Part 25 (1/2)

In 1867, ”A cattle train on the Luxehts back, between Libramont and Poix by the snow The brakesman was sent forward for aid to clear the line, and while the guard, fireetting the snow froine they were alarmed by wolves, of which there were five, and which were attracted, no doubt, by the scent of the oxen and sheep cooped up in railed-in carriages The ine The wolves re keenly on The engine-driver let off the steam and blew the whistle, and lanterns aved to and fro, but the savage brutes did not move The uard's carriage Three got in safe; whilst the fourth was on the step one of the ani his coat They all thenkilled by a blow on the head Two hours elapsed before assistance arrived, and during that time the wolves et in None of the cattle were injured”

ARTEMUS WARD'S SUGGESTION

”I was once,” he remarks, ”on a slow California train, and I went to the conductor and suggested that the cowketcher was on the wrong end of the train; for I said, 'You will never overtake a cow, you know; but if you'd put it on the other end it ht be useful, for now there's nothin' on earth to hinder a cow froht in and bitin' the folks!”

COACH VERSUS RAILWAY ACCIDENTS

A coachoes over and spills you in the road there you are; but if you are blown up by an engine, where are you?”

BAVARIAN GUARDS AND BAVARIAN BEER

”In England,” says Mr Wilberforce, ”the guard is content to be the servant of the train; in Gerers

'When is the train going on?' asked an Englishuard 'Whenever I choose,' was the answer To judge from the delays the trains uard had uncontrolled power of causing stoppages You see hi with the station-es have been shut up, and at last, when the topics of conversation are exhausted, he gives a condescending whistle to the engine-driver Tiers Bavarians always go to the station half-an-hour before the train is due, and their indifference to delay is so well known that the directors can put on their time book 'As the tiuaranteed, the travellers must be there twenty-five minutes beforehand'” Mr

Wilberforce should not have omitted to mention the main cause of these delays, which appears at the same time to constitute the final cause of a Bavarian's existence-Beer Guards and passengers alike require alcoholic refreshment at least at every other station At Culmbach, the fountain of the choicest variety of Bavarian beer, the practice had risen to such a head that, as we found last suovernment had been forced to interfere To prevent trains fro if there was beer to drink at Culmbach was obviously impossible The teer allowed to be sold at that fated railway station, by reason of its being so superlatively excellent

-_Saturday Review_, 1864

THE RAILWAY SWITCH-TENDER AND HIS CHILD

On one of the railroads in Prussia, a few years ago, a switch-tender was just taking his place, in order to turn a co in a contrary direction Just at thishis head, he discerned his little son playing on the track of the advancing engine

What could he do? Thought was quick at such ato his child and rescue him, but he could not do this and turn the switch in tiht be lost