Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1867-02-06
nlIslelIauu.
An Eugine-ESOOin Story.

An Engine. OOIn story.
Ona cold frosty December, a few years ago,
i a passenger Cn board the fine steamer
Queen from L0a don to -. The voyage is
not very long one but we were several
days at sea, and during that time struck up
pretty much of an aeq laintanca with the
second engineer OF the ship. | have always had
taste, rather imaginative than scientific, for
watching the working of powerful machinery !;
the evenings were too cold to allow of my
remaining long on deck: and | was often glad
to exchange for a time the saloon stove for
the bright glow of the boiler furnaces, and
the company of the passengers for chat in
the engine-ronm with my friend the engineer.
Ten O'Clock IN the evening, w en- it was his
watch, generally found me seated by his side
on the platform that ran around the tops Of
the cylinders, whence he could hear in a mo-
ment any word passed from the deck, had
immediate access to the handles of the engine,
could see the fre-doOrs and stoke-holes with
the glass gauges in front of the boilers and
ven whilst chatting to me he could be con-
stantly alive to the smallest escape of steam,
or the least jarring OF chirping sound which
told to his practIsed eyes or ears that something
about the machinery required fabrication or
adjustment
There was nothing very remarkable about
ny acquaintance, Angrove he was simply
an honest, straightforward, intelligent, self
educated mechanic; one, in short, of class
very numerous among our steam boat engineers.
He was about forty years of age, and had
spent nearly half that time at sea, in many
services and il all parts Of the world. He
ha1 been IN action on board of q Brazilian
steam-sloON had nearly died from the intense
heat 10 the engine-room of a Peninsular and
Oriental boat the Red Sea had been
wrecked in " est India m4il-sreamer and
Afterwards discharged from the service for q
smuggling transaction, with which he vowed
that be himself had noshiog to do was at
the Ume the Ietc war broke cut serving OD a
Russian war 5-eamer which OF course he left
as soun as possible; had served on board
RIVER boat Gu the AiIssiss ppI, and another on
the uOOghiy ; and had seen many a strange
event IN these and other services, from The
plain matteI-Ji-iact point of view natural TO
his temperament and education.
One evening We were slipping along fast
under steam aud canvass, with the wind aud
sea on the beam and the ship, though not
pitching much, rolling good deal.
came shIverIng II the deck, where had been
smoking a cigar 10 tbs moonlight, and seated
myself IN nay accustomed place On the engine
room platform, enjoying The warm glow from
the furnaces Augrove had jost h5 cigar
which had given bin. hen sligh; escape
OF steam troD, oue OF the valve stufhlDg box ;
arrested his attention. The platform IN which
OF the cylinders, with d railing nearly breast
high be ween 1t and toe engines and TO get
to the stUthogbox ~ question IL was nace ssar y,
In order 20 avoid te ~ srUck by the bars OF
the parallel moaor. 70 wait until the engine
took her Gown roke, ard then vault in over
the raIi 10 the tor f the c gioder cover, befora
she Up ssaIn. Taxing a spaDner to
screw Gown the z and. ADgr0ve waited the
proper IN mene, and vau.ted over he raii
but at that Iustant the snip took heavier
roll than ordlrsr7 his foot slipped on the
greasy, siOplrg surface IT the false cover, and
he had the uaIiowest escs pe possible from being
pTecIpItaIed feationg among the WcrEIDg
parts of lie machinery. lie saved himsell
just IN time by catching hold OF the cy!indeE
cross-heed; but this cross-head worked up tc
within half an iBch Of on Of the deck beams
and before he could withdraw his hand the
TWO nearly close together /; the ENABLES
conceivable space OF time longer. aud hi
hand would have been crushed between them
such clUse work was It, indeed, that he actual
ly felt the squeezt, ana the skin vas led witt
the pressure.
1 know | was terribly frightened, anl
started up psle and iI0rror-scruck. bat Az
grove finished his work cody, vaulte1 ou
again over the rail, 81. d seated himself at ID
side, litJe pale, hut perfectly calm ard self
possessed, aud smoked away at his cigar as j
nothing had happend.
My dear fellow cried, what a marrow
tscape ! thought it was ali over with you.
- Yes, indeed, he said, " it was close work
but. thank C0d, it is ali right. A very smal
fraction of second louger looking at hi
haud--' and my POWER of using hammer an
chIsel wouldn't nave been of much account
We sat lor some ents without speakin
both, no doubt, Dedita ting on what ha
occurred-and then, ful of the So ect,
said
g 1t must be very dangerous work, goin
about the engine in really bad weatber?"
"Yes, II is be said ; q" especially in som
engine-rooms; nearly as bad, think. as it
for the sailors 10 20 aloft. But have alway
been very Fortunate
Did you ever meet with any accident ?"
asked.
NO." ne replied d" but was very nea
one once-a worse one. perhaps than eve
this would have been-and yet it was not e,
actly an accident either"
w hat was it. then p | asked.
W ;" he said, 8 i, is su biect on whic
/ don'E much like to speak--and, indeed
have never told the whole story, to aDy one
bot | think q sufficient long time has no
elapsed, and | NAV es we'll give it to yo,
since you pleased 10 say you like beariT
my little adventures
I" Ii wss many years ago, when the Cal
fornia gold dggIDgs were attracting ever
DOCY 2-lebtEOn, tD1E went out as tni
engineer CT a steamer from Panama to s.
Francisco. | liked the captain very mGc
and bad known him by sight before, ,houg
be didn't know ne for short time pre-,
ousy, be he'd several times cone on board
shin to which | then belonged at New Yor
10 see the captain who was a friend of b
Once or twice be had brought off his wife al
little daughter with him-euch sweet, lad
like young woman, and such dear lit
taEf HON,
showing them the engnes-aad the lady a
peared so fcfsd of her husband l wonder
how ne could leave them to come on ii
station, in that laHless time of gold-seekir
Our chief engineer too, was good sort Of
man. and one who knew ais work we'll:
second wasr't bad fellow, either, though
fond of bis glass; but the rest of the ofhc
and crew were not pleasant shipmaies-
shin vas not a com .Ortabe one TO me in a
respect, and l soon determined that my u
voyage in her should be my last, though