The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1861-10-25

WHOLE NO. 1865
which she kept pace with her time, and pass
ed the station in seven minutes.
Here, for ten miles, We had twenty foot
grade to encounter; but the worst Of it all
was, at this place We should have to stop for
wood. was just going to speak to Roberts
about it, when looked around and saw him
filling the tender from the coach, with wood
which had been placed there before starting.
while he was gone after me.
believe he would have made his ten miles
at the same speed as before; but through
the carelessness OF the fireman the fountain
valve on the left hand side of the engine got
open, and the water rose in the boiler, So far
as to run the steam down to one hundred
pounds before discovered where the difficult
ty lay.
At first Roberts didn't appear to notice
the decrease Of speed, and kept at work at
the wood as if for dear life. But presently
he looked up. and seeing that the speed had
decreased he shouted
Harry, We are stopping"
And then, coming over TO where | was, he
said
! why, here We have been ten minutes on
the last ten miles, and | believe we will come
to dead stand if something is not DONE
The speed is constantly slackening. What
is the natter
explained the cause. He was apparently
satisfied with my explanation, and after hav-
ing tied down the safety valve, he climbed
back over the tender, exhorting ME to put
her through for Gods sake, or We are All
beggars together.
Just then We passed the next station, hav-
ing taken nine minutes for eight niles We
were now more than half over the road. and
we had lost nearly ten minutes time, and had
lett only twenty-seven minutes 10 do thirty
four miles in.
had shut the water off both my pumps
little back, when | discovered what was the
matter, and She was now making steam fine
ly down slight grade. From less than one
hundred, with which she started over tina,
ten mile stretch, she mad two hundred before
We finished II: and as the gage indicated no
higher than that, and the valve was tied
down, | could not tell how much over two
hundred pounds She carried; but she certain
Iy carried none less the rest of the Journey.
And wei. she might carry such an enormous
mead OF steam; for after passing over that
ten niles in eight minutes. There lay ten
miles q five feet up grade. and fourteen niles
Of twenty-to-the-mlle depression between Us
and C, and il was now eleven O'Clock and
!urtv-Seven minutes.
Now the engine was hot in earnest. Tn,
furnace door, smoke arch. and chimney. a.
were red, while she seemed to fy onward d.
II the very evil one himself operated her ma
chinery.
SIX minutes carried Us over that ten miles
and We darted ty the last station that fa,.
lam between Us and C.. Now We h.,!
fourteen miles to 60. and my time showed t.
le'en O'Clock and titty-three minutes.
II i've said to myself. i will make il.
And We plunged down the twenty feet sraae
with all steam on. Persons VINO SAW the
tram on that wild run say that Z was soon
alter they heard the first sound of her al
proach, when the strange object. which look
ed as II II were flame OF ire darted by. and
then the sound OF is travelling died away il.
the distance, that they could hardly convince
themselves that they mad seen ANYTHING. Ii
seemed more ike creature Q. a wild dream
than sober reality
And now lei me tell You that no engineer
ever beat the time that was made on those
last fourteen miles Those great wheels. t.
Iefen teet III diameter, spun around SO swift
ly that you could not begin to coant the rev
olutions. The engine barely seemed to touch
the track as she flew along, and although the
track was as true as il could be. she swayeG
teariuliy. and sometimes made such proGic-
lslous jo.ts that II required some skill. tol
one to keep MS feet. No engine would hold
together ii crowded to greater sneei.
Well, just as came 10 a stand IN the de
pot at c, the big clock doomed on,
twelve, and the steamboat was getting hei
steam on. Roberts got on board in t;mr
and none to spare.
And he saved the money, did he? ask
ed, when saw that my friend had finished
his story.
"ies, he found it hid away in some old
boxes as AlGrich had directed"
1T YOU are passenger for c." said a
waiter, "the bus is ready"
So l thanked my friend for his story, anG
bade him good bye.
EF \ dentist writes the following story
a fellow came up to me the other dav