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y at the same time； to inquire at the Metropolitan station in Boston for a lost shawl which had been left in a certain Brookline car； the gentlemanly official told me that he did not know where that car was； he had not heard of it for several days。 This again reminded me of 〃The Lost Palace。〃 Why should not one palace； more or less； go astray； when there are thousands to care for？ Indeed had not Mr。 Firth told me； at the Albany； that the worst difficulty in the administration of a strong railway is； that they cannot call their freight…cars home？ They go astray on the line of some weaker sister； which finds it convenient to use them till they begin to show a need for paint or repairs。 If freight…cars disappear； why not palaces？ So the story seems to me of more worth； and I put it upon paper。
It was on my second visit to Melbourne that I heard it。 It was late at night； in the coffee…room of the Auckland Arms； rather an indifferent third…class house； in a by…street in that city； to which； in truth； I should not have gone had my finances been on a better scale than they were。 I laid down； at last； an old New York 〃Herald；〃 which the captain of the 〃Osprey〃 had given me that morning； and which； in the hope of home…news； I had read and read again to the last syllable of the 〃Personals。〃 I put down the paper as one always puts down an American paper in a foreign land； saying to myself； 〃Happy is that nation whose history is unwritten。〃 At that moment Sir Roger Tichborne； who had been talking with an intelligent…looking American on the other side of the table； stretched his giant form； and said he believed he would play a game of billiards before he went to bed。 He left us alone； and the American crossed the room； and addressed me。
〃You are from Massachusetts； are you not？〃 said he。 I said I had lived in that State。
〃Good State to come from；〃 said he。 〃I was there myself for three or four months；four months and ten days precisely。 Did not like it very well； did not like it。 At least I liked it well enough： my wife did not like it； she could not get acquainted。〃
〃Does she get acquainted here？〃 said I； acting on a principle which I learned from Scipio Africanus at the Latin School； and so carrying the war into the enemy's regions promptly。 That is to say； I saw I must talk with this man； and I preferred to have him talk of his own concerns rather than of mine。
〃O sir； I lost her；I lost her ten years ago！ Lived in New Altoona then。 I married this woman the next autumn； in Vandalia。 Yes； Mrs。 Joslyn is very well satisfied here。 She sees a good deal of society； and enjoys very good health。〃
I said that most people did who were fortunate enough to have it to enjoy。 But Mr。 Joslyn did not understand this bitter sarcasm； far less resent it。 He went on； with sufficient volubility； to give to me his impressions of the colony；of the advantages it would derive from declaring its independence； and then from annexing itself to the United States。 At the end of one of his periods； goaded again to say something； I asked why he left his own country for a 〃colony；〃 if he so greatly preferred the independent order of government。
Mr。 Joslyn looked round somewhat carefully； shut the door of the room in which we were now alone；and were likely； at that hour of the night； to be alone；and answered my question at length； as the reader will see。
〃Did you ever hear of the lost palace？〃 said he a little anxiously。
I said； no； that； with every year or two； I heard that Mr。 Layard had found a palace at Nineveh； but that I had never heard of one's being lost。
〃They don't tell of it； sir。 Sometimes I think they do not know themselves。 Does not that seem possible？〃 And the poor man repeated this question with such eagerness； that； in spite of my anger at being bored by him； my heart really warmed toward him。 〃I really think they do not know。 I have never seen one word in the papers about it。 Now； they would have put something in the papers；do you not think they would？ If they knew it themselves； they would。〃
〃Knew what？〃 said I； really startled out of my determination to snub him。
〃Knew where the palace is；knew how it was lost。〃
By this time； of course； I supposed he was crazy。 But a minute more dispelled that notion； and I beg the reader to relieve his mind from it。 This man knew perfectly well what he was talking about； and never； in the whole narration； showed any symptom of mania；a matter on which I affect to speak with the intelligence of the 〃experts〃 indeed。
After a little of this fencing with each other； in which he satisfied himself that my ignorance was not affected； he took a sudden resolution； as if it were a relief to him to tell me the whole story。
〃It was years on years ago；〃 said he。 〃It was when they first had palaces。〃
Still thinking of Nimrod's palace and Priam's； I said that must have been a great while ago。
〃Yes； indeed；〃 said he。 〃You would not call them palaces now； since you have seen Pullman's and Wagner's。 But we called them palaces then。 So many looking… glasses； you know； and tapestry carpets and gold spit… boxes。 Ours was the first line that run palaces。〃
I asked myself； mentally； of what metal were the spit…boxes in Semiramis's palace； but I said nothing。
〃Our line was the first line that had them。 We were running our lightning express on the ‘Great Alleghanian。' We were in opposition to everybody； made close connections； served supper on board； and our passengers only were sure of the night…boat at St。 Louis。 Those were the days of river…boats； you know。 We introduced the palace feature on the railroad； and very successful it was。 I was an engineer。 I had a first…rate character； and the best wages of any man on the line。 Never put me on a dirt…dragger or a lazy freight loafer； I tell you。 No； sir！ I ran the expresses； and nothing else； and lay off two days in the week； besides。 I don't think I should have thought of it but for Todhunter； who was my palace conductor。〃
Again this IT； which bad appeared so mysteriously in what the man said before。 I asked no question； but listened； really interested now； in the hope I should find out what IT was； and this the reader will learn。 He went on； in a hurried way：
〃Todhunter was my palace conductor。 One night he was full； and his palace was hot； and smelled bad of whale… oil。 We did not burn petroleum then。 Well； it was a splendid full moon in August； and we were coming down grade； making up the time we had lost at the Brentford junction。 Seventy miles an hour she ran if she ran one。 Todhunter had brought his cigar out on the tender； and was sitting by me。 Good Lord！ it seems like last week。
〃Todhunter says to me； ‘Joslyn；' says he； ‘what's the use of crooking all round these valleys； when it would be so easy to go across？' You see； we were just beginning to crook round； so as to make that long bend there is at Chamoguin； but right across the valley we could see the stern lights of Fisher's train： it was not more than half a mile away； but we should run eleven miles before we came there。〃
I knew what Mr。 Joslyn meant。 To cross the mountain ranges by rail； the engineers are obliged to wi