The daily gazette., 1878-01-28
A Midnight Visitor.

N MlOnlkmt vlSfuOfs
THE STARTLING EXPERIENCE OF AN EN-
GINEER--A DEMON AsTRIDE OF THE
WALKING BEAM.
From the Virginia [Nev.] Enterprise.
Two night ago, about the hour when
dread things come up from graves, Mr..
Golden, engineer at the G. and G. shaft,
had an experience by no means pleasant.
He was on duty down In that part of the
works where stands the huge pumping
engine and also the big air compressor
called Eolus. This room is down in the
basement of the main building, and Is
reached by flight of steps, at the top of
which Is a door leading to the main floor
of the hosting works.
Mr.. Golden was moving about among
his machinery when he presently became
conscious of blast of cold air. Looking
up he saw that the door at the head OF
the stairs was partly open. He assembled,
closed the door and returned to his work.
1t was not long before he felt another
blast of air. Again he assembled the stairs
and closed and latched the door. This
time he was sure he latched the door, as
before he thought it might have been
opened by the jar of the machinery.
Being sure that the door was fastened,
he thought no more about it until he
again felt the rush of cold air. Looking
up he saw that the door was again open.
This time Mr.. Golden rushed up the
stairs somewhat wrathfully, and not only
closed and latched the door, but also gave
, it kick before turning to leave 1t.
He had just begun TO look at his steam
guages and regulate this, that and the
other little things about the great pump.
ing engine, when he became conscious OF
the presence of the chill blast that had
before disturbed him. The door was
again partly open. 1t had never before
acted so, and, in spite of himself, he be.
gan to feel an unpleasant sensation about
the roots of his hair-a sort of stiffening
Somewhat reluctantly he again left his
work and started to close the doo.. He
ascended about half the steps of the stairs
when he saw peering in at the half open
door demon face. The eyes were widely
distended, and in them burned an un-
natural and fiendish light which seemed
| the glare of madness. The head appeared
to be hairless, and at first looked az
though there alone, without body. But
as Mr.. Golden stood gazing at the face,
1t began to advance, and he saw that II
belonged to withered old Chinaman.
The Chinaman slowly descended the
stairs and Mr.. Golden as slowly moved
back to regain the floor of the engine
! room. The Chinaman followed him up
speaking not word, but staring at hin
with wild and widely-distended eyes.
| There being nothing Mt hand thai
would serve for a weapon of desense, Mr.
Golden suddenly darted round the
pumping engine, putting that huge piec'
of machinery between himself and hi,
midnight visitor.
The Chinaman glared at the engineer
for moment and then started to ciiml
straight across the engine toward him
| The engine was on the down stroke
when this attempt was made, and th'
Chinaman was just crossing the huge thu
rod or walking beam that forms the con
J nection between the piston and rod ant
the bishop head of the pump bob, whei
the great beam arose with the Mongoliai
astride of it,
Seated astride the walking beam, tn,
Chinaman seemed quite at home-indee,
he appeared to feel rather pleased witt
the novelty of the position in which h
SO unexpectedly found himself. Had h
been two feet nearer the bishop head h,
would have been crushed to death at tn
first stroke OF the pump. 1t chanced
however, that the position he occupie'
was about the only safe one the Who'll
length of the beam.
/ In vain Mr.. Golden called to the insan
wretch to get off the beam. He scenes
to enjoy tine motion, and as the bean
sawed the air he sat composedly astrid
of it, his long tail swaying in the air lik
pendulum.
The beam made momentary halt a
the end of each stroke, and during on
, of these Mr.. Golden took hold of tn
Chnaman and tried to get him out of hi
, perilous position, but the fellow drew
! donble-edged knife, with a blade som
, twelve inches long, which he bega
whirling about his head in wild threat
! ening manner. The Chinaman all thi
time spoke no intelligible word, Nj
Golden knew not what to do with him
r and he was evidently insane from til
, use or from the deprivation of opium.
r Finally he got an iron rod, and wit
the end of il he tickled the Celestial gym
, mast in the ribs, making it SO unpleasant
, for him that, after hacking the iron for
time with his knife, he presently got o.
the beam in about the same way that h
got on it.
, He was backed out of the works at tn
end of the iron rod, seeming only to hav
, sense enough to move when he receive
prob in the ribs. The old Chinama
was in his stocking feet-was withou
shoes or hat--therefore it is probabl
that he left one of the opium dens in tn
4 Chinese quarter, which is but a few rod
/ from the shaft, and in a sort of opinr
trance or delirium wandered into til
!, works and down to the engine room
, where he gave Mr. Golden such
strange "ittle game"
+. l.. FRANK, 500 Market street,