The Day came slow till Five o'clock — Day-car

The Day came slow－till Five o'clock－¹
Then sprang before the Hills
Like Hindered Rubies－or the Light
A Sudden Musket－spills－

The Purple could not keep the East－⁵
The Sunrise shook abroad
Like Breadths of Topaz－packed a Night－
The Lady just unrolled－

The Happy Winds－their Timbrels took－⁹
The Birds－in docile Rows
Arranged themselves around their Prince
The Wind－is Prince of Those－

The Orchard sparkled like a Jew－¹³
How mighty 'twas－to be
A Guest in this stupendous place－
The Parlor－of the Day－

(F.572/J.304)

[1] Day:: day-car (OED n. 24).
[3, 4] Rubies, Light, Musket:: a description of the chimney of a locomotive.
[9] Winds, Timbrels:: puffs of steam and sounds from the train.
[10] Birds, Rows:: wonderful people sit in row of seats.
[15, 16] Guest, Parlor, Day:: a luxurious day-car.

The poisoned air from the locomotives would kill birds as they flew over them, and render the preservation of pheasants and foxes no longer possible. Householders adjoining the projected line were told that their houses would be burnt up by the fire thrown from the engine chimneys, while the air around would be polluted by clouds of smoke. There would not be any use for horses; and if railways extended, the species would become extinguished, and oats and hay unsaleable commodities. Travelling by road would be rendered highly dangerous, and country inns would be ruined. Boilers would burst, and blow passengers to atoms. ─ The Westminster Review (1862)

It seems a luxurious day-car, with looking-glasses, marble wash-stands, etc., at either end: when, 'Presto, change!'－and in less than five minutes the whole is converted into luxurious couches; separable into private apartments, or apartments for ladies whenever desired. In the way of a sleeping-car, it seems perfection itself. Its decorations are so handsome, that it seems a pity to devote them to a railroad; ─ The Knickerbocker: or, New-York Monthly Magazine (1860)