While a boy at one instrument is thus occupied in transmitting to--say
Liverpool, a message, written by its London author in ink which is
scarcely dry, another boy at the adjoining instrument is, by the reverse
of the process, attentively reading the quivering movements of the
needles of his dial, which, by a sort of St. Vitus's dance, are rapidly
spelling to him a message, _via_ the wires of the South Western Railway,
say from Gosport, which word by word he repeats aloud to an assistant,
who, seated by his side, writes it down (he receives it about as fast as
his attendant can conveniently write it); on a sheet of; paper, which,
as soon as the message is concluded, descends to the "booking-office."
When inscribed in due form, it is without delay despatched to its
destination, by messenger, cab, or express, according to order.
SIR F.B. HEAD.
[Illustration: WORKING THE ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.]
* * * * *
THE RAINBOW.
How glorious is thy girdle cast
O'er mountain, tower, and town,
Or mirror'd in the ocean vast--
A thousand fathoms down!
As fresh in yon horizon dark,
As young thy beauties seem,
As when the eagle from the ark
First sported in thy beam.
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