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rightvelvetycrimsonhue,andbytheirweightagainbentdownandbrokethetenderlimbs. AsIsitatmywindowthissummerafternoon,hawksarecirclingaboutmyclearingthetantivyofwildpigeons,flyingbytwosandthreesathwartmyview,orperchingrestlessonthewhite-pineboughsbehindmyhouse,givesavoicetotheairafishhawkdimplestheglassysurfaceofthepondandbringsupafishaminkstealsoutofthemarshbeforemydoorandseizesafrogbytheshorethesedgeisbendingundertheweightofthereed-birdsflittinghitherandthitherandforthelasthalfhourIhaveheardtherattleofrailroadcars,nowdyingawayandthenrevivinglikethebeatofapartridge,conveyingtravellersfromBostontothecountry.ForIdidnotlivesooutoftheworldasthatboywho,asIhear,wasputouttoafarmerintheeastpartofthetown,buterelongranawayandcamehomeagain,quitedownattheheelandhomesick.Hehadneverseensuchadullandout-of-the-wayplacethefolkswereallgoneoffwhy,youcouldn’tevenhearthewhistle!IdoubtifthereissuchaplaceinMassachusettsnow:— “Intruth,ourvillagehasbecomeabutt Foroneofthosefleetrailroadshafts,ando’er Ourpeacefulplainitssoothingsoundis—Concord.” TheFitchburgRailroadtouchesthepondaboutahundredrodssouthofwhereIdwell.Iusuallygotothevillagealongitscauseway,andam,asitwere,relatedtosocietybythislink.Themenonthefreighttrains,whogooverthewholelengthoftheroad,bowtomeastoanoldacquaintance,theypassmesooften,andapparentlytheytakemeforanemployeeandsoIam.Itoowouldfainbeatrack-repairersomewhereintheorbitoftheearth. Thewhistleofthelocomotivepenetratesmywoodssummerandwinter,soundinglikethescreamofahawksailingoversomefarmer’syard,informingmethatmanyrestlesscitymerchantsarearrivingwithinthecircleofthetown,oradventurouscountrytradersfromtheotherside.Astheycomeunderonehorizon,theyshouttheirwarningtogetoffthetracktotheother,heardsometimesthroughthecirclesoftwotowns.Herecomeyourgroceries,countryyourrations,countrymen!Noristhereanymansoindependentonhisfarmthathecansaythemnay.Andhere’syourpayforthem!screamsthecountryman’swhistletimberlikelongbatteringramsgoingtwentymilesanhouragainstthecity’swalls,andchairsenoughtoseatallthewearyandheavyladenthatdwellwithinthem.Withsuchhugeandlumberingcivilitythecountryhandsachairtothecity.AlltheIndianhuckleberryhillsarestripped,allthecranberrymeadowsarerakedintothecity.Upcomesthecotton,downgoesthewovenclothupcomesthesilk,downgoesthewoollenupcomethebooks,butdowngoesthewitthatwritesthem. WhenImeettheenginewithitstrainofcarsmovingoffwithplanetarymotion,—or,rather,likeacomet,forthebeholderknowsnotifwiththatvelocityandwiththatdirectionitwilleverrevisitthissystem,sinceitsorbitdoesnotlooklikeareturningcurve,—withitssteamcloudlikeabannerstreamingbehindingoldenandsilverwreaths,likemanyadownycloudwhichIhaveseen,highintheheavens,unfoldingitsmassestothelight,—asifthistravellingdemigod,thiscloud-compeller,woulderelongtakethesunsetskyfortheliveryofhistrainwhenIheartheironhorsemakethehillsechowithhissnortlikethunder,shakingtheearthwithhisfeet,andbreathingfireandsmokefromhisnostrils,(whatkindofwingedhorseorfierydragontheywillputintothenewMythologyIdon’tknow),itseemsasiftheearthhadgotaracenowworthytoinhabitit.Ifallwereasitseems,andmenmadetheelementstheirservantsfornobleends!Ifthecloudthathangsovertheengineweretheperspirationofheroicdeeds,orasbeneficentasthatwhichfloatsoverthefarmer’sfields,thentheelementsandNatureherselfwouldcheerfullyaccompanymenontheirerrandsandbetheirescort. IwatchthepassageofthemorningcarswiththesamefeelingthatIdotherisingofthesun,whichishardlymoreregular.Theirtrainofcloudsstretchingfarbehindandrisinghigherandhigher,goingtoheavenwhilethecarsaregoingtoBoston,concealsthesunforaminuteandcastsmydistantfieldintotheshade,acelestialtrainbesidewhichthepettytrainofcarswhichhugstheearthisbutthebarbofthespear.Thestableroftheironhorsewasupearlythiswintermorningbythelightofthestarsamidthemountains,tofodderandharnesshissteed.Fire,too,wasawakenedthusearlytoputthevitalheatinhimandgethimoff.Iftheenterprisewereasinnocentasitisearly!Ifthesnowliesdeep,theystraponhissnow-shoes,andwiththegiantplow,plowafurrowfromthemountainstotheseaboard,inwhichthecars,likeafollowingdrill-barrow,sprinklealltherestlessmenandfloatingmerchandiseinthecountryforseed.Alldaythefire-steedfliesoverthecountry,stoppingonlythathismastermayrest,andIamawakenedbyhistrampanddefiantsnortatmidnight,wheninsomeremotegleninthewoodshefrontstheelementsincasediniceandsnowandhewillreachhisstallonlywiththemorningstar,tostartoncemoreonhistravelswithoutrestorslumber.Orperchance,atevening,Ihearhiminhisstableblowingoffthesuperfluousenergyoftheday,thathemaycalmhisnervesandcoolhisliverandbrainforafewhoursofironslumber.Iftheenterprisewereasheroicandcommandingasitisprotractedandunwearied! Farthroughunfrequentedwoodsontheconfinesoftowns,whereonceonlythehunterpenetratedbyday,inthedarkestnightdartthesebrightsaloonswithouttheknowledgeoftheirinhabitantsthismomentstoppingatsomebrilliantstation-houseintownorcity,whereasocialcrowdisgathered,thenextintheDismalSwamp,scaringtheowlandfox.Thestartingsandarrivalsofthecarsarenowtheepochsinthevillageday.Theygoandcomewithsuchregularityandprecision,andtheirwhistlecanbeheardsofar,thatthefarmerssettheirclocksbythem,andthusonewellconductedinstitutionregulatesawholecountry.Havenotmenimprovedsomewhatinpunctualitysincetherailroadwasinvented?Dotheynottalkandth