PERSEVERE AND PROSPER. each line of rail: this rope was made of twisted wires, of sufficient length to reach double the whole distance; each end of this rope was attached to an immensely large drum or wheel, round which it was wound by the motion given to the drum by steam power, so that when that motion was put into action it of course unwound the rope from the wheel at the other end, and in so doing the train of carriages, which were hooked to the rope, were drawn along the line to their destination. Do you under- stand me, Arthur ?” “T think I do, uncle,” replied his nephew, “but do you know the reason why the rope was discontinued, and locomotive engines used instead ?” “‘T can tell you that, also,” said his uncle. “The rope often broke, or got out of repair, so that interruptions and delays frequently took place. ‘To prevent this, particularly as the traffic along the line began to increase, the Railway Company found themselves compelled to alter the mode of traction, that 42