Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1863-01-08

, As soon as all matters had been at
; tended to connected with the new &C
! cession of passengers, went into th
guard carriage and sat down. Al
early train from Konigsberg had beel
through two hours before, reachin.
Bromb berg. and that was at Little Os
cue, where we took the western mail
"How we gol' uttered one OF thu
guard. some fifteen minutes after W.
left Dirschsn.
"The new engineer is trying the
Speed" returned. not yet holding any
fear.
r. But ere long I beganr to be fearf1
that he was running little too fast
The carriages began to sway to and fro
and could hear EXPLANATIONS of feal
among the passengers.
"Good heavensl" cried one of the
guard comirg that moment. "what j:
the fellow doing? Look, sir. and see
how we are going"
l looked at the window and found
that we were dsshing along at speed
never before travelled on that road
Posts. fences, rocks and trees flew by
in one undistinguishable mass. and the
carriages were swsyed fearfully. l
started to my feet and met passenger
on the platform. He was pale and ex-
cited.
"Sir." he gasped, sis Martin KrOller
on the engine?"
"Yes," told him.
"Holy Virgin! Didn't you know
bim?"
Know him?" 1 repeated, somewhat
puzzled. "What do you mean? He
told me his name was Kroller. and that
he was an engineer. We had no one
to run up the engine and
"You took him." interrupted the
man.
yes"
"Good heavens. sir, he is as crazy as
man can be. He turned his brain
over a new plan for applying steam
power. / saw him at the station, but
l did not recognize him, as was in a
hurry. Just now one OF the passengers
told me that our engineers were all
gone this morning. and that you found
one who was a stranger to you. Then
| knew that the man whom l had seen
was Martin KroIlerl He escaped from
the hospital at Stettin. You must get
him of somehow"
The whole fearful truth was now open
TO me. The speed Of the train was in
creasing every moment, and knew
that few more miles per hour would
surely launch us all into destruction
| called to the guard and then made
my way forward as quickly as possible.
/ reached the after platform Of the after
tender, and there stood Kroller. upon
the engine board; his hat and coat Cd.
his long black hair floating wildly in
the wind. his sleeves rolled up, his
shirt unbuttoned at the throat. with a
pistol in his teeth, and thus glaring up
on the fireman, who lay motionless up
on the fuel The furnace was stuffed
till the very latch of the door was red
hot. the whole engine was quivering
and swaying as though it would shiver
in pieces.
"Krollerl Kroller!' cried at the top
of my voice.
The crazy engineer started and caught
the pistol in his hand. Oh how those
great black eyes glared, and how ghsst-
ly and frightened the face lookedl
"Hal hal hal" he yelled demoniac-
", glaring upon me like reused lion.
"They swore l could not make it, but
seel See my new powerl See my new
enginel l made i'll I made it, and
they were jealous Of me. / made it.
and when twas done they stole it from
mel But I've found it. For years I've
been wandering in search of my great
engine-and they swore it was not
madel But I've found i'll l knew it
when saw it at Dantzig, and l was
determined to have it. And I've got
it! Hol hoi hol-we're off to the
moon, sayl By the Virgin Mother,
we'll be in the moon in four and twenty
hoursl Down. DOWN. villain. II you
move I'll shoot youl''
This last was spoken to the poor fire.
man who at that moment attempted to
rise. and the frightened man sank back
again.
"Here's Little 0scue, right aheadl"
cried one Of the guard.
But even as he spoke, the buildings
were at hand. A sickening sensation
settled upon my heart, for l supposed
we were gone now. The houses few by
like lightning. knew il the officers
here had turned the switches as usual,
we should be hurled into eternity in
one fearful crash! l saw a Aash-it
was another engine-I closed my eyes.
but still we thundered on. The off,
GERS had seen our speed and knowing
that We could not haul up at that dis
lance, they had changed the switch, SO
that we kept right on.
But there was sure death ahead II
We did not stop. Only fifteen miles
ahead was the town OF Schwetz, on the
Vistula, and at the entrance, near the
bank OF the river, was q short curve in
the road! The shrieks of the passen-
gers now rose above the crash of
the rails. and more terrific than all else
arose the demoniac yells of the engineer.
'Merciful heavenl' gasped the guards.
man. There's not a moment To be
lost. Schwetz is close byi Ifyou dare
rot ro I,II M mvcolH Put boll L