The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1857-01-21

~ Ioia III iiio elSutieIIl year, ny Sll JOuu hOSS
Some modern ones there were, too, in which
patbos and bathos were exquisitely blended
There was one of the discovery atsea by the Isa-
bella, Of himself and shipmates. He had once
commanded this ship, and he knew her imme-
diately, half blind with weakness and starvation
as heSwas; and there was another of his meet
ing in London with his son, who, through good
report and evil report had ''never given him
up These might find place in these pages,
but that think it would be unfair to trench
upon the domain of whomsoever shall be selec-
ted as editor of the autobiography which sir
John was occupied in compiling up to the last
few weeks of bis eventful life. : - .l-.s..
The Crazy Engineer.
My train LETT Danzlg In the morning generally
about O'Clock, but once week we were COM
PEELED to wait for the arrival of the steamer from
Stockholm. 1t was the morning of the steam
er's arrival that came down, from my hotel
and found that my engineer had been so ser-
ously injured that he could not run A rail
way carriage had run over him and broken one
OF his legs. | went Immediately to the engine
house to procure another engineer for l knew
that there were three or four in reserve there,
but was disappointed Iinquired for West
phal, but was informed that he had gone to
Stegen to see his mother. Gondolpho had been
sent to K0ngsburg on the road But where
was Mayne? He had leave Of absence for two
days, and had gone no one knew wither
,a Here was fix; | heard the putting of the
steamer on the Neufahrwasser, and the passen-
gers would be on hand in fifteen minutes. | ran
to the guard and asked them if they knew
where there was an engineer, but they did not.
then went TO the firemen1 and asked them if
any of them felt competent to run the engine to
Brombcrg. Not one of them dared attenptit.
The distance was nearly hundred miles,
What was to be done?
The steamer stopped at the wharf, and those
who were going on by rail came flocking up to
the station. They had eaten breakfast on board
the boat, and were all ready for the fresh start.
The baggage was checked and registered, the
tickets bought, the different carriages pointed
out to the various classes of passengers, and
the passengers themselves seated. The train
was in readiness in the long station house, and
the engine was steamlng and putting away i'm
patientIy in the distant fire house.
1t was past nine o'clock. q ...r.. DO
Come, why don't you start?'' growled an
old fat Swede, who had been watching me mar
rowly for the last fifteen minutes
And upon this there was agenera1 chorus of
anxious inquiry. which soon settled to down
right murmuring. At this juncture some one
touched me at the elbow. | turned and saw a
stranger by my side. l expected that he was
going to demonstrate with me for my backward
ness. In fact | began to have a strong temp
tation to pull off my uniform, for every anxious
py tbo ,,ln hoIn hifb
marked me as the chief officer Of the train.
However, this stranger was middle-aged
man, tall and stout, with face expressive Of
great energy and intelligence. His eye was
black and brilliant-so brilliant, that | could
not, for the soul of me, gaze steadily into it; and
his lips, which were thin, seemed more like pol
ished marble than human flesh. His dress was
black throughout, and not only settled with ex-
act nicely, butwas scrupulousy clean and neat
~ GU 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 lie said.
Il do,'' | replied. my train is all ready,
and we have no engineer within twenty miles
of this place. A. .'. --
"WeIl, sir, am going to Bromberg-I must
go; Twill run the engine for you.'' "
Hal | uttered, are you All engineer?"
81 am, sr-one of the oldest in the country
and am now on my way to Berlin to make ar
rangements for great improvement | have in
vented for the application of steam to locomo
ton. My name is Martin Kroller. If YOU wish
| will Nn as far as Brombery; and l will show
you running that is running.' ,'
Was | notfortunate? determined to accept
offer n | nj Ia
received my answer with nod and smile |
went with him to the house, where he found the
iron horse in the charge of the fremen, and all
read for the start. kroller got upon the plat
form, and followed him. l had never seen a
man betray such peculiar aptness among the
machinery that he did. He let on the steam
in an instant, 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 I felt composed once
more. gavemy engine up to the new man, and
then FASTENED away to the office. The woyd
was passed for all passengers to take their seats,
and soon afterwards | waved my hand to the
engineer There was puff, a groaning of the
heavy. .axetrees-a trembling of the building
and the train was in motion. | leaped upon
the platform of the guard carriage, and in a few
more the station house was behind us.
In less than an hour we reached Dirshau,
where we took up the passengers that had come
on the K0nigsberg railway Here went for
ward and asked KroIler how he liked the en-
gine. He replied that he liked it much.
z'tBut,''' he added with a strange sparkling of
the eye, 'wait until you get my Improvement,
and then you shall see travelling. By the soul
Of the Virgin Mother, sir, 1 could run an en-
glne gglne ofmy construction to the moon in four and
twenty hours!' o.. .....4s -. .---f .......,..
| smiled at what thought his quaint enthu-
siasm, and then went back to my station As
soon as the Koniysberg passengers were all on
board, and their baggage crate attached, we
started on again. - 81 hes ....| .~..6 sss,-
As soon as all matters had been attended to
with the new accession Of passengers
went into the guard carriage and sat down
IN early train from K0nigsberg had been thrc'
two hours before reaching Brombrrg, and that
was at Klein Oskau, where we took the west
ern mail sa ys=az gsss ayrG vHtyg@ 94uH4.~4
.sHow we go!'' uttered one of the guards
tlfppn MIN off I,1 | q