The North-Carolinian., 1860-09-29
RACY STORY.
THE MAD ENGINEER.
Fleming, Committee.

THE MAD ENGINEER.
Night on the Father OF Waters Night, with
her sable veil lowering the mourning city OF
New Orleans.
The shliil of the escaping steam told all
who heard it that the steamer Western Belle had
cast oft her shore les, and Vas now like an un-
Gagged wild bird, poiSing herself on the wind, ready
to start her light up the Mississippi.
was not mo lie i too soon. for ere had reach
ed the promenade deck, ths gang plank WAS drawn
in. "Good-iye' sal to those gathered the
w1larf-han,li ,li ercef fiuttere,l il the breeze, wav-
ing adeu, and wer3 off.
1t was when the cholera raging fearfui!y
at the southwest, almost depopulang whole cities
in single day, and carrying death and deSolatioil
III early every family.
The panic at its heis sht il New Orleans Bus
mess OF all kinds appeared to be utterly prostr,tJ
before the resistess march of the dread destroyer
All, nearly all, who ha friends pccunis.,-
ability, Were intent only on placing themselves or
families at safe distance from the deadly vis,at
AS a natural consequence, every boat other
conveyance which had not ceased runl'ing
crowded with the flying and tear-sticken iii
The Western Belle formed no exception to the
general rule, and on this occasion, as she Swung
Oft lHto the Stream, observer could readily have
seen that she crowded to her utmost capa.itr.
Ere we had rcache the channel, | observed the
,ptain hurry past me, mutteling to himself appal-
entity IN great a2lt ,tiun
Had only known before cast off-yet some
thing must be done, that is evident-but what :"
Give the charge -
Capt Reynolds raised l.is eyes at the sound of the
clear and sonorous but somewhat imperative voice
that uttered the words and behcld tall dark fea-
tured and striking!y handsome man, who had hasti-
ly approached from the opposite direction and who
| instantly saizing his hand, said
captain, the engineer has left his post-gone
upward-dead-thc cholera 20 and his gestures
ignificant he spoke.
Il am already aware of the fact - said the cap,
tain with anxiety in his tones, ''but why do you
evince such an interest iilAthe matter ?" while his
momenta1fy stern gaze rested upon the counte-
nance OF the stranger, whose face partly con-
cealed by a heavy beard and moustache of glossy
blackness.
81 am Lieutenant George Hilton of the United
States Army, but formerly chief engineer of the
Prairie Bird, at your SERVICE said the stranger III
! L hurried manner, mentioning well-known boat
noted in years gone by tor her speed and superior
accommo >ations.
And yet your object is to offer your services to
engineer for the up trip 2? said Captain Rey-
noldS, inquiringly.
''As yol have intuitively perceived, it is" said
the stranger
'.Sir-Lcutenant thank you, doubly thank
YOU, and will avail miself of your kind oifer ac-
cepting in the generous spirit with which it is
made, and without further ceremony ~ said The
captain, be warmly presse~ the hand ofthe othvr
"knowlng that the tiremen were all green hands,
| l was just fastening to take charge, and Z: mage
as best might the engineers experimentation
| now I shall feel at case
Then let me at once enter upon my duties; there
is no time to lose! said the lieutenant, and there
! was Il strange geam in his Wild restless eyes AMI
nervous pecuarty in his gesture.
It was unnoticed by the captain-or if he ed
evidently considered the idosyncrase Oft ardent
tcmperament-as he replied with satisfaction
pressed in his vo.e
True true! | fear you will fnd things in a
somewhat confused state. but you can send forward
for at any moment"
They passed beyond my hearing, and leisurcly
asccnded the hurricane deck to enjoy sitstl and
| I
found, entered closed the door-ard
on the point of congratulating myself upon hav
Ing been enabled to secure it, when my attention.
arrested by the Gaines: lntonation of musical
voice of peculiar beauty-one that could at-
terward be forgotten, though heard mid the wild
beauty and grandeur of an ocean storm-the roar
and carnage of battle, or the discordant mlrmurs Of
an assembled unvers! Spel-bound and attentive,
| listened.
20, sir whoever you are, for the love If heaven
assist me to get out of this room--and at once =
Our safety-aye, the lives of every on board is
pending on-I shudder to thnk-perhaps tie issue
| of moment! =
There was an indescrbable ca nestucss in the ut
terance of the words that thrilled to the soul
! To think to act, and knowing by the SCUM
that only thin board partition separated from,
1.-THE fair plcudcr-for that she was lair | would hav
stakcd my existence Immediately drew my he IVY
'bowie," AID, first assuring her Of speedy deliver
ance, commenced cutting away at the top Of one OF
the boards.
! In two minutes it was loose-in four took il
out and stepped through the opening. What pic
ture revaied.
! Seated on a low stool with her auburn rinrlet.
floating over her shoulders OF aaba9tcr whteness
ln the wildness Of disheveled ch .rmS" was /; beau
tifnl maiden Of seemingly not seventeen sum
mers and eyes bright the jew is OF a ega
diadem.
| Her hands tied behind. and in her struggle
TO free herself the delicete flesh was cruelty lacera
ted.
One stroke of my knife and the cords were sew
1 arodi in OH
lor in her features quicker than it takes me to tel
/ it, had caught her IN my arms, and borne he
through the entrance which my good blade had et
fected To dash open the window, ana to bath
her feyerish brow with water the work of a mo
ment
She soon revived, and to my eoger questioning a
to the cause of her painful situation repiled, ina ma
all her family had fallen victims TO the cholera WIZ
cred from the disease only to exhibit symptoms VI
that dark anomaly of the human mind-insan'ty'