The Argosy, June 1904 — page 41: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE SONG OF THE TRAIN. hurriedly making their exit with cash boxes and bundles of documents. There Was an exodus te jitg-time gomg on in the Blank Building. Above it all, a certain man, his face convulsed with anger, shouted at the crowd that there was no danger—no tire. Hawkins shrank as his eyes fell upon this personage. “Lord! That’s one of the owners he said. “Tm going!” We, too, made for the door, and had almost attained it when a heavy hand fell upon the shoulder of Hawkins. * Youre the man I’m looking for!” said the hard, angry tones of the pro- prietor. “You come back with me! IYve know what vou’ve done? Hey? 1 9 O27 D’ye know that you’ve ruined that ele- vator shaft? D’ye know that a thou- sand-pound casting drepped on our roof and smashed it and wrecked two offices? Oh, you won’t slip out lke that.” He tightened his grip on Haw- kins’ shoulder. settling to do with me, Mr. Hawkins. And I want that man who was with you, too, for - That meant me! A swirl of steam en- veloping my person, I disappeared. For my only course had seemed to fold my tents like the Arabs and as silently steal away; only I am certain that no Arab ever did it with greater expedition and less ostentation than I used on that particular occasion. THE SONG OF THE TRAIN. A MONSTER taught To come to hand Amain, As swift as thought Across the land, The train. The song it sings Has an iron sound ; Its iron wings Like wheels go round ; Crash under bridges, Flash over ridges, And vault the downs ; The road is straight— Nor stile, nor gate ; For milestones—towns ! O’er bosky dens, By marsh and mead, Forest and fens, Embodied speed Is clanked and hurled ; O’er rivers and runnels And into the earth, And out again In death and birth That know no pain, For the whole world round Is a warren of railway tunnels. Hark ! Hark! Hark! It screams and cleaves the dark ; And the subterranean night Is gilt with smoky light, Then out again apace It runs its thundering race, The monster taught To come to hand Amain, That swift as thought Speeds through the land, The train. PRODUCED BY UNZ.ORG GOMmlGooOo John Davidson. “You've got a little SS CO ELECTRONIC REPRODUCTION PROHIBITED ee ee