Sierra County advocate., 1892-08-26

the stairs when he saw peering al
the half open door what in the
dim light appeared to be demon
face; or the face of a ghost oil
goblin damned"
The eyes that met those OF
"Baldy' vera widely distended and
in them blazed an unnatural and
fiendish light which seemed the
glare of madness. The head ap-
peared to be hairless, and in the
dusk at the top Of the stair it al
first looked as though there alone
there without a body. 1t was
then that "Baldy" began TO fee
queer sensations about the summit
of his Uranium, and had he not had
head as bare as turnip his hat
would have been lifted from his
head. However, nature did her
best and his scalp went through
the motions of erecting his absent
hair. But, as Mr. Golden stood
gazing at the face, it began to
advance, and he saw that it belong
ed to withered old Chinaman.
The Chinaman slowly descended
the stairs and Mr.. Golden as slow
ly backed down them to regain the
floor of his engineroom. The old
Celestial followed him up, speak
ing not a word, but staring at him
with wild and widely distended
eyes.
There being nothing at hand
that would serve for weapon OF
defence, Mr.. Golden suddenly
darted around the pumping engine
putting that huge piece of machin-
cry between himself aud his mid
night visitor.
The Chinaman gIare1 at the
engineer for moment and then
started to climb straight across
the engine toward him. The en-
gine was on the down stroke
when this attempt was made, and
the Chinaman was just crossing
the huge rod or walking beam that
forms the connection between the
plston-rod and the blshop-bead of
the pump-bob, when the great
beam arose with the old fellow
astride of it.
Seated astride the walking beam,
the Chinaman seemed quite at
home appeared indeed well pleas
ed with the novelty of the position
in which he so unexpectly found
himself. Had he been two feet
nearer the bishop-head, he would
have had been crushed to death at
the first stroke of the pump. 1t
chanced, however, that the position
he occupied was the only safe one
on the whole length of the beam.
In vain Mr.. Golden called to the
insane wretch to get off the beam.
He seemed to enjoy the motion,
and as the beam sawed the air the
old fellow, grinning horribly, COM
posedly sat astride of it his long
tail swinging to and fro like pen
dulum.
At the end of each stroke the
beam makes momentary halt, and
during one of these Mr.. Golden
took hold of the Chlnaman and
tried to get him off his perilous
position, but the old fellow drew
q double edged knife with blade
over foot in length. which he be-
gan whirling around his head in a
wild and threatening manner. The
old Celestial all this time spake 10
ineligible word, though as he
sawed the mir he occasionally gave
vent to a horrible gurgling laugh.
1t seemed evident that the old fell |
low was insane from the use OF |
opium and what to do with him,
Mr.. Golden did not know. Finally |
he got long iron rod, and with it
tickled the Celestial gymnast in
the RIBS, making it so unpleasant |
for him that after hacking the iron
for a time with his knife he got off |
the beam in about thu same way
that he got on it.
He was then backed out OF the
works at the end OF the rod, seem-
ing only to have sense enough 10
move when he received a prod III
the rlbs.
Tho old Cbinamau WAS lyifhout