Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-08-24

waveriny glare Somewhere about the
middle Of the tunnel another train passed
US, spinning by in a long undulating
streak Of light. with pale clouds OF steam
dimly visible.
The roar and rattle raised by our
passage was deafenlng, yet shrill above
IL all rose the reverberant scream OF the
whistle. which the driver continually
blew. Once the fireman flung open the
furnace doors to stoke. and 1 was
startled by the sudden and unexpected
rush of effulgence from the white hot
glow within, in the yellow haze of which
the sooty arched walls OF the tunnel
leapt out plain 10 view. glistenng with
wet, and the carriages behind us doomed
up In gigantic proportions as they rushed
under the rounded. STOPPING roof. on
we swept in thunder through the dark
some cavern. Evans yelled some words
in my ear, but what they were / could
not catch. l pretty we'll guessed at
what he had said. however, by taking
notice through the tornado-like sounds
OF the deep and heavy painting of the
engine, making me think OF the labored
respiration of an asthmatic giant. We
had passed the middle OF the tunnel. and
were ascending the bank at the other
end OF 1t.
Looking through the glass I'm the cab
which obscured II, l could dmly per
ceive a tiny far-oT point OF Hight shin
Ing like Il star through the impenetra-
bic gloom. For a long while IL appear
ed TO hover quite stationary; then It ap-
peared TO slowly but surely approach.
enlarging and gaining In brightness; a
kind Of slckly green faintness came
stealing into the blackness, and a mo-
ment later the engine, putting like a
creature nearly spent with its exer-
lions, emerged into the daylight again.
with the driver holding his watch in his
hand and shouting out to me, with a
triumphant expression, Seven minutes
and half"
The frequent shovelling has made
great inroads into our supply OF coal by
this time, and IL is about half gone. Oc-
casionally the fireman puts the long
hooked poker betwixt the fire-doors and
adroitly plies It: | notice that he does
not stir the flaming mass about. but al
ways draws 1t towards him. Inquiring
the reason of this. ! am Informed that
It is impossible TO maintain steam I'm
locomotive unless the corners OF the fire
box are. kept free, and that the most ef
fective results are produced by heaping
the furnace into a glowing cone in the
centre of the CRATE. SO that even the
apparently simple TASK OF hlOhlflB
qures knowledge and experience.
We slip through West Drayton. and
already the sky is beginning to wear
that indescribable sallow appearance
which betokens that we are nearing
London, whilst the clear, frosty atmos-
phere takes faint tinge the damper so
as to draw down some OF the ardor Of
the glowing mass, for the heat OF the
furnace Is 80 prodigious that lind IT i'm
possible to look straight into the open
ing Yet, Notwithstanding this, We whirl
through Southall and Hanwel at speed
which renders II quite impossible TO de-
cipher the names upon the station
boards. 1t is down hill now all tho rest
OF the way 10 Paddington-a very gem
tie gradient. It is true-and the drop OF
the pressure-gauge from 10 pounds 10
1870 pounds on the square inch makes no
appreciable difference in our velocity. by
this time am in deplorabie condition
OF CRIME and oiliness and beginning to
experience slight singing sensation In
the ears from the ceaselesS modulated
roar OF the train. And yet the interval
since we steamed out OF Newport station,
nearly three hours ago, seems 10 nave
gone amazingly fast, which Is no doubt
due to the novelty OF all have seen.
AS we glide through the crescent
shaped station OF Westbourne PARK the
vacuum brake begins to squeak ana
grind against the tires. The backs OF
the houses. with their dlngy windows, !
feebly catching the pale watery sunshine
which struggles through the yellowish
haze. look uncommonly squalid after the
freshness OF the leagues OF open land-
scape across which we have been wnirl-
ing; but then London houses always look
soualid from the railway.
The wide span of Paddington station
opens before us, and we run smoothly
in. and as the splendid locomotive comes
10 a standstill the driver points trium-
phantly up at the hands OF the pig
clock. which indicate twelve minutes
past !.
"Three minutes ahead OF time, SIR ne
oxclaims 81 know what they always
cav when they see the Courier arrive
Here comes that little Welshman again
before he IL duep Are you gong Dach
with us? We shall be working the 900
EXPRESS down to Bristol" ,r
HERBERT Russell.