Richland beacon., 1879-12-20
A STRANGE STORY.
IAN Extract ftom Anna Dcknson's Ragged RegstsI"1
Did tell them of queer people and

IAN Extract nom Anna DickinsOns Ragged R.gstsi"1
Did l tell them of queer people and
strange experiences?
Yes, indeed, did /.
Can recall them now!
No-yes. One l remember, BECAUSE
It was the most inexplicable aflair that
ever befell memo, did not befall-but
that has ever come to me secondhand,
almost as good as new"
l found myself one day at certain
town with no connection" till six
o'clock in the afternOon-a train that
might make sixteen miles an hour, with
ninety-six miles to get over. Due on
the platform at 7:30 o'clock That
wouldn't do. So, of course. l had to
have Especial"
Place and time-Central Iowa, some
time ago. Country just fiat plain, not
the rolling prairie land lying further
west; no towns few villages, fenceless,
treeless; a speck of sanything easily
seen afar had any speck existed.
Even the ties were without incident.
One after another, one after another, all
alike-same length, striking family re-
7vsiphlaHes vipqhb sa macR 1SacR as ditch tie SIDE
to break the monotony.
Nothing of interest without, so 1
turned my eyes to inspect what might
be found within. They are generally
wide open when they are to look at ma
chimes or machinists.
/ have travelled behind engines and on
them by hundreds, and have walked
about and questioned and gazed and ex-
amined them thoroughly, but always
with fresh wonder and admiration.
Strong as Titans; simple, complicated {;
helpful, mercileSs; beautiful yet terri
bic.
wondering what manner of world this
will be when some one learns how to
utilize, not one hundred, or fifty, but
even fifteen per cent. of steam.
As to their manipuhtors, fools do not
abound among them. a man needs
brains and logic to be good machinist
I like to watch a first-class one listen to
an argument on subject with which he
NAV be ever so unfamiliar. He sect
flaws, and shows where the screws are
loose, and the sequence is broken, and
the point overlooked or bunglngly made
better, half the time, than the combat
ants, though they be no mean ones.
If man knows machine, he know,
how to argue from cause to effect, steI
by step Of the way, and isn't easily
"bamboozled," and there's precious lit
tie "nonsense" about him.
My engineer was one of the right sort
A clear-eyed, intelligent, wide-awak
Young fellow from New England-th
last nan in the world you would suspec
of drink or either superstitious film
6ams.
He was explaining to me some of tn
mechanism, when, with his right ham
on the lever, be suddenly paused, threV
himself half out of the little window
razed q moment up the track, ther
turning his head, with his. left han
thrust up before it as though shuttin
cut some awful vision. drove on.
There was no mistaking the attitud
: nd its meaning.
"You have run over some ono here,
said /.
2 "Yes-no-I don't know" he al
sWered. go
His firemen seemed to notice neithe
: action nor answer. / gazed at both wit
S amazement akin to horror. Am rusi
= ing through space forty miles an hor
}. in the keeping of madmen~ though
e !. "Let us see."
"You don't knoww
. "I don't wonder you look, said n
"and ask, too. Will you kindly obile
|. me by telling me if you saw anything Q
), to the right?'' .. .,
!, "Nothing," said I, "but open plain.
"Ner ahead of usg'
"Ndhing but level track"
Is "N@ behind us? Did you lookT'
n "Ye, looked back. There was not
. ing bu, track and plain"
!. II knew it," said he; "knew 1T just
Is we'll before I asked as afterwards, b'
r. couldn't help asking. Don't you thir
: that's queerT'
Il think you are troubled. That
,r more to the purpose. Do you mind n
,. asking what has troubled you?"
"Do I mind? Didn't want to Il
, you, and see what you can make out
l. itF' and he drew his hand over his fol
: head and across his clear eyes as thou!
'r it were q nightmare that threatened
unmake him. "It beats me-"