Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1857-03-12
ONE DOLLAR PER ANNUN, INVARIABLY IN ADVANCE.

oughly acquainted with the business and | felt
composed once more. gave my engine up to
the new man, and then hastened away to the
office Word was passed for all the officers to
| take their seats, and soon afterward | waved
my hand to the engineer. There was puff
groaning of the heavy aXeltreeS-a trembling
of the buildng-and the train was in motion.
l leaped upon the platform of the guard car
riage, and in few minutes more the station
house was far behind us.
In less than an hour we reached Dirsham
where we took up the passengers that had
| come on the kOnigsberg railway. Here i
went forward, and asked kroller how he liked
the engine. He replied that he liked it very
much
But" he added, with strange sparkling
OF the eye, wait until [ get my Improvement,
and then you will see travelling. BY the soul
of the Virgin Mother, sir | could run an en-
gine of my construction to the moon in four
and twenty hours ~
| smiled at what [ thought his faint enthu-
siasm, and then went back to my station. As
soon as the kOnigsberg passengers were all on
board, and their baggage attached, we started
again.
As soon as all matters had been attended to
connected with the new accession of passen-
gers | went into the guard carriage, and sat
down. An early train from Konigsberg had
been through two hours before reaching Brom-
berg and that was at Little Oscue, where we
took on board the western mail
"HOw we 90 = uttered one of the guard,
some fifteen minutes after We had left Drsh-
am
"The new engineer is trying the speed" |
rpnlip1 not vet holding any fear
But ere long | began to be fearful that he
was running little too fast, the carriages be-
gan to sway to and fro, and | could hear ex-
clamation of fear from the passengers
Good heavens !" cried one of the guard
coming ia at that moment, " what is that fel-
low doing? Look sir and see how we are 60
ing"
| looked at the window and found that we
we're dashing along at a speed never before
travelled on that road. Posts fences, rocks
and trees, flew by in one undistinguisAed mass
and the carriages now swayed fearfuy. |
started to my feet, and met passenger on the
platform He was one of the chief owners of
our road, and was just on his way to Berlin
He was pale aud excited.
"Sir," he gasped, is Martin Kroller on the
engine"
YES" told him.
Holy Virgin didn't you know him ?"
Know % | repeated somewhat puzzled
"what do you mean He told me that his
name was Kroller, and that he was an cngi-
neer We had no one to run on the engine
and"
You took him !' interrupted the man.
Good Leayens, sir, he is as crazy as a man
can be- He turned his brain over new plan
for applying steam power | saw him at the
station, but did not recognize him, as | was
in hurry Just now one of your passengers
told me that your engineers were all gone this
morning, and that you found one that was
stranger to you. Then | knew that the man
whom | had seen was Martin krolIer He
had escaped from the hospital at Stcttin-
You must get him off somehow"
The whole fearful truth was now open to
me- The speed of the train was increasing
every moment, and | knew that few more
miles per hour, would launch US all into de-
struction. | called to the guard, and then
made my way forward as quick as possible. l
reached the after platform of the after tender,
and there stood kroIcr upon the engine board,
his hat and coat off, his long black hair float
ing wildly in the wiud, his SHIRT unbutOHed
at the throat, his sleeves rolled np, with pis-
IOl III HIS tctiIl, anu tiIuS SldI LLc Hit-
man, who lay motonesS upon the fuel. The
furnace was stuffed till the very latch of the
door was red hot, and the whole engine was
quvering and swayng as though it would shi
yer in pieces.
'kroller ! kroler !" l cried at the top of
nv voice
The crazy engineer started, and caught the
pistol in his hand Oh how those great
black eyes glared and how ghaStly and fright
full the face looked.
"Ha ha hap lie yelled Economically,
glaring upon me like an enragcd lion.
"Thcy swore that | could not make it =
But see see ! My new power See my
new engine l made it, and they are jealous
of me. | made it, and when it was done they
stole it of me- But | have found it For
years have been wandering in search of my
great engine, aud they swore it was not made
| But | have found it | knew it this morn
| termined to have it. And I've got it Ho
say By the Virgin Mother, we'll be in the
moon in four and twenty hours Down, down,
villain If you move I'll shoot you.
This was spoken to the poor fireman, who
at that moment attempted to rise, and the frigh-
tened man sank back again.
"Heres Little OScue right at hand !" cried
out one of the guard. But even as he spoke
the buildings were at hand. A sickening sen
sation settled upon my heart, for / supposed
that we were gone now. The houses flew by
like lightning knew that if the officers here
had turned the switch as usual, we should be
hurled into eternity in one fearful crash |
saw a hash-it was another engine-l closed
my eyes but still we thundered on The Of
icers had seen our speed, and knowing that
we would not head up in that distance, they
had changed the switch so that we went on.
But there was death ahead if we did not