The prairie news. [volume] (Okolona, Miss.) 1851-1875, 1858-11-25

caught ner IN my arms, ana DOfnc Her
through the entrance which my good
blade had effected. 10 dash open the
window, and to lave her feverish brow
with water, was but the work of a mo-
ment.
She soon revived, and to my eager
questioning as to the cause of her pain
full situation replied, that all her family
had fallen victims to the cholera, with
the exception of her eldest brother who
had recovered from the disease only to
exhibit symptoms of that dark anomaly
of the human mind--insanity. That she
had used her utmost influence with her
brother to get him to visit the north, hop
ing that the change of the climate and
travel would completely restore him to
his former strong mind and health. That
an hour before he had come to her room
with a stout cord in his hand and said in
a playful manner, that he must tie her
up. Apprehending no evil she had not
objected to what she supposed one of his
vagaries, but when he drew a revolver,
and told her that the first words she ut
tered would be her last then she be-
came alarmed, and begged to be released.
With strange calmness and voice which
brooked no reply, he commanded her to
silence, and stating that he was an ennis
sary cf Satan, duly commissioned to
drive the steamer to hell,* locked the
door and departed.
She paused, and faint smile shone
through her tears, like the sunshine in
midsummer rain.
A light dawned upon my mind! The
engineer was, then the brother of this an
yelic picture of loveliness, and he-l
shuddered as | remembered to have no
ticed the increasing speed of the boat
and the heavy roar Of the exhaust pipe
was mailman /!
i N time was to be lost. Hastily telling
her the little | knew of the lieutenants
movements, | escorted her to the grand
saloon and promising to return the mo-
ment found her brother, l went In
search of the captain.
Hardly had | reached the staircase
when my attention was arrested by a
wild yell of apparent exultation, which
rose high and shrill above all other
sounds, chilling in its demoniac intona,
tion. and seeming the dread harblnger OF
coming doom
| involuntarily raised my hands to my
ears, as did others, to shut out the terrific
sound.
"In Gods name, what was that E ex'
claimed an elderly gentleman by my side
to an officer of the boat, who rushed past
us in the direction of the engine room,
"THE MAD ENGINEER Our lives are
in fearful peril! Follow if you would
know more !"
A moment later, and we were at the
scene of excitement, and beheld 9
sight that would chill the blood In
the stoutest heart
With coat otf-eyes flashing menace
revolver in his hand. commanding tht
range OF the entrance, and the register
showing an amount of steam far beyont
: the rated capacity of the boilers--the
engineer was seated on tic safety rafr'
: to keen 1t darn ana giving occasional
utterance to wild yell, as his weapon
I threatened with death the horror-strlker
crowd without.
No questions were asked-none were
needed-it was evident that the engineer
> had driven the tiremen from their station
soon after taking his new posltlon--hat
) transferred severed barrels OF oil and rosll
to the fire under the boilers, and tht
sharp shrill roar from the cscape-plpe' !.
we'll as the quivering of the steamer
: from truck to kelson, us she leapet
through the water with the impetuosllA }
Of a mad racer, told each and all tilt
: fearful nature of the peril which was mo
I mentarily increasing
D "We shall be blown to eternity
y Shoot the wild beast down Our live'
n are in the balance 1" The words omin
! ously echoed by the sharp click OF a re
: yolyer.
= "Stay Hold! Onyour life fre not!
: And the voice rang like clarion, ye
9 with all the wild music Of an aollan hafp
, as the crowd parted right and lett AM
l the maiden of my story-the sister, has
+ nifcent even in her pallid beauty fushe'
to the entrance.
George! My brother !"
. Virginia! you here I" ~,
L The fire in the eyes OF the maal'a'
burned with less fame than before an' ,.
hand and weapon fell to his side. ~
of fierceness was gone in moment Whe'
$, her bright orbs gazed searchlng'y upo'
e. him.
"Give me the pistol"
IN e"Now come with me !" .,
te But my commission from oa'ans
elias been fulfilled" !.
Is With her eyes calmly reading MS 81