Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1856-08-08
From tho Report of the Russian Conductor.
X THE CRAZY ENGINEER. -
I b Tgy+HOIlAoH H.P.3sTANIFoRD, u B

Efs3f VHEEGRAZIN1 N1IhtIIN1tl516afs ~
Ea BY HoaAcn P.ssTxNIToRD.
E,sMy train left 7Dantzig in the morning,
generally at eight o'clock. but once a
week we had to wait for the arrival of the
ES.ockholm. Ittwas onthe morning, of the
steamers that came down from my ho,
tel, aud found that 5engfneer had been
SO seriously Injured sthatstle could not run.
One of the railway carring had turnover
him and btokenFone of his -legss E1Swent
Immediately to the engine eLhedse aosobtain
another engineer, for L knew there were
three er.four in reserve there !; but i was
disappointed II inquired for Wsstphai,
and was Informed that he bad gone to
Stegeen to see his mother. GudolPho
had been sent to Konigsburg On that road
But where was. Mayne 2 s'He hadnleaye
of absence for two days, and. had gone,
no one knew whither. ssg v5e.-eta
Here was fix. Theard The putting OF
the steamer in the Neufahrwasser. and the
passengers would be on hand in fifteen
minutes. i ran to the guard and asked
if they where there was an engineer. But
they did not. went to the fremen, and
asked if any Of them felt competent to run
the engine to Bromberg. Not one OF
them dared attemptit. This distance was
nearly one hundred miles. What was to
be done ? 4-
The steamer came to her wharf, and
those who were going on by rairoad came
flocking to the station. They had eaten
breakfast on board tho boat. and we're all
ready for fresh start. The baggage
was checked and registered; the tickets
bought. the different carriages pointed to
the various classes ofpassengers and them
selves seated. The train was in readiness
in the long station house, and the engine
was steaming and putting away inpatient
ly in the distant firing house.
1t was past nine o'clock.
/" Come don't we start pa growl-
ed an old fat Swede, who had been watch.
ing me narrowly for the last fifteen min>
utes. .-
And upon this three was general cho.-
rus Of anxious inquiry, which soon settled
into downright murmuring. At this juno
ture, some one touched me on the elbow.
l turned and saw stranger at my side.
1 expected he intended to demonstrate
with me for my backwardness. In fact.
1 began 10 have strong temptations to pull
off my uniform. for every anxious eye
was fixed upon the glaripg badges which
marked me as the chief official Of the
train.
However, this stranger vas middle
aged man, tall and stout, with face ex-
pressive Of great energy and intelligence.
His eye was black and brilliant, so brill
liant that could not for the soul of me
gaze steadily into it /; and his lips which
were very thin, seemed more like polish
ed marble than like human flesh. His
dress was Of black throughout, and not
only fitted with exact nicely, but was
scrupulously clean and neat.
ou want an engineer, understand" :"
he said in low, cautious tone, at the
same time gazing quietly about him, as
though he wanted no one else to hear
what he said.
IL do. Ny train is already. and We
have no engineer within twenty miles"
"Well, sir-I am going to Bromberg
rnust go. and if you can find no other l
will run the engine for you"
"Ah J" uttered, are you an engi-
neer %
IL am sir. one of the oldest in the
country, and am now on my way 10 Bcr-
lin to make arrangements for great inn
provement. have invented in the ap-
pIicaticn Of steam to locomotion. Ny
name is Martin Kroller. Ii you wish 1
will show you Running that is running %
Was no. fortunate determined
to accept the mans offer at once, and SO
l told him. He received my answer with
nod and smile, and thea proposed to GO
and get the engine. went with him to
the house, where he found the iron horse
in charge of the fremen. and all ready to
start. Kroller got upon the platform and
I followed him. | had never seen man
betray such peculiar aptness amid the
steam machinery asshe did. He let on
the steam in minute, but yet with care
and Judgment. and he backed up to the
baggage carriage with the most exact
nicely. / had seen enough TO assure me
that he was thoroughly acquainted with
the business. and l felt composed once
more. Iagave the engine upto my new
man, and then fastened away to the of
fee. The word vas passed over for all
passengers to take their seats, and soon
afterwards waved my hand to the en-,
gineer. There was puf-a groaning-
and the train was in motion. leaped
upon the platform Of the guard carriage,
and in a few moments more the station
house was behind us.
In less than an hour we reached Dirs,
chan where we took up the passenger
that had come in on the Konigsberg rail,
| way. Here went forward and asked
Kroller how he liked the engine. He re-
piled that he liked it very much.
"But," he added, with astrange spark
ling Of the eyes, 's wait until you get my
Improvement, and then you shall see tray
cling. BY the soul of the Virgin Mother
sir. | could run an engine of my construc