34 APRIL AWAKENING. 



keynote which generates, as it were, the music of 

 the month's jubilee. How heartily and exultantly 

 the trumpet notes are thrown down to us, as the 

 winged trains go sweeping by! Our eyes and 

 ears are now on the alert, and we would have the 

 latest news from the South, by the air-line. 

 Hark ! did we hear a faint mellow honk from 

 somewhere out of the southern sky.' Yes, the 

 arrow-headed elevated express is surSly approach- 

 ing. That peculiar baritone call from the engi- 

 neer, ahead, and the response of the tenor voices 

 in the rear, are unmistakable. Straight on they 

 come, as if by an aerial track, a laughing vocifer- 

 ous troop of passengers indeed. We half expect 

 the papers, from Vera Cruz or New Orleans, will 

 be thrown down to us. "Halloo!" they call, 

 " have you studied your geography .' How far off 

 are the great lakes, the Labradors and the New- 

 foundland coasts .' Ha ! ha ! honk, honk ! " 



As the train moves down the curve, we listen 

 to the melodious babbling, as we would listen to 

 the dulcet strains of a retreating band, till, the 

 last muffled note steals on the ear, and the pleas- 

 ant murmurings of the jovial, hopeful crew are 

 silenced by the distance. 



So April's melody, the sweet prelude to the 

 concert of the year, is heard. The constant sun 

 is the performer. With his magic rays, he 

 touches deftly the minor keys, from which issue 



