Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1849-01-17
Jef's Railroad Trip.
]. Or Seeing the Locomotive.

= Jef's Railroad Trip.
Ill. Or Seeing the Locomotive.
OFF we started, and few minutes walk
brought US TO the depot; but who can de-
pict the expression that played over Jef's
lcountenance when he beheld locomotive
for the first time in his life. There 1t
stood, with long train of cars attached 10
1T, and a dark yo1ume OF smoke ssilently
issuing from the chimney; and there stood
JET, with his hands stuck, SO deep and
hard in his pockets. that they nearly reach
ed his knees; his body was LEANED forward
his eyes dla.ed. his cheeks puffed out, and
his whole man IN state Of the most in
tense excitement. z7s
After the first parozysms Of delight, as
tonishment and gratifed curiosity, and
vague kind Of bewiderment had subsidized,
and Jef's features had slowly relaxed TO
their customary expression without altering
his position, he soliloquized II running COM
mentary on the probable character of the
beast its speed, &c.
swell, by jolly who ever seed sch a
critter ? And what a long team. Won
der if it pulls all them One, two, three
four, five, six-phew Take me all day
to count EN-. Suppose Dolly was here
Wouldn't she open her eyes and wipe her
peppers. Wonder if it can beat Capt. Will
liams' bay mare runnin' have 10 git up
afore day to do that Wish we had one TO
help get up the side bill one Of these mud
dy times. But criminy what power OF
roughness it must take TO winter the old
chap ''
Meanwhile we had approached the curl.
osty, and beckoned Jef to come TO Us, but
he shook his head very significantly and
would d'ntueome. we went to him md per-
suaded hx2tha, it would not hurt hira, and
at leAg{fa, with that kind of hesitancy with
which timorous person approaches prec-
ipice, he drew nearer; he would put out
his right foot, and draw up his left in a
sdeong fashion, hesitate little while,
then proceed again till at last he stood
quite near it. Seeing it did not rebuke
his approach with any outward show of
disapprobation, he summoned up courage
enough to begin 10 eza,nine it and nuke
remarks.
Il say, Mr.. Leary, dc they feed this
critier with fire 2" s%e-..
We replied they did. .a..... .
"And what does it drink ..,.5
"Boiling waer.''
by golly! what an animal! eats fire
and drinks bilin' water, and aiEt it II heap
of trouble to feed it and keep it in water ?
and does it ever drink any thing else 2"
We explained 10 Jeff that it had kind
of a contrivance CT its own 10 burn wood
into fire, and to warm its wafer, and that
it had never drank anything else, as it was
good teetotaller.
Jolly whap! who had ever heard the
likes Now wouldn't Dolly prick her
ears and rub her eyeslf she was only here :!
dolly was J.ef's sweetheart, and with
aughuble solcitude he wi shed her, no doubt
to be sharer in his good fortune) And
does it draw all them waggins?" he ask.
ed, pointing to the train oil cars attached.
We nodded q yea.
Jef's eyes cleaned with delight. A lad
who had just obtained the long wished for
consent Of his mistress, could not express
in his countenance what giowed in his heart
more wildly than did JET now; he was act
ually in the presence OF q "Seam- gine' as
he termed it.
Familiarity, it is said breeds contempt;
so JEFF, after walking around to the other
side of it, and back again to the place he
started from seeing that ii neither kicked
nor reared up, ventured to ley his hand on
It's shoulder as he supposed the thicker part
of the boiler TO be. but he no sooner placed
his hand there than he ierked 1t back with
terrified kind Of a vince and an eJacu-
lalion of "Phew ~darned if that animals
skin amt mighty hot"
By this lime the engineer stepped into
the tender, or car next the engine, and
and removed by means of screw, the
pressure from small valve, allowing the
steam 10 escape with u loud whizzing
noise.
Now JET had been for the last few min
utes spelling out the animal'e name which
was written on its sides In large letters, and
did not observe the actions OF The little man.
s.begrimed and stained" and laying his
hand over on one Of the letters which he
could not SO well spell out just as the steam
came whistling over his head, he took 1t
for sign of restiVeness on the part OF
the unruly beast, and stumbled back about
ten or fifteen feet, oversetung in his career
an an old woman and basket Of apples
she had for sale, falling al last, into a
ditch, which at that time margined the
street.
We went 10 our companion, who was
more frightened than hurt, and assisting
him to rise, we took him towards the pas
senger cars, at the other end of the train
we reached them at pretty brisk pace,
Jei. being IN hurry, 10 get out Of the
way of the fiery horse. As soon as he
could recover sufficient breath,
"Well," says he. "l'm darned if that
aire critter aint as rattle snake in dog
l DAYS; and what q hot breath it snorts at a
fellow; it only pheezed The eends Of hair,
and liked TO have swinged nay eye Winkers
off,
} We left him awhile, in the midst Of
: philosophical reflections on beasts IN gene
raj. and the ''steamgine" in particular,
and went to the ticket office and purchased
couple Of tickets, designing, as we had
enjoyed much sport al Jef's expense, to