The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-06-22
For the Eagle.
a TRIP OVER THE GREAT ROCK
ISLAND ROUTE.

Out OF the city with swinging bell
On wheel-wing flies the train;
Ringing Chicago gay farewell,
Then of for the western plain.
Silvery ribbons of level track
Lead to the south and west;
Lingering smoke-lines, low and olack,
Follow the engines quest
Threading the winding river way.
Edging the CLASSY lake;
Pictures OF changing green and gray.
Out of the landscape break.
Swimming thro' oceans OF sheeny grass.
A-waving in summer sun;
Cleaving the golden bllowy mass
Of the grain fields one by one.
In tiny parlors of glass and gold,
You are safe from dust and din;
And the softest of couches siIken fold
Is holding you snugly in.
TITS little palace of perfect plan
And marvel of comfort and ease;
Blessings upon the wonderful man
Who built such cars as these!
1T touch of bell are servants feet.
With delicate viands and wine;
Out bottle and corkscrew dare not meet
TIL you cross the Iowa line.
Rushing into the heart OF the globe,
Thro miles of sun-lit lands;
And skirting the Peerless Princess robe,
Shine the railroads silver bands.
land the Peerless Princess of the west.
Her fame shall be spread afar;
For here is builded the EAGLES nest,
And the BIRD is her lucky star9
Measuring miles with the sun-shaft lance,
And over the prairies spread;
Crossing the deserts wide expanse,
Where the sand and heat are wed
And out of its barren arid white.
a broken emerald lift,
Richly laden with shadow and light
Rises meath gray cloud shift.
Over the track of the morning mist,
With speed of a sea CULTS wings.
The engine flies and whistles its cries,
Into Colorado Springs.
Suddenly out of the heat and glare,
While the fevered brain yet whirlS
Into burst of keen cool air.
Which down from the mountain curls-
Into a country strangely cold,
Upward and upward we wind;
Into the splendors OF rocky hold.
And majesty underlined.
Tunnels through mountains of solid stone,
Curves around precipice ledge;
Gliding DER gulchss where ivy has grown,
And trails over frightful edge.
Up and over the fretting and gush
OF the snow-born brooklet's track,
Which is hinder'd Oft in downward rush,
BY leaps over boulder back
And II you seek for eternal youth,
And would all of its charms renew
Believe me, I'm speaking only truth
Drink the waters at Manftou-
Towers, and urns, and frail arcades,
Nature has set on high;
Tapering shafts and coionuades
CLEAN in the lustrous sky.
Reaching up to the sun-dawn's gate,
Into the wreath of cloud:
Silently hooking the winds OF fate.
Sullenly cold, and proud.
Through the untrOd canon's royal court,
With their wild vines green festoOn,
The cataracts dance in widest sport
To the time OF their own gay tune.
In the shadowy cool OF velvet glade,
The maid and elf-naid dwells-
The midst of their paradise is Cascade.
With its musical falls and dellS-
Wedeed in the sky is the solemn pile,
Where the clouds sft down their snow;
Glist'ning DER many a sun-schorched mile
OF the landscape far below.
But all of the summers luxury
Nestles at Green Mountain Falls;
Where the pines and rills in ecstacy
Murmur their echOing calls.
We see from the grassy Mountain Pass
The far away snowy line
OF mountain range in dazzling mass.
Frozen, majestic, sublime!