Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1859-02-24

q THIS anSeilc picture 0l lOVellneSs, ar
S be Il shuddered as l remembered
J have noticed the increasing speed
the boat and the heavy roar of IL
exhaust pipe was madman !!
No time was to be lost. Hastil
telling her the little l knew of th
lieutenant's movements, I escorte
ha: 20 the grand saloon, and promi.
ing to return the moment / foun
her brother, went in search of tn
captain.
Hardly had I reached the staircase
when my attention was arrested by
wild yell ofapparent exultation, wbicl
rose high and shrill above all othe
sounds, chilling in its demoniac into
nations, and seeming the dread bar
binger of coming doom
| | involuntarily raised my hands
to my ears, as did others, TO shut
out the terrific sound.
Gin Gods name what was that?'
exclaimed 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 y
A moment later and we were at the
scene of excitement, and bebeld a
sight to still the blood in the stout.
est heart:
With coat off-evrs flashing men,
ace-a revolver in his hand, comman-
ding the range of the entrance. and
the "register" showing an amount Of
steam far beyond tie rated capacity
of the boilers; the engineer was seat
ed ON the safety calUe 10 keep it dO,rn !
and giving occasional utterance to a
wild yell, as his weapon threatened
with death the horror-stIicken crowd
without.
No questions were asked-none
were needed it was evident that the
engineer had driven the firemen from
their station soon after taking his
new position-had transferred sever
al barrels of oi, and rosin to the fire
under the boilers, and the sharp sbrill
roar from the escape pipe, as we'll as
the quiveripg Of the steamer from
truck to kelson, asshe leaped through
the water with the impetuosity of a
mad racer, told each and all the fear.
ful nature of the peril which was mo-
mentarily increasing.
1--WE shall be blown to eternity !
Shoot the wild beast down. Our lives
are in the balance! The words
were ominously echoed by the sharp
click of revolver.
"Stay Hold! On your life fire
not p And the voice rang like a
clarion. yet with all the wild music Of
an aolian harp, as the crowd parted
right and left and The maiden Of my
story-the sister, magnificent even
to the pallid beauty, rushed to the
entrance.
"George F! My brother!''
Virginia! You here?'
The fire in the eyes of the mad
man burned with less flame than be-
fore, and hand and weapon fell to his
side. His fierceness was gone lii
moment, when her bright orbs fell
searchingly upon him.
"Glve me the pistol y
ssNow come with me p -
"But my commission from Satan?'
"Has been fulfilled -
With her eyes calmly reading his,
she took his arm and led him quietly
away to his state room.
Captain Reynolds Immediately or
dered the dampening of the fires, ard
+ by thus reducing steam, we we're
soon comparatively safe.
have but little more to add.
We reached st. Louis in due time,
and without any return of Lieuten'
ant Hilton S malady, and as may be
supposed, it needed but little urging
for me to accompany. them to the
house Of their uncle--a wealthy re.
tired merchant of that city-who
gave us princely welcome. worthy
] bis generous bachelor heart.
Under the careful treatment o.
several of the most skillful physicians
in the city the lieutenant was soof
entirely recovered.
+ And !? o ne sst. 3
Need I ado that my friendship fo'
the beautiful Virginia had ripened in
to something warmer? Into loue, )
\ The reader will please bear il