Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1869-10-28

Di3ke IFOll tlIe SuGi4. ! Z stC4A4GA NNi.f
heavy TO me as | carried ii 10 che back
part of the boiler there I laid il down
and closely examined the lead gasiet
which was around its rim. Everything
was complete with the exception OF
putting on some red lead. ] went clcS
10 the storeroom, got the little c5saet o!
lead and put it upon the tow that James
had wound around the lead gasket.-
/ Then [ fastened the plate TO the lead
aperture by means of Il clamp and nut.
While at work | heard the voice Of the
fireman. He was swearing at the ne
glect of the watchman in not lighting
the fire. There was no danger OF my
being detected. He thought, as ne after-
wards told me, that it was James max
| ing repairs, for he had heard the ciauk-
4 ing ofiron while he was employed about
the furnace.
1t was near six, and in minute more
James would return from the boarding
house that stood some distance from the
+ saw mill looked about me. Near the
I boiler and close To the steam guage Was
a high shelf half concealed by 4 large
beam. BY jumping upon the boiler l
could reach thai shelf. l was not q
minute to late. Scarcely was / conceal
ed behind the beam before l saw james
enter the engine-room. He looked very
pale, and large black circles were around
his eyes, as if he had passed slee pless
night.
There was no partitions between the
boiler and engine-room. One glance at
{ the steam guage told him that the watch
man had neglected his duty. lie rushed
down the few steps in front OF the fur
mace and shouted to the fireman:
"Quick, Jim, throw more pitch pine
slabs into the fire. Mr.. Smith Will give
us fits. Look he is coming now to find
out why | haven't blown the whistle.
Watchman's fault!n grumbled Jim,
opening the doors and showing into the
furnace huge pile Of shavings. Mr..
Smith then entered the fire-room, and
James explained to him why the steam
was not up high enough to start the
engine.
"George ought to have fired upat five,
but he must have been sleeping at his
post, continued he.
" Well, f" said Minnie's father, g l
will tell Louis to pay him his wages
and discharge him. "
When James heard my name men
toned I could see that he trembled
from head to foot.
~ BY the way, where is Louis? He.
has not been to breakfast, and he did
not sleep in his room last night" said /
Mr.. Smith.
I'll don'tknow, " faltered the guilty /
wretch, turning away. - He said to the
second sawyer that he was going TO
S-upOn some business, said Jim, .
looking up.
" All right. Now, Mr.. Alton, do your
best to get up steam as soon as possible, /.
for every hour lost is money OUT of the
company's treasury, u said Mr smith,
leaving the fire-room.
| felt faint and weary, yet l remained I.
at my post. James Was passing 10 and
fro with restless steps. Once he stopped
and lifted the saiety-valve, from which |
now came sound like sigh. Quickly /
he dropped the cord connected with the
lever, and something like groan escap- |
ed from his half opened mouth.
He then lit his pipe, but after one or
two puffS he threw 1t upon the BENCH
Then again he resumed his rapid walk.
| looked at the steam gauge. 1t indicat-
ed ten pounds to the square inch, and |
was rapidly rising. James stopped in
his walk, and began to oil the journals Of
the engine. The fireman had gone out
of the room. "Now is my time, " thought
l, rising up and jumping on the boiler
Of the engine.
+" James-James! " cried I, and my
NOltc SOuIOSNl Sll CN Cl4 " il1C AlS
quickly turned, and sank upon his knees
as he saw my form standing a few feet
from where he had been at work.
. Mercy! Mercy!" howled he, with
uplifted hands.
" No mercy to murderer, shouted
I, jumping from the boiler with the in
tention of seizing him.
But he was too quick for the. With a
cry af intense horror lie sprang 10 his
feet ami ran up the broad steps leading
to the upper part of the mill.
Save me, save mel" shouted he to
the workmen, rushing past them to the
logway.
springing after him. The men gave q
shout, but instead OffOllowing him they
ran away, some crying "a ghost, q
ghost, " and others "a crazy mani"
Without needing their outcries l fol-
lowed James, still crying, = stop him,
stop him ~
He ran towards place called Turn
back Creek. " The creek was appropri-
ately named. Three'hundred yards from
the waters of the creek plunged with
fearful roar.
"Stop, james, Stop! You are run
ming to the jaws of death!" shouted l, /!
when saw him only a few feet from the
edge OF the chasm.
the Sonnd of my voice only seemed to
add more speed to his steps. Presently /,
for moment he stopped, and turned
his ashen face towards NE then he gave
a bound like 2 deer, and disappeared
from my sight.
God have mercy on his soul, " mur-
mered /, sinking exhausted to the
ground. Then for time l remember
no more.
A week passed by before my mind was
clear enough to recognize those who
were dear to me.
Mian.s 5olt me that I had passed
Larougn a violent brain fever.
e. What has become Of the engiHeer"
" James is dead and buried" said
she. "They found him lying at the foot
of the waterfall. He lived long enough
to confess that he had put you i'll the
boiler. He died penitent. |,
[ then learned that the workmen were
very much frightened at my appear
clothes in rags.
| soon recovered, and then Minnie be-
came my wife, and we are vet living in
the cottage close by the mill.
The Girls are not Beautiful.
When the Hou J. S. Harris, United
States Senator from Louisiana, was here
the other day, seeing and being seen, he
visited Oakland. on his return to San
Francisco he saw two young ladies on
the ferry boat The Senator is n lover
of the beautiful. These girles had hand
some faces and were neatly and richly
dressed. One of the girls carried 4 pear
tree limb, loaded with luscious pears
The limb and ladies attracted ccnsidera-
BILE attention. They walked about the
boat observed by the lovers of fine fruit
and fair women. What heantifnl