UP THE LINE.
Through blinding storm and clouds of night,
We swiftly pushed
our restless flight;
With thundering hoof and warning neigh,
We urged our steed upon his way
Up the line.
Afar the lofty head-light gleamed;
Afar the whistle shrieked
and screamed;
And glistening bright, and rising high,
Our
flakes of fire bestrewed the sky,
Up the line.
Adown the long, complaining track,
Our wheels a message hurried
back;
And quivering through the rails ahead,
Went news of
our resistless tread,
Up the line.
The trees gave back our din and shout,
And flung their shadow
arms about;
And shivering in their coats of gray,
They
heard us roaring far away,
Up the line.
The wailing storm came on apace,
And dashed its tears into our
fade;
But steadily still we pierced it through,
And cut
the sweeping wind in two,
Up the line.
A rattling rush across the ridge,
A thunder-peal beneath the
bridge;
And valley and hill and sober plain
Re-echoed our
triumphant strain,
Up the line.
And when the Eastern streaks of gray
Bespoke the dawn of coming
day,
We halted our steed, his journey o'er,
And urged his
giant form no more,
Up the line.