The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1885-05-22

Among the mountains the snow tails
with increasing speed as the 6ariy
darkness steals on. The track OF the
<. I. & z. Hallway IS visible only III
occasional p!sees Y here The wind hes
swept it bare. only to pile The drifts
higher at some other point.
'sTle riIls th=t al tie autumn time
Went singing to She sea,
Are waiting IN thor icy chains
Ior spring to set tec'n free.''
Everything is siieut except fer the
wind, now stghing as "the white
winged fairies faLtering everywhere,
here and there, make sudden mingling
as they falt;" and new rearing with
tempestuous fury as if to voice the
anger Of the angry north wind.
It is several hours after nights
curtains have been dropped that a
faint light, like a star, appears thr'
the narrow defile of the mountain
pass, ard at the opposite end.
Slowly, nearer and nearer 1t comes
to the heart ofthe mountains, cloud
Of snow rising from before it and
enve!oping it in a white mist. 1t is
the mail train referred to by the postmas-
ter at Victory in his conversation
with old Ben Halliday. Many Il
night has it struggled with the elo-
ments and a snow covered path, but
the engineer declares to himself that
never before have they contended
against so fearful odds.
Slower and slower the engine crawls
on, straining and groanmg, covered
with the snow as with q garment.
fighting her way through drifts high
er than her smoke stack, scattering
them to right and left. The head :
light burns brightly, but the air,
thick with fine flying snow, is 50 dense
that its raYs penetrate bat few feet
in front Of her. The engineer, with
one hand on the throttle, peers forth
anxionsly into tie darkness
you've never failed me yet my
beauty gays he. "1,his is a tough
ore, but I guess you'll pull through #
nothing breaks. Keep Up the fire
thsre, he says TO the fireman.
eff our steam fails God only knows
,vhat'J bocor1o of MS. -
lie glanced at the steam guage.
"By George" he exclaimed.
"1Ye've hardly water enough to take
us down to the janctien in fair wealth.
!. er. Tm afraid We can't make it"
But he resolves to do.hIs best, gives
a scientific touch here and there to
tie mysterious screws, and the engine
putting Ike a live thing, crawls along
the blind path.
Inside the passenger-car a few
sleepy travellers doze away the time.
Now and then one scrapes away the
frost from the window panes, trles tc
look forth into the black night, and
settles back into his seat grumbling
at the road. or the brave men who are
trying to do their best to get through.
The temperature has been sinking all
day. and since da1k the cold is intense
The passengers huddle near the red
hot stoves. but only a few feet frjm
them tie cold drafts from the doors
and windows pour in and it IS inn
possible TO keep warm Row and
then one drops out and vdnishes into
the poorly patronizad sleeper which
I IS ATTACHED at the rear; or seeks the
smoking ear ahead IN searchIof the
comfort to be found in the fumes Of
tobacco. An old lady nervously in
auircs Of the conductor or brakeman,
whenever they pass through the car,
how far It is to the next station, ana
how late the train Vii 5c; while her
husband snoozes comfortably il the
seat opposite. \ baby, evidently
concluding that fo-bearance has ceas-
Ell to be virtae, lifts up its tiny
voice AMI weep-; not good hearty
fit OF crying either does it indulge in,
such as the passengers could all sym
/ plthize with, but weak, miserable
vail that rasps ones nerves and leads
everybody to remark under their
breath lhat if they had baby it
should always stay at home.
A tall shaobily dressed man, vino
has been walking up and down ibe
i aisle seeking whom liz might engage
in conversation, pulls out his watch
and iaforas The passengers near him
that It Is ten o'clock and the train j.
now more than three hours late. II
he lad the running of the train be