Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1881-12-09

~ at ! 10 pounds, 81 l TUNED down the
valve to 200, for I knew we should need it
! all to make some of the heavy grades which
lay between us and c.. 1t was three
! miles to the next station. With the ex-
ceptiou of few curves the track was as
| good rs the last. AS we darted around
what conn only seemed rather long
curve at the station, but which at our rate
Of speed was short enough, looked at my
| watch. and we had done it in two minutes
and half.
''Gaininel" shouted back to Roberts,
who was standing on the platform Of the
coach.
''Look out for the heavy grades,'' he re-
piled, and went inside the car.
The next six miles rose gradually from a
level to a ten-and -a-h .lf-feet grade, the
last of which lay between us and the sta
tion. My fireman kept her full. and now
she began to get hot. The furnace door
| Was red, and the steam raised continually
SO that she kept her speed and passed that
station like streak of light in five min
| u es. Now came nine m les like the last,
over which she kept pace with her time,
and passed the station in seven and half
minutes.
Hare for ten miles we bad twenty loot
grade to encounter; but the worst of it all
was, at this place we ,uld be obliged to
stop for wo,d. l was just gong to spe ak
t. Roberts about it, " hen looked around
md saw him filling the tender from the
coach with wood which had been placed
there before starting, while he had gone
after me.
l believe we would have gone these tel
miles with The same speed as before. bu
through the carplessnessS of the frema
he fountain valve on the left-hand side al
the engine got openAd, and the water rose
in the boiler s, fast as TO run he s'eau
4 ,wn to 100 pounds before disc ,vereo
where t,e dlficllty Was. AT first Roberts
Hint appear to nolce the decrease OF
peed, and kept at work at the wood "a f
fl4ar life. Bat presently he look up, and
seeing that the sp5ed had decreased, ht
shonted:
Harry. we are stopping!'' and then.
;oming over to where was, he said: :
Why, here we have been ten minutes on
:pme to a dead stand if something il not
lone! The speed is contiL ually Stacking.
What's the mat' e,?''
explained the cause. He was applr-
-ntly satisfied with my explanation. and
'fter having tied down the safety valve h.
''imbei over the tender, exporting me
put her through, for God $ sake, or W.
ne all heggars together.''
Just then we passed the next station.
saving taking nine minu'es for eigh
niles. We we're now more than half nv~
he road, but we had lost nearly seo min
nfes time aud had only left twenty 81 We
minutes to d. thirty seven mil in. !
had shut the water off from both M
pumps a little distance hack when I dis
covered what was the m utter, and she wa
now making steam finely down slig
grade. From less than 100, with wheel
se started over that ten 10 lie stretch, Slit
u,
S the gauge indicated 10 higher tn Ii that
sud as he valve Was tied down, I could
lot tell how much over 200 pounds size
.arried; but she Ger a My arrird none less
the remainder OF the jour ey. Aud well
he might carry such an enormous head nt
steam. for after passing over that ten
nils in eight minutes there lay ten mile
Of five feet up grade and fourteen miles of
Wenty feet to The nile depression between
rs and c., and it was now Is min utes
o IL O'clock.
|. Now the engine was hot in earnest The
nruaca door, smnke-arch and chime,
we're all red, While she seemed Co fly on
ward as if The very evil one himself opera
led her machinery. six minutes carrie
is over that ten miles, and we darted b,
ha last station that had lain between Us
md C. Now we had 'urteen miles
~, and my time showed fifty three min
utes past II o'c ock. ''If live,' said I
nysslf. II will m Ike IT'D And we plunge
lON that tWenty-foot grade with ali
ST. am on. Persons who SAW tire rain o.
nat Wild run said 1t was so soon afte'
hey ne.rd tue first sound her approach
@hen the strange olj ct, which looked as
ii it was flame of lire. DATED by, and
hen the sound of travelling d ed away il
he distance, that they could hardly con-
vince tue selves they had really seen any
hing. Il seemed more like the creatur
# u wild dream than a sober reality.
And no let me tell you that no engine
VT be 1t the ii ne we made on those fous-
zen miles. Those great wheels, sew
feet In diameter, Spula ar sund SO swit ttIat
v)u coul1n't b-gin TO count the revou
IONS. The engine barely seemed to touc,
the track AS she flew along; and. although
he track was a. true as possible for it t,
'e, she sWtyed fearfullv, aud sometims
nads such prodigious Jclts that il required
N engine could hold together if crowded
t, a greater speed.
Well, just as care to standstill il
the depot at c. tie big clock doomed
out r. an the steamboat was getting he,
steam on. Roberts got on board in tim,
mi nothind to spare. But he saved the
money. lie found it hid away III some old
BOXES, as Allrich h ID directed him.
Royal AND IMPERIAL Dress Es.-At
the Court Concert in Vienna given in hon.