The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1869-09-17


by large beam. BY jumping upon the
boiler could reach that shelf 1 was
not minute too soon. Scarcely was |
concealed behind the beam before 1 saw
James enter the engine room. He look
ed very pale, and large black circles
were around his eyes, as if he had pass
ed sleepless night.
There was no partition between the
boiler and engine room. One glance at
the steam gauge told him that the
watchman had neglected his duty. He
rushed down the few steps in front of
the furnace and shouted to the fire.
man.
'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 tho
furnace huge pile of shavings. Mr..
Smith ent tered the fire room, and James
explained to him why steam was not
up high enough to start the engine.
"George ought to have fired up at five,
but suppose he was sleeping at his
post" he continued.
"Well," said the father of Minnie, II
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 his breakfast ,and he did
not sleep in his room last night" said
Mr.. Smith.
'I-I don't know" faltered the gull
ty wretch, turning away.
"He said to the second sawyer that
he was going to S--upon some busi-
ness,7 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,
leaving 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 sound like sigh. Quickly
hedropped the cords connected with
tho lever, and something like groan
escaped from his half-open mouth.
He then lit his pipe but after one or
two puffs be threw it upon a bench.
Then again he resumed his rapid walk
/ looked at the steam gauge. Itindica-
ted 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 is my
time" thought l, rising up and jump
ing on the boiler next the engine.
"James-James !" cried /, and my
voice sounded even strange to me. He
f quickly turned and sank upon his knees
as he saw my form standing a few feet
from where he had been at work.
"Mercy, mercyr groaned he with
uplifted hands.
'No mercy to a murdererW shouted
. l., jumping from the boiler with the in
tention of seizing him.
But he was too quick for me. With a
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 !" he shouted to
: the workmen, rushing past them upon
the logway.
, "Stop him, stop himn' shouted l
, springing after him. The men gave a
shout, but instead of following him they
ran away, some crying, "a ghost! a
ghost !" and Others "a crazy man !"
, Without needing their outcries / fol-
f lowed James, still crying "stop him I!
stop him!'
He ran toward place called "Turn-
n back Creek.n The creek was appropri-
9 atty named. Three hundred yards from
Y the mill was steep precipice, over
, which the water of the creek plunged
with frightful roar.
"Stop, James, stop. You are running
+ TO the jaws Of death !" shouted / when
, l saw him only few feet from the edge
! of the chasm.
y VI NOiSc oliy otCIilt'i
, to add more speed to his steps. Pres
. emily for momeut he stopped an
q turned his ashen face towards me, thei
: he gave bound like deer and disal
a peared from my sight.
.
q A week passed by before my minc
d was clear enough to recognize those wh'
q were dear to me.
o Minnie told me that / had passc
/ through a violent brain fever.
"What has become of the eugineer?'
"James is dead ami buried" said sh,
| in answer to my question. "1'hey foun,
h him lying at the foot of the waterfall
o lie lived long enough to confess thu
: he had put you in the boiler, and thu
g he supposed that ii was your ghost thn
If haunted him. prayed with him unit
,s he breathed his last. lie died penitcnt
afterwards learned from the work
Y men that they were terribly frlghtonoC
@ at my appearance.
"a "YOu lust looked like man comm,
q out ofa fight, with blood all over yol
q and your clothes in rags ~ said the sec
n ond sawyer.
Two months passed away before
q was able to leave my bed. Then Min
v ME became my wife, and we are yo
k living in the cottage by the mill.-.SaI
n Francisco Golden Era.
At
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