Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1873-12-04

made. lie always wore a cheerful
smile through those troublous times,
as much as to say, "Look at me, if you
want to see model man of business.
1 don't speculate. Idon't get involved.
Mark my consequent prosperity" Now
when l see a man with good deal of
bluster and swagger about him, l
always make up my mind that he is o
coward at heart. And when some peo-
pie parade their financial soundness,
the Wall Street animals always snuff
rottenness somewhere. 1t must have
been on this principle that ! began to
suspect that Harkness wasn't SO safe
after all.
One night l was delayed by an un-
expected break down in gearing, and
stayed in my cellar long after the girls,
the clerk. and the fireman had gone,
hard at work tinkering at the engine.
No one was in the factory but Hark-
ness and myself. l do not think he
suspected my presence. AS was
taking Off my overalls and fixing up,
heard heavy drag come up to our
door. There we're four or five men
with it, who were not our regular cart
men. They jumped out, were let in
through the half closed doors Of the
main floor above me, and were led up
stairs by Harkness. Presently they
reappeared, bearing cases of various
kinds Of stock, fancy paper, gliding
stuff, light machinery and different
odds and ends, with which they loaded
the drag, and then drove Off again.
All was done in such quiet, mysteri-
GUS way, that it was evident that some
thing wrong was being done. What
could it be! The men were not rob-
bcrs, for there was Mr.. Harkness, and
he sole owner Of the factory. A man
does not commit larceny on his own
property. | couldn't make it out at
all
! started to 90. just as | entered
the office from below, Harkness came
in by the passage way door from the
door above. He startod perceptibly
when he saw me, but instantly regain
cd his composure, and said, rs cool as
you please:
"Ah! you're late Bill. What's
wrong to-day: Hope you won't blow
us up for week or SO yet. We're do
ing a staving business, Bill" Uthink
| see him now, washing his hands
with invisible soap in imperceptible
water" with that self-satistied. hy-
pocrtcal leer on his face ''Just sen,
a load Of fine boxes down TO the Wing
ed .irrotc. She sails tomorrow, so We
had to ship in Il hurry. Five boxes !;
and beautiful vessel, Bill. Good
night to you" Good night, sir,
said /. and left.
As went up the street, another dray
passed, driven towards the factory.
| had the curiosity TO turn and watch
10 see whether it, too, stopped there.
II did, and when reached the corner
of Broadway, | stopped and looked
back once more. There. in the dark
enng twilight, the same process of
hurried loading was being repeated.
1t seemed to be all right. Iarkness
was there, but somehow, wasn't quite
satisfied. Trimming machines are not
fine assorted gilt edged boxes, by any
manner of means, you know. And |
knew it too, though, very likely, old
darkness didn't give me credit for be-
ing so well posted. Well, if couldn't
settle the question, the next best thing
was to give it mp. And give it up |
did.
Next morning went over, as usual,
to the factory. jim, the stoker, opens
ed the doors always, as he had to be
early to tend TO the fires, which we
banked every night. l expected to
see jim. but was much surprised when
saw Harkness. This time it was he
who came up through the cellar door
and through the other. AS before,
we met unexpectedly. Now it was my
turn to be surprised. He was intense
pale, and seemed much agitated
With a strong effort of the will he
strove to conceal his strange manner.
He endeavored TO speak calmly, and
half succeeded.
Bill" said he, Jim has tended to
the engine. its all right come outside
with me, | want to talk to you"
He turned to the cellar door anC
shouted Jim, come up, come up at
once. Run over to Mr.. Brent's pri-
vate house-you know where that is
and tell him not to discount that bill
to-day. Be quick!"
"Yes sir, coming," sung out Jim
leisurely.
Suddenly he tore up the cellar steps.
His face was ten shades paler thar
Harknesa an expression of horror wa:
fixed on his features-an expression OF
agony and fear that shall never for
get. 1t haunts me still. 1t will stay
by me till my dying day. Poor fellow
he's gone, too, since then.
Jim hardly stopped in his wild flight
as he hoarsely whispered, rather than
cried:
HUNDRED and ten on the steam
guage! Safety valve clogged!! Run
for your lives y! J"
l took in the situation at once. Ter.
rible the danger was. The old boiler
was registered at eighty pounds to the
square inch, but we never dared run
higher than thirty. And a hundred
and ten! We were standing directly
over it, and while 1 hesitated, the
pressure must be steadily rising. 1t
flashed upon me that there might be nc
more danger in jumping down and
pressing the safety valve, than in run,
ming away, and in spite Of the awful
panic, l had prejudice against run
ming.
Hooked down from the doorway,
upon the trembling, painting, strug-
Cling steam demon beneath. The
safety valve apparatus was in plain
sight.
From the end Of the leuer hung sever
al huge links ofchain.
s.I don't think I'm a cnwar ard- -uSuol l.