The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1853-11-02

present under similar circumstances. |
needed not for the very best reason in
the world. because | understood not the
complicated description that Jabez was
giving of his still more complicated in
vention. All | knew was that here was
a machine, or four good, sturdy, we'll
braced wheels, and it only required a
recordcut patent, to authorize that small
connecting cog-wheel or trunnel-head to
be thrown Unto gear" when it would
move off without oats, hay, or horse
shoes, and distance the mail-ccachcs.
As | was surrounded with notions, it
was not extraordinary that 0nc should
take full possession Of me. 1t dawned
upon me, when | saw the machine first
put into motion, and was now full orbed
above the horizon Of my desire it was
to see the first locomotive move off
The temptation was irresistible "And
who knows" thought |, but some pry-
ing scamp may have been 'pccping thro
thl key.hole,' while Jabez was at work
and, catching the idea may be now at
work at some clumsy imitation and. if
he does not succeed in turning the first
trick, may at least divide the donors
mith my friend ?"
"Jabez,7 said |, cloyating my voice
above the buzzing noise of the machine,
there is only one thing wanting"
WHAT is that ?" says ho eagerly
Immortality ~ said l 81 and you
shall have it, patent or no patent !" And
with that, pulled the crank that twist
ed the connecting trunnel head into the
travelling wheels, and in an instant a.
way went the machine, with Jabez on
top of it, with the whiz and rapidity Of
flushed partridge The side Of the old
building presented the resistance of wet
paper. One crash and the First Loco
motive" was ushored into this breathing
world. hurried to the opening. and
had Just time to Chamber to the top of a
fcnce. to catch the last glimpse of my
fast departing friend. True to his pur-
pose. saw him alternately screwing
down the valves, and oiling the piston
rod and crank, k,joiuts ; evidently deter
mined that, although he had started off
a little Unexpectedly, lac would redeem
the pledge he had given, which was, that
when it dN 20, 1t "would 90 lectlc
slower than streak Of chain-lightnin',
and darnd lectlc, too p
Like cloud in the dim distance hcctns,
Like an arrow he flew away
But a moment, and he was here in a
moment he was there; aud now tchcr,
is he l-or, rather, where i, he not d?
But that, for the present, is neither
hero nor there"
The vile Moslcm ridiculcd the belief,
so rclgiously cherished by the Christian
Don, that in all the bloody conflicts that
laid the crescent low in the dust. Saint
Iago, on white horse, led on to battle,
and secured triumph to the cross but
as this has now become matter Of histo-
ry, confirmed by the fact that on numor-
Gus occasions this indentlcal warrior
saint" was distinctly seen pounding the
Moors" successfully and simultaneously,
in battle scenes remote from each other
thus proving his identity by sanity u
bquity, so VIC may safely indulge the
belief that the spirit, if not the actual
body and bones, Of Jaboz Doolittle
stands pearched on every locomotive
that may now be seen in every direction
threading its way at the rate Of thirty
miles an hour, to the total annihilatior
of space and time. The incredulous
like the Moors of old, may indulge then
unbelief but for myself, | never see q
locomotive in full action, that | do not
also see Jabcz there, directing its course
as plain as / sec the immortal Clinton
in every canal-boat, or the equally i'm.
mortal Fulton in every steamboat
Unfortunately, however, these, lik'
Jabez Doolittle started in their careei
Of glory without n patent, trusting toe
far to an ungratefnl world and nov
the descendants of either may-if the,
pay their passage-indulgc the luxur.
that the "inyentive spirit" Of their an
cestors has secured to the age.
But my task is done All | now asl
is that although some doubt and mys
terry hang over the first invention OF
steamboat which doubt, however
for one, do not participate-nonc what
ever may exist III regard to the origil
of the locomotive branch of the grea
steam family; and that, in all futur
time, this fragment Of authentic histor
may enable the latest posterity to RI
trace. by "back track and "turn out.
through n long railroad line of illuslriou
ancestors, the first protector and contri'
or os The First Locomotive their in
mortal progenitor, Jabez Doolittl'
Esq, of Wallingford, Connecticut"