Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1869-09-16

! reach that shelf | was not a minute too
/ late Scarcely was concealed behind the
beam before | saw James enter the engine
l room. He looked very pale, and large
| black circles were around his eyes, as II he
had passed a sleepless night,
! There were no partitions between the
boiler and engine room. One glance at
the steam gauge told him that the watch
man had neglected his duty. He rushed
down the few steps in front Of the furnace
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" grumbled jim,
opening the doors and showing into the
furnace huge pile Of shayings. Mr..
Smith then entered the fire room, and
James explained to him why the steam
was not up high enough to start the en-
CINE,
George ought to have fired up at five,
but he must have been sleeping at his
post continued he.
"Well," said Minnes father, II will
tell Louis to pay him his wages and dis
charge him.
When James heard my name mentioned,
| could see that he trembcd 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.
IL don't know" 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" said Mr.. Smith, leav-
ing the fire room.
| felt faint and weary, yet remained at
my post. James was passing to and fro
with restless steps. Once he stopped and
lifted the safety valve from which now
came a sound like sigh Quickly he
dropped the chord connected with the
lever, and something like groan escaped
from his halt-open mouth
He then lit his pipe, but after one or
two putts he threw it upon a bench.
Then again he resumed his rapid walk
| looked at the steam gauge. 1t indicated
ten pounds pressure 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 ismy time" thought
|, rising up and jumping on the boiler of
the engine.
James-Jamesw cried I, and my voice
sounded even strange to me. He quickly
turned and sank upon his knees as he saw
my form standing few feet from where
he had been at work.
Mercy, mercyw growled he, with up
lifted hands
NO mercy to murderer y shouted |,
jumping from the boiler with the inten-
ton of seizlng him.
But he was too quick for me. With
cry of intense horror he sprang to his feet
and ran up the broad steps leading to the
upper part of the mill
Save me, save me p shouted he to the
workmen, rushing past them to the log
way.
"Stop him, stop him." shoutedI, spring
ing after him. The men gave shout, but
instead of following him they ran away,
some crying "a ghost, ghost !" and others
" a crazy man"
Without needing their outcries I fol
lowed James, still crying "stop him, stop
him ~
He ran toward place called "Turnback
Greek" The creek was appropriately
named. Three hundred yards from the
mill wasa steep precipice, over which the
water Of the creek plunged with fearful
roar.
stop, James, stop. You are running
to the jaws of DEATH" shouted | when |
saw him only few feet from the edge of
the chasm
The sound of my voice only seemed to
add more speed to his steps Presently
for moment he stopped and turning his
ashen face towards me, then he gave a
bound like "a deer, and disappeared from
my sight
God have mercy on his soul" muir.
INJURED |, sinking exhausted to the ground.
Then for q time remember no more.
A week passed by before my mind was
clear enough to recognize those who were
dear to me.
Minnie told me that had passed through
a violent brain fever.
What has become Of the engineer ?"
James is dead and buried, said she in
answer to my question. They found
him lying at the front of the waterfall.
He lived long enough TO confess that he
had put you in the boiler, and that he sup
posed that it was your ghost that haunted
him | Drgvpd with min, until l,a Iroatb al
his last, He died penitent"
! afterwards learned from the working.
men that they were terribly frightened at
my appearance,
You looked just like a man coming out
Of fight, with blood all over youand your
clothes in RAGS" said the second sawyer.
Two months passed away before | was
able to leave my bed. Then Minnie be.
came my wife, and we are yet living in
the cottage close by the mill.--Sda Fran-
cisco GJldtH Era.
Safe IupkS