Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1857-02-11
engine was steaming and putting away
impatiently in the distant firing house.
1t was past nine o'clock.

] ~ a. Pdot llluC " OlOOh-
"Come! why don't we start?'' growled
an old fat Swede, who had been watch
ing me narrowly for the last fifteen min
utes.
And upon this there was a general
chorus of anxious inquiry, which soon
settled to downright murmurihg. AT
this juncture some one touched me on
the elbow. 1 turned and saw a stranger
by my side. 1 expected that he was
going to demonstrate with me for my
backwardness. In fact, l began to have
strong Temptations 10 pull off my uniform,
for every anxious eye was fixed upon the
glaring badges which marked me as the
chief officer of the train.
However, this stranger was middle
aged man, tall and stout, with face ex-
pressive of great energy and intelligence.
His eye was black and brilliant so bril-
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 human flesh. His dress
was black throughout, and not only set
tied with exact nicely, but was scrupu-
lously clean and neat.
You want an engineer, 1 under
stand" 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.
"I do" replied. "My train is all
ready, and we have no engineer within
twenty miles of this place. -
"Well. sir. 1 am going TO Bromberg
IL must go, will run the engine for
yOu."
'lIa!" I uttered, ''ale you an engi-
neer?"
81 am, sir one Of the Oldest in the
country; and am now on my way to
Berlin 10 make arrangements for great
imprnxsmeatI have invented foI t1e APP
plication of steam to locomotion. Ny
name is Martin Kroller. If you wish l
will run as far as Bromberg; and will
show you running lhatis running
Was not fortunate 1 determined
to accept the mans offer at once, and so
| told him. He received my answer
with a nod and smile. l went with
him 10 the house, where he found the
iron horse in the charge of The fireman,
and all ready for the start. Kroller got
upon the platform, and L followed him.
l had never seen a man betray such pc
culiar aptness amid the machinery that
he did. He let on the steam in an in
slant, but yet With care and judgment;
and lie backed up to the baggage car
riage with the most exact nicely. had
seer enough to assure me that he was
thoroughly acquainted with the business,
and felt composed once more. gave
my engine up to the new man, and then
hastened away TO the Office. The word
was passed for all passengers to take
their seats, and soon afterwards. l waved
my hand TO the enginesr. There was a
puff-a groaning of the heavy axeltrees
"a trembling of the building-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 Dir
shua. where we took up the passengers,
that had come on the Keuingsberg rail-
way. Here 1 went forward and asked
Kroller how he liked Tie engine. He
replied that be liked it much.
But" he added with a strange spark
ling of the eye. "wait until you get my
improvement, and then you shall see
travelling. By the soul of the Virgin
Mother sir, could run an engine of my
construction 10 the moon in four and
twenty hours!"
1 smiled at what l thought his quaint
enthusiasm and then went back to my
station. As soon as the Kenigsberg
passengers weer all on board, and their
baggage crate attached, we started on
again.
As soon as all matters had been at
tended to connected with the new acces-
sion of passengers, 1 went into the guard
carriage and sat down. An early train
from Kenigsherg had been through two
hours before reaching Bromberg, and
that was at Little Oscue, where we took
the western mail.
"How we gol' uttered one of the
guards some fifteen minutes after we had
left Dirshua.
1.-The new engineer is trying the
speed" returned. not yet holding any
fear.
But ere long, I began to be fearful
that he was running little too fast
The carriages began to sway to and fro,
and I could hear EXPLANATIONS of fear
from the passengers.
"Good heavens ~ cried one of the
guard coming in at that moment, "Bhat
is that fellow doing? Look. sir, see
how we are goingl'
looked at the window and found that
we were dashing along at speed never
before travelled on that road. Posts,
fences, rocks, and trees few by in one