In Rhenish halls I hear the pilgrim lover Weave his wild story to the wailing strings, Till the young maiden’s eyes are brimming over,

Like the sweet cup she brings.

eae ane ed ‘“He’s ne’er the same man, sir, since Mary Sl sanLie, cpoliietionep; Sone liks “Reuben of aavete te: yee DASE YS: LYPSRAURS. on on this line,” struck in the superintendant. sir; and, although not a breath of wind was stirring, a ing by us back ? hardly withstand, appeared to be tearing And twilight comes with dewy, downcast eyes, have plenty of hands, 1 suppose 2” y dented speed, and I was too well acquainted ; dy to come back to} not unprece word this morning that he was rea ceive any signal half a mile off. Until my trembling soul, o’erswept with pleasure, |, dial; “if you do not start me in five minutes, I|for us to per y g ey worked with the mechanism, as Old Homer’s song, in mighty undulations, But before the five minutes were elapsed, the tardy|of the levers as they ing with hi he stoker leant against the Go answering down again :— round the lower part of his face, and the brass-bound|shufiling with his feet. T g ibuti illiant lamp, which hung ona hook And Tasso’s sweeping round through Palestine, the clammy pallor of hischeeks. Attributing these ap-|very large and bril P, g ' fis any attention, although it was visible enough, the rest-| On, on, on!—mile after mile, and station after station! ’ 5S ing! : e might be alread And like a lark, hear glorious Chaucer singing to face, and then began, in an odd, fidgety manner, to|expanses of wild; open country!) We mig y : | was too eager for the start to attend to them. speak, and shouting the words into Westhorpe’s ear. I can tell you that you shan’t long be one of the em- The engine driver looked quickly from one to the i ‘ ! More steam, more steam !— As their impetuous mountain runnels riot what, and mechanically got upon the engine. “ Coke, Jeffries, coke m, ‘'tion—do you hear, Mr. Westhorpe ?—and the one o’-/life!—steam—steam! thistle; and through; “Coke—coke!” shouted Westhorpe. “By the hes- W hile delicate, as from a silver censer, ‘look out; don’t spare the whistle; and go easy g i j

a the glare from the furnace and the lighter gleam from —_ ied the policeman. ; the green slopes of cuttings; the red-hot died so suddenly,” replied -drivers|realis along the gre P ngs; the. “Ob, bother! we can’t allow a cinders from the chimney went sparkling aloft into the oy if this , & OF THE BARDS. “But why don’t you let me have eee if You|hurricane, cold and piercing, such as the eye could When the sweet day in silence hath departed, Mr. Westhorpe of yours is not fit for his : pe ; have/into the lonesome nig The glowing spirits of the mighty-hearted “Why yes, sir; but the fact is, that our wet sont| So far all was well) We wete going ata great, but 7 Fike date around me rise. been a good deal worked lately, and as Westhorpe ac r , ith railway travelling to feel nervous. I knew the Spirits whose voices pour an endless measure, day, we made our arrangements accordingly.’ aaa ee ai and the night was quite bright enough “Exhaustless as the founts of glory are ; rae even o'clock past,” I replied, glancing a : zn | tood fidgeting away wit remedy} Meanwhile, Westhorpe s 'Throbs like a flooded star. countermand the engine, and will have my own y ae costar. ites Sociwardeand Sruetie tee headles by law.” ivi ld increase their speed. He was never Comes surging, seapeien, Sp the oblivious inant — engine-man made his appearance. goo ae stl . thr and kept continually stamping and I hear the rivers from succeeding nations, in a shaggy pea jacket,a handkerchief w , , ; i i it struck me, in an alarme i mn over his forehead, but}rails, clutching them, as i irgil” i trolling eS a as ae aa , f his eyes, and anxious manner. I could observe this by the light of a Hear Virgil’s stream in changeful currents strolling, [ could observe the bright hollow glare o i ing indispositi ich tells the height of the water And Dante’s deep and solemn river rolling pearances, however, to mere passing indisposition, 1 mew ee which g Through groves of midengah, pape. took no particular notice of them, nor did I remark with|in the bouer. he i . ing ; be:|On by dark clumps of trees—and past the lights of vil- | heay the iron Norsesmaste nawatess Spaing less, nervous state in which the man appeared to t iin Z bal ‘wine teak: ai Through frozen Norway, like ¢ hereld's horn; his hand trembled, he glanced quickly round from face |lages and solitary farm ho g, in E d’ in his jacke - renty-five to thirty miles on our journey. Away in England’s morn. utton a button in his jacket. These ap-|from twen ¥ miles : : cidinay saat have alarmed me at another time, but} “Tartarus goes bravely,” said I, making an effort to i s, and listened for the “I say, Westhorpe,” exclaimed the superintendent, | os stoker came up close to us, “if this is the way you choose to treat your employers, reply. : ’ ‘other of us, his eye glared like a wild beast’s, and then Tm ills souls unquiet loyed, my fine fellow.” . | Ah abi P eee endine , The engine-man muttered something, I know not he suddenly exclaimed to his fellow-labourer, ouring : é £ | ! In the long rainy days: “You shut the three o’clock train at Bramsby sta-'the gentleman must have more steam! Never mind n the long ri ya:— ( ill wait for, Iw i Jeffries, as I found al ly Cross: they will wait for, I was startled by this burst, so was Je . ‘The world-wide Shakspeare--the imperial Spenser, ‘clock goods-train at Thornly Cross: the} ; | s start ; ‘Whose fae Teas o’ertop the ae aes “ you in the sidings. And, I say, mind you keep a sharp the stoker was called. He hesitated : | ions.’ ven above us there, do your duty, or over you go on the “loat the swe ‘Keats! | the stations.” iven al ; Se a oe “Oh, Vil look after all that,” I exclaimed, nodding to rails!”

rT}

Phest are the Bards who, like our forests, tower, [the superintendent as I clambered -upon the be Firm in their strength as are the mountain wees! ,“ You know I’m an old railway bird. Good night. e | were content could I but be a flower 'shan’t let the grass grow under our. wheels. Come, — >. Up at the feet of these! 'Mr. Westhorpe, go ahead, and let’s have a taste of the, a )quality of the ‘Tartarus’”” = ; | ‘Phe engine-man touched his cap, pulled one lever NIGHTMARE ON THE RAILS. | down, thrust another back, the driving wheel stirred,slid vielently round a dozen of times without advancing, and “Is my special ergine ready ?” _ |then “biting,” according to the technical expression,we “In a moment, sir; the engine-man will be here di-| moved along the platform, the superintendent following rectly. What speed do you wish?” us snd reiterating instructions to the driver.

* At least a mile a minute.” .,| The Joud, panting “ chee—chee—chee” of the engine “ Very good, sir; the line is perfectly clear, and With rapidly grew quicker, and we rolled along the outskirts ouly one light carriage it can be easily done.” of the station—by policemen with bundles of red and

* T shal] not want even that; I have all my despatch-! white flags, and porters leaning upon switch handles :, es ready in my pocket, and shall go upon the engine!” and, with trivial jolts from one interlacing line of rails “You will hardly have eyes left in your head if you to another, grazing long, motionless lines of massive do, sit. Better have a first-class carriage put to.” first-class carriages and arrays of coarse trucks ; and “ Never fear; I am tolerably accustomed to that Sort by the opening of sheds, from whence the livid gleams of thing. Never blink an eye in the longest of your of furnaces and the ring of hammering, gleamed and tunnels.” ‘rattled; and by hissing, shrieking pilot engines, now “Very well, sir; you know best. ’Tis your train, and motionless, the hot cinders dropping all glowingly be- of course you may either ride on the engine or in a car-' neath them, anon crawling backwards and forwards as) riage, as you please.” [engines at railway stations always do, as if they had

“The engine, then; and pray be smart ; every mo-) something on their minds and could not rest peaceably, ment spent here is lost.”

And then came the loud, tearing rush, with which we|

I stood during the foregoing conversation-upon the|few under bridges; the whistle and the dismal shriek, | platform of an extensive railway station ina large toWN | and the smothering blast of steam and damp rushing| in the north of England. My interlocutor was the resi-! air as we tore through a short tunnel, and soon we were | dent superintendant. J was the bearer of despatches of fairly upon our way in the open country, the lights and| great importance for a London morning newspaper, and| high chimneys of the great manufacturing town spark- somewhat more than three hours was the utmost Space| ling and towering behind, and before us the fields,’ ‘time I could affurd to shoot over the 200 miles of rail| stretching away on either side from the long line of waich separated me from the office in the Strand. rails, end just losing their distinctness in the rising It was a pleasant summer evening, and the rich radi-| evening mist. ance of the setting sun streamed through the skylights| “On, Mr. Westhorpe! crack on! A good supper, | of the huge iron roof, and sparkled among the web ofjand a better bottle of wine for you, When we get to 8 of}town !”

iaterlaced bars and bolts which stretched, in vista angles and lozenges, and all manner of mathematica] “Thank ye, sir!” said the man, but-without looking | iizures beneath it—the metallic rafters of the terminus.| into my face; 2nd then turning away, he began to grope Ona the half-dozen rails which divided the two platforms | ¢- something in the matting on which he stood, mutter- ay, 43 usual, long strings of first and second-class car- ing all the while to himself. There was something las . sie ota ld . . . 3 3 : 5 : . > > riages, in the process of being furbished up by a lazy | odd, indescribable, in the man’s manner; andI observed gang of corduroy-clad porters. On the lest line of rails that the stoker looked at him with evident uneasiness, stood my special engine, bright and brazen, and shriek-| and addressed him not a word.

‘ as it shot ite enir: Jone oh : ane } . . . : mg ee + ne ~— ‘eset of rushing, whistling; All this while the speed of the engine was rapidly sveam upwards oe . rass cone, which appeared lO/increasing. The clattering of the opening and shutting sot e@ oh: nev i a , ' i . a “halfedo 2d ae ae | valves, as they alternately let on and cut off the steam, oOone hall-doze "SV i r fae « ; ; ocelot porters, policemen, and newer enders} crew faster and faster, till they rattled like the continu- of the “ special, Treasy-loot 33 nil — 4 \ —. aoe i onan Wielis Ante foe oe ae of soiled fustian,'by in a long dusky line, which might have been shrubs, bout a ~~ aller the manner of his tribe, listlessly | of the engine grew to bea quick, swinging jolt. The rudzing the f.eaming metal with a handful of ONY rags.| white poles which supported the wires of the electric | "sae wy rety - Ty tor 2. a seal : : “ ” = . ° . e ss Y mcaae Y ay mention. + rowing ; telegraph flew by as though defiling in rapid procession: “baice UpWards, 1 Saw thatthe sun no loncer lichte: eo i he Teeial tein sre dll eek a f me oa : 7. bridges loomed a moment before us like dark stripes tusks creat clavesine. et OE AE carling ‘Oe sky, and then, with a steam shriek and a , s Wines ¢ a be she tate with Westt oo: ...).-. |Dound, were left behind. On!—along high embank- ’ { t Cc luc O 4 2$ roe 2’ €xciaim- bes ? ; : = . wi hike had ae | i re osolaim-| ments—down with a sweep between deep cuttings— i she tae he deen hie daaie RG hhere, if} nest stations witli their neat waiting-rooms, and hich tuail’s tae way he does his duty. sional poles. 2 sy , . “arr S “{ have samt two porters after him” eai3 |Signal poies, and railed platforms! On, on! Milestone oe SSO Porers ater him,” ec after milestone flew by: The steam morster seemed oe _tustinct with life. It bounded like a mad thing on the

; aic & police- % ie : irauis; tae ;

“ie couplings of the tender creaked and strained;

i

man; “he reported himself fit fur duty this mornia “Wait! He has been ill?” said 7.

-

The man still lingered with the spade in his hand. Westhorpe kicked open the furnace door. I heard the roar of the fierce fire above the howl of what appeared to be the tornado we were stemming,

I interposed.

“I think we're getting over the ground very well,” I faltered.

Jeffries made a motica, as much as to say, “There, you see |”

“You don’t want to go quicker 2” said Westhorpe,

‘speaking low and very fast.

I shook my herd. “Well, 1 do!” roared the excited man. “ Coke, Jef-

fries, coke !”

And he struck the stoker a violent blow with his clenched fist. For a moment I stood stupified. { would have given all the world to be left safe and sound on the dreariest spot of the dreary common we were pass- ing. Jeffries, without a word, took up the spade, and threw the black masses into the fire, which crackled and roared again. By its glare, as he stooped, I saw that, under its raask of smut, his face was deadly pale.

And still on, on! The engine appeared to fly. The quarter-mile-stones seemed to shoot by as quickly as did the telegraph poles a quarter of an hour ago, and the sway was terrific.

“ Music !” shouted Westhorpe, “music! We'll have music! Here’s my boiling water organ!”

And as he spoke, he set on the steam-whistle: its scream went throughand through my brain. The stoker looked at me. I saw he was trying to catch my eye, and the expression of his face was one of consternation and horror. All at once the horrible whistle ceased.

“Tt might give warning,” Westhorpe muttered; “and besides, it’s wasting the steam.”

I shuddered. Suddenly the driver turned from the engine, and stepping t~ the tender, gazed long and anx- lously back. Jeffries took advantage of the motion,

and clutched me by the arm.

“ Hush!” he said, breathlessly.

“What is the matter with the man 2” I said.

“Hush! He is mad, I thought so these two days.”

Mad! I felt the cold sweat break out at every pore.

mile a minute with a mad driver! My flesh crept, and I got sick and faint.

“We must master him between us,” gasped Jeffries.

“We can,’ I said: “itis our only chance. Come on!” The words were hardly uttered ere Westhorpe sprung —bounded round.

“I heard you!” he shouted; “I did! ‘Freachery. treachery '—two to one! But, come, come, come!” ~

There was a moment's pause: not one of the three stirred. Then I saw Jeffries’ hand gliding towards a heavy hammer which lay close to him. The maniac. for such he was, glared from one to the other of us. | could not fix his eye, but I felt that he watched my every movement. I gasped for breath. Jeffries’ hand was close to the hammer, when, with a yell which rung high into the air amid the thunder of our onward pace, Westhorpe flung himself upon the stoker. He had ob- served his maneuvre to gain possession of the hammer.

“You would, would you?” the madman growled ont

between his clenched tecth—* then take it” He flung