# The Birth of the Rail explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by Ambrose Bierce.

## What happens

A dramatic scene on the Dutch Flat Stage Road in 1864 where three road agents—Leland the Kid, Cowboy Charley, and Happy Hunty—discuss the decline of traditional robbery due to competition. They conceive a new scheme: building a railroad to legally rob the public. The devil Sootymug arrives, hinting at his own competing interests.

## Themes in this chapter

### Hypocrisy and Corruption

The road agents plan to replace robbery with a railroad, a 'wholesale robbery within the law' that exploits the public.

### Political Satire

The chapter mocks the greed and unethical practices of railroad magnates and business competition.

## Character check-ins

### Leland Stanford

Portrayed as Leland the Kid, a road agent who proposes quitting robbery for a railroad scheme.

### Cowboy Charley

A road agent who suggests building a railroad to legally rob the public.

### Happy Hunty

A road agent who laments competition and joins the railroad scheme.

### Sootymug

A devil who enters, claiming to be in the same line of business.

## Key lines

> I fear the coach will not come by to-night.

Cowboy Charley worries the stagecoach is late.

_Sets the scene of anticipation for robbery._

> When robbery no longer pays expense It loses then its chiefest charm for me, And I prefer to cheat—you hear me shout!

Leland the Kid says if robbery isn't profitable, he'd rather cheat.

_Highlights the pragmatic amorality of the characters._

> Instead of stopping passengers, let’s carry them. Instead of crying out: “Throw up your hands!” Let’s say: “Walk up and buy a ticket!”

Cowboy Charley proposes building a railroad instead of robbing stagecoaches.

_The central pivot from crime to legal exploitation._

> A well-devised and executed scheme Of wholesale robbery within the law (Made by ourselves)—great, permanent, sublime, And strong to grapple with the public throat—

Cowboy Charley envisions a legal scheme to rob the public through a railroad.

_Satirical critique of corporate greed._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_se/chapters/the-birth-of-the-rail
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_se/chapters