rails without the least noise OF
oscillation. The soft gliding motion
produced feeling of exquisite hap.
piness: l was sohappy! It seemed tc
me as if everything was at rest with me
Il was full of peace. While I was
wondering over the circumstances. g
new sight attracted my gaze. All along
the road, on either side, within foot OF
the track, were lines of coffins, one Oh
either side OF the road, and every one
containing a corpse, dressed for burial
with its cold white face upturned to the
light. The sight filed me with un.
utterable horror. I yelled in agony
but could make no sound. The gay
party around me only redoubled theil
singing and laughter at the sight of IN,
agony, and we swept on and on, gliding
with the glass wheels over the glass rail
road every moment coming nearer and
nearer to the bend that formed an angle
with the road, farm the distance.
"Who are these?" I cried at last
pointing to the dead in the coffins by
our side.
"Ihose are persons who made this
trip before us" replied one of thos'
near INC.
"What trip?" I asked.
"Why, the trip that we are now max
ing. The trip in these GLASS cars, owe
this glass railway" was the answer.
"Why do they lie along the road eacl
one in his cotfin?"
was answered with a whisper ant
half laugh, which seemed to freeze mt
blood:
They were dashed to pieces at the
end of the road" said he whom
addressed. "You know the railroad
terminates at an abyss that is without
bottom or measure. 1t is lined with
pointed rocks. AS each car arrives al
the end, it precipitates it's passengers
into the abyss. They are dashed tc
pieces against the rocks, and theil
bodies are brought up here and placed
in collins as warning to other passen.
gers, but no one minds it, we're sc
happy on the glass railroad"
can never describe the horror with
which these words inspired me.
"What is the name of this railroad?'
I asked.
The person whom I addressed re.
piled in n low voice
''It is the railroad of Habit. It is
very easy to get into one of these cars
every body is delighted with the soft
gliding motion. The cars move on sc
gently! Yes, it is the railroad of Habit
and with glass wheels we are whirline
over the glass railroad towards the
fathomless abyss. In few moment
We'll be there, and then they'll bring
our bodies and put them in coffins as ,
warning to others, but nobody viii
mind twill they?"
l was choked with horror. strug
gled for breath-made frantic efforts tt
leap from the cars, and in the struggl,
1 awoke. knew it was only dream
and yet whenever I think of it, car
see that long line of cars moving gently
over the glass railroad. can see tn,
cars far ahead, as they are turning tn,
bend of the road. 1 see the dead il
their coffins, clear and distinct-ol
either side of the road, while th'
laughter and singing of the gay ant
happy passengers resound in my ears
I only see those cold faces of the dead
with their frozen hands upon thei
shrouds. 1t was a horrible dream.
And the bard's changing features an,
frightening eyes attested the emotion
which had been aroused by tn
memory of the dead.
1t was horrible dream. A ion!
train of cars ireighted with youth
beauty, and music, while on the othe
hand are stretched the victims Of yes
terday as timely but unheeded warn
ing.
"There's moral in that dream"
Reader! are you addicted to an.
sinful habit? Break itoff, ere you dasl
against the rocks!
V Emma Black, living in small
town in the Mississippi, saved a man
life the other day in curious way. IL
was fishing, and tumbled out of hi
boat, and being unable to swim, woul'
have perished had not the maiden, dis
covering his danger, swan, out to him
and throwing into his hands her blacl