Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-09-19

va @ that was in long
train of cars, which
were gliding over railway, and seem.
ed to be many miles in length. It was
composed of many cars, every car open
at the top, and filled with men and
women, oil gayly dressed, all happy,
eli laughing, talking, and singing.
The peculiar, gentle motion Of the cars
interested me. There was no grating
such as we hear on a railroad. They
moved on without the least iar OF
sound. This. I say, interested me. ]
looked over the side, and, to nv as.
constituent, found the railroad and
cars made of glass. The glass wheels
moved over the glass rails without the
least noise or oscillation. The soft,
gliding motion produced feeling Of
exquisite happiness. I was happy! 1t
seemed as if everything was at rest
within. I was full of peace.
While I was wondering over this
circumstance a new sight attracted
my gaze. All along the road, on either
side, within foot of the track, were
laid long lines of collins, one on either
side Of the railroad, and every one
contained corpse dressed for burial,
with its cold, white face turned up
ward to the light. The sight filled me
with horror; I yelled in agony, but
could make no sound. The gay throng
who were around me only redoubled
their singing and laughter at the sight
Of my agony, and we swept on, gliding
with glass wheels over the glass rail-
road, every moment coming nearer to
the bend of the road, which formed an
angle with the road far, far in the dis
lance.
"Who are those?" I cried at last.
pointing to the dead in their cofins.
"These are the persons who made
the trip before us, was the reply Of
one of the gayest persons near me.
what trip?" 1 asked.
"Why, the trip we are now making
the trip on these glass cars over this
glass railway" was the answer.
"Why do they lie along the road,
each one in his coffin ?"
was answered with a whisper and q
half laugh which froze my blood: "They
were dashed to death at the end of the
railroad, said the person whom adj
dressed. "You know the railroad termi-
mates at an abyss which is without bot
tom or measure. It is lined with pointed
rocks. AS each car arrives at the end,
it precipitates its passengers into the
abyss. They are dashed to pieces
against the rocks, and their bodies are
brought here and placed in the coffins
as warning to other passengers, but
no one minds it, we are so happy on
the glass railroad"
can never describe the horror with
which those words inspired me. "What
is the name of the glass railroad?"
asked.
The person whom I addressed re-
piled in the same strain:
1T is very easy to get into the cars,
but very hard to get out. For, once
in these cars, everybody is delighted
with the soft, gliding motion, the
cars move so gently. Yes, this is q
railroad Of habit, and with glass
wheels we are whirled over glass
railroad toward fathomless abyss.
In few moments we'll be there, and
then they'll bring our bodies and put
them in collins as warning to others.
but nobody will mind it, will they?"
1 was choked with horror. I strug-
gled to breathe, made frantic efforts to
leap from the cars, and in the struggle
awoke. I know it was only dream,
but whenever think of it, I can see
the long train of cars move gently over
the glass railroad. I can see cars far
ahead, as they are turning the bend of
the road; [ can see the dead in their
collins, clear and distinct, on either
side of the road, while the laughing
and singing of the gay and happy
passengers resound in my ears. 1 only
see these cold faces of the dead, with
their CLASSY eyes uplifted, and their
frozen hands upon their shrouds.
"It was horrible dream!"
It was, indeed, horrible dream. A
long train Of glass cars, gliding over q
glass railway, freighted with youth,
beauty, and music, while on every hand
are stretched victims of yesterday
gliding over the railway Of habit
toward the fathomless abyss. "There
was a moral in that dream" Reader,
are you addicted to any sinful habit?
Break it off ere you dash against the
rocks
Making Moss of 1t.
Speaking of literal obedience" OBJ
served Judge Huxley. of Denver, Il
once had bailiff in my court who
would bow in that respect to no one.
Expecting one afternoon that my wife
would call on me in my chamber to
sign some papers, I instructed my