Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1877-06-27


So told him. He received my an
swer with nod and smile, and then
proposed to go and get the engine. l
went with him to the house. where
we found the iron horse in charge of
the fireman, and all ready for the
start. Kroller got upon the platform
and | followed him. had never seen
man betray such peculiar aptness
amid the machinery as he did. He
let on the steam in an instant, but vet
with care and judgment. and he
backed up to the baggage carriage with
the most exact nicely. | had seen
enough to assure me that he was thor
oaghly acquainted with the business,
and | felt composed once more. | gave
the engine up 20 my new man and
FASTENED away to the Office. The word
was passed for all passengers to take
their seats, and soon afterward |
waved my hand to the engineer. There
was putf-a grooming of the heavy
axletrees-a trembling of the building
land the train was in motion. |
leaped upon the platform of the guard
carriage, and in few moments more
the station house was behind us.
In less than an hour we reached Dir
schau, where we took up the passen-
gers that had come in on the konigs-
berg Railway. Here l went forward
and asked Kroller how he liked the en-
CINE. He replied that he liked it
much.
But" he added, with a strange
sparkling of the eyes, wait until you
get my improvement, and then you
shall see travelling. BY the soul of the
Virgin Mother, sir. ! could run an en-
CINE of my construction to the moon
in four-and-twenty hours"
/ smiled at what thought his quaint
enthusiasm. and then went back to my
station. AS soon as the konigsberg
passengers We're all on board. and their
baggage-crate attached, we started on
again.
As soon rs all matters had been at
tended to connected with the new ac-
cession of passengers, | went into the
guard-carriage and sat down. An early
train from konigsberg had been
through two hours before, SO we only
has one more stopping-place before
reaching Brombelg, and that was at
Little Oscue, where we took the west
ern mail.
GLOW we go" uttered one of the
guard, some fifteen minutes after we
had left Dirschau.
"The new engineer is trying the
speed" | returned, not yet having any
fear.
But ere long, | began to be fearful
that he was running little too fast.
The carriages began to sway to and
fro, and could hear the EXPLANATIONS
of fear from the passengers.
"GOod heavens" cried one of the
guard, coming in at that moment,
"what is that fellow doing? Look,
sir, and see how we are going"
| looked out at the window and
found that we were dashing along at a
speed never before travelled on that
road. Posts, fences, rocks and trees
flew by in one undistinguishabe mass,
and the carriage now Swayed feartully.
| started to my feet, and met passen-
ger on TIE platform. He was one of
our chief owners of the road, and was
just on his way to Boston. He was
pale and excited
"Sir," he gasped, sis Martin Krol-
Ter on the engine?'
YES" | told him.
Holy Virgin Didn't you know
him.
know him 2" l repeated, some
what puzzled. "What do you mean !?
He told me his name was Kroller. and
that he was an engineer. We had no
one to run the engine, and -"
"You took him. interrupted the
man. Good heavens, sir, he is as
crazy rs man can bel He turned his
brain over new plan for applying
steam power. | saw him at the sta
ton, but | did not then recognize him,
as | was liz hurry. Just now one of
the passengers told me that your en-
gineers were all gone this morning,
and that you found one who was a
stranger to you. Then l knew the
man whom l had seen was Martin
kroller. He has escaped from the
hospital at Stettin. You must get him
off somehow.
The whole fearful truth was now
open to me. The speed of the train
was increasing at each moment, and |
knew that few miles more per hour
would surely launch us all into de-
struction. | called to the guard, and
then made my way forward as quickly
as possible. | reached the after plat
form of the tender, and there stood
kroller upon the engine-board, his han
and coat off; his long black hair float
ing wildly in the wind his shirt un-
buttoned at the throat; his sleeves
rolled up, with pistol i'll his teeth,
and thus glazing upon the fireman,
who lay motiouless on the fuel. The
furnace was stuffed till the very latch