The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1859-12-03
WHOLE NO. 1876.

shrill above all other sounds, chilling in ito
demoniac iDtonation, and seeming the dread
harbinger Of coming doom!
! lnvoluntarily raised my ha,ds TO my
ears. as did others, to shut out the terrific
! sound. .... .
"In Gods name, what was that 2" e.
claimed an elderly gentleman BY my side, TO
an officer of the boat, who rushed past as
in the direction of the engine room.
"lhe Mad Engineer! Oar lives ara in
fearful peril! Follow, if you would know
more!"
A moment after, and we were at the scene
OF excitement, and beheld sight to chill
the blood Of the stoutest heart.
With coat of-eyes flashing menacc-rc-
volver in hand, commanding, the range Of
the entrance and the "registcr" showing
| an amount Of steam far beyond the rated
capacity of the bollers-the engineer was
seated upon the safety vdlue to Keep ii dorn!
and giving occasional utterahee 10 a wild
yell, as his weapon threatened with death
the horror-stricke crowd without.
No questions were asked-none wers
nceded-it was evident that the engineer
had driven the fremen from, their station
soon after taking his new postIon--had
transferred several barrels of oil and rosiD
to the fire under the boilers, and the sharp,
shriil roar from the escape pipes, as well as
the quiyering of the steamer from truck to
keelson, as she leapcd through the water
with the impetuosity of mad racer, told
each and all the fearful nature of the peril
which was m momentarIly increasing.
'' We shall be blown to eternity! Shoot
the wild beast down; Our lives are in the
balancer The words were ominously
echoed BY the sharp click Of = revolver.
"Stay! Hold On your life fire not ~
Aud the voice rang like a clarion, vet with
all the sweet music of an eolian harp, 40
the crowd parted right and left, and the
maiden Of my story-the sister, magnificent
even in her palid beauty, rushed to the en-
trance. '.George, my brother 20 "Vir-
ginta You here ?' The fire in the ewes Of
the madman burned with less flame than be-
fore, and hand and weapon fell to his side.
His tierceness was gone in 4 moment, when
her bright orbs gazed searchingly upon him.
Breathlessiy we awaited tue issue. "Give
me the pistol - 1t was done. snow come
with me.' but my commission from Sa-
tan 20 ''llas been fnifIledt' With her
eyes calmly reading his, she took his arm
and led hun quietly away 10 his statero0m.
Captain Reynolds immediately ordered the
dampeDlng OF the furnace fires, and by thus
reducing steam we were soon comparatively
safe. | have but little more to add. We
reached St. Louis in due time, and without
any return Of Lieutenant lil,on's malady,
and, as may be supposed, it needed but l's-
tie urging for me to accompany them to the
house of their uRcle-a wealthy retired mer-
chant OF that city-Who gave US prIDcelv
welcome, worthy of his generous bachelor
heart. Under the careful treatment Of sew
eral of the most skillful physicians in the
city, the Lieutenant was soon entirely recov-
cred. And /! Need add that my friend
ship for the beautiful Virginia had ripened
into something warmer. Into ore !-Em-
pire City.
DANIEL wEB>TER TO A YOrNG LADY.
Lanman's forth coming private life Of
Daniel Webster contains the following let
ter. 1t was addressed to \ young lady who
had been spending social evening at Mr..
Websters house. aud on account Of the rain
had substituted borrowed hood for her
own bonnet and the note IN question was
delivered with the bonnet. at the residence
of the lady by Mr.. Webster, while driving
to his Office the next II orning
MONDAY MoRsfxG, March 4, '44
My Dear Josephine - fear you got
wetting last evening, as it rained fast soon
after you left our door and avail myself
of the return Of your Bonnet, to express the
wish that you are well this morning, and
without cold.
have demanded parlauce with your bon
net have asked i, how many tender looks
it had noticed to be directed under it: what
soft words it has heard, close 70 its side: in
what instances an air Of triumph had caused
it to be tossed: and whether ever, and where
it had quiyered from trembling emotions,
proceeding from below. But it has proved
itself a faithful keeper of secrets, and would
answer none of my questions. 1t only re-
manned for me to attempt to surprise it into
confession, by pronounciag sundry names
one after another 1t seemed unmoved by
most of these, but at the apparent unexpect.
ed mention of one. thought its ribbons de-
cidedly futtered
gave it my parting good wishes, hoping
that it M chit never cover an aching head,
and that the eyes which i, protects from the
rays of the sun, may know no tears bat OF
joy and affection.
Yours, dear Josephine, with afftctionats
regard, DANIEL WEBSTER.
Miss j. Scaton.
Q