Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1874-04-18

composure, and said, as cool as yor
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 staving business, Bill" G think
! see him now washing his hands will
invisible soap in iinperceptible water,
with that dissatisfied, hypocritical leel
on his face. "Just sent load of fine
boxes down to the Winged Arrow. She
sails tomorrow, so We had to ship IN
hurry. Fine boxes; and beautiful
vessel, Bill Good night to you.
"Good night, sir, said |, and left.
AS | went up the street, another dray
passed, driven toward the factory.
had the curiosity to turn and watch tc
see whether it, too, stopped there. II
did, and when | reached the corner OF
Broadway, l stopped and looked back
once more. There, i'll the darkenine
twilight, the same process of hurried
loading was being repeated. 1t seemed
to be all right. Harkness was there,
but, somehow, | wasn't quite satisfied.
Trimming machines are not fine assort
ed gilt edged boxes, by any manner OF
means, you know. And | knew it too,
though, very likely, old Harkness didn't
give me credit for being so well posted.
Well, if | couldn't settle the question,
the next best thing was to give it up.
And give it upI did.
Next morning / went over, as usual,
to the factory. jim, the stoker opened
the doors always, as he had to be early
to tend to the fires, which we banked
every night. [ expected to see Jim,
but was much surprised when [ saw
Hardness 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 intensely pale,
and seemed much agitated. With a
strong effort of the will he strove to
conceal his strange manner. He en-
deavoGed to speak calmly, and half sue
ceedod.
"Bin,' said he, "Jim has tended to
the engine, it's all right come outside
with me-I want to talk to YOU
| He turned to the cellar door and
shouted:
Jim, come up, come up at once.
Run over to Mr.. Brent's private house
you know where that is-and tell him
not to discount that bill to-day. BE
quick !"
Yes sir, coming" sang out Jim, leis-
urcly.
Suddenly he tore up the cellar steps.
| His face was ten shades paler than
Hardness, an expression of horror was
! fixed on his fcatures-an expression of
agony and fear that shall never forget.
1t haunts me still. 1t Will stay by me
till my dying day. Poor fellow, he's
one, too, since then.
Jim hardly stopped in his wild flight,
as he hoarsely whispered, rather than
cried:
" Hundred and ten on the steam
gauge Safety valve clogged!! !! Run
for your lives ~
/ | 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 Il hundred
and ten We arc standing directly over
it, and while | hesitated, the pressure
must be steadily rising. 1t ittiashedupon
me that there might be DO more danger
in jumping down and pressing the
safety valve than i'll running away, and
in spite of the awful panic, [ had q
prejudice against running.
| looked down from the doorway
upon the trembling, painting, struggling
steam demon beneath. The safety
valve apparatus was in plain sight.
From the end Of the lcacr huag scUe-
rat huge Gnhs Of chain.
l dou't think I'm coward-usually
at least, l know l am not, But that
evidence of villainy took me all aback.
| staggered and clung feebly to the
Intel for support. The words seemed
forced out OF me, and not uttered with
my volition:
"You scoundrel. You'd steal youl
! insurance, would you p
| A sudden vindjctive push sent me
| headlong. AS | fell | heard demoniae
laugh
| "'Peach if you want to y
And the door swung to with click OF
the spring lock.
At the foot of the steps an open trap
the sub-ce hatch. The distance was
so great that | had time to notice al
this. Would it hurt me much when
struck ? Would it kill me outright?
And that was all.
X Il i
When came to, found myself in /
well-remembcred room. Bessie, my
Bessie now, hung tendcrly over me
waiting for the light of recognition tt
appear in my fevered eye.
All was soon told. The boiler mus
have burst the very instant [ struck
Hardness was killed 10y flying piec,
of machinery the would-be murdere
had exchanged places with his victim
for l, strange as it may seem, was dus