Page:The Diothas, or, A far look ahead (IA diothasorfarlook01macn).pdf/32

 accelerating its speed, soon reached the hinder ear of the train before it. Beneath the platforms of the cars were powerful electro-magnets, which could be made to act, either as buffers or couplers. As soon as connection was formed, most of the passengers in our car rose, and passed into the forward cars; while others passed from those into the hind-car. As we approached the next station, this hind most car detached itself, lingered behind, and ran into the siding to discharge passengers; while, at the same time, a car that had been filling up at the station began. to move, and presently joined on to the train, as ours had done before. By this system of taking up and discharging passengers, the train once started from the terminus did not need to halt or slacken speed till it reached the end of its route.

Presently, as we drew near the upper terminus, and rose preparatory to leaving the ear, my friend, in a few courteous words, introduced me to the fair maiden that had so highly excited my interest. This introduction he had thus far omitted,—as it seemed to me,—that, being under no necessity of joining in the conversation, I might the more freely make my observations.

She was introduced under the name of Reva Diotha; I, as Ismar Thiusen. This name, which I did not recognize at the time as having any similitude to that I had hitherto borne, was really its legitimate descendant, according to the same law of phonetic change that had transformed my friend's name to Utis Estai. In accordance with the simple though courteous manners of the period, no prefixes or titles of any kind were in use, each person being addressed in society by his or her first name