The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1906-12-08

/ HAWKINS spuItered. Les .s.nQ.ns too
much steami"
For moment / didn't quite catch
the significance; then faltered with
| suddsn weakness:
Hawkins, you said that this plate
correspondent to the cylInder-head of
an engine? Then the tube beneath US
is full Of steam?o"
Yes, yes
And if I've get too much steam-as
we seem to be getting it, will the plate
blow OFF,,
"Yes-no -yes-no, OF course not"
| answered Hawkins, family. It's bolt
ed down with
But il it.shou1d,' / said, dashing the
steamlng perspiratIon from my eyes
for another look at the accursed plate.
If it should" the inventor admit
ted, we'd either go up to Heaven on
it, or we'd stay here aud drop!"
"Help!" I screamed.
Look out! Look QUIT Hug the
wall! Hawkins shrieked.
A mighty spasm shook the HYDRO
Vapor Lift. I fell fiat and rolled in
stinetiyely to one side. Then, ere my
beWlldered senses could grasp what
was occurring my ears were split by a
terrific roar.
e. The roof of the car disappeared as
If by magic. and through the opening
shot that huge, round plate of iron.
seemingly waited upon cloud OF
dense white vapor. Then the steam
obseured all else. and felt that we
We're falling.
Yes, for an instant the car seemed tos
shudder uncertainty - then she drop
ped!
can hardly say more Of our de-
scent from the fatal thirteenth story.
In one seeond-not more, I am GER
tain-12 spots of light, representing II
| floors, whizzed past US.
recall very definite impression
that the Blank building was making.
an outrageous trip straight upward
from New York; and l wondered how
the occupants were going to return
| and whether they would sue the build
ing people for detention from business.
But just as | was debating this in
teresting point, earthly concerns
seemed to cease.
In the cellar Of the Blank building
annex pile of excelsior and bagging
and ether refuse packing materials
protruded into the shaft where once
had been the Hawkins Hydro-Vapor
Lift. That fact, I suppose, saved lis
from eternal smash.
At any rate, l realized after time
that my life had been spared, and
sat up on the cement flooring of the
cellar
Hawkins was standing by steel
pillar smiling blankly Steam, by the
cubic mile, l think, was pouring from
the flooring of the Hydro-Vapor Lift
and wi1irling up the shaft.
struggled to my feet and tried TO
walk-and succeeded, very much to my
own establishment. Shaken and bruised
and half dead from the shock / GER
tainly was, but could still travel.
picked up my coat and turned to
Hawkins.
IL think I'll go home he said,
weakly. I'm not well, Griggs."
We ascended the winding stair and
passed through door at the top, and
instead of reaching the annex we
stepped into the lower hall of the
Blank building itself.
The place was full Of steam. Peo-
pie were tearing around and yelling
"Fire!' at the top of their lungs.
Women were screaming. Clerks were
racing back and forth with big books.
Older men appeared here and there,
hurriedly making their exit with cash
boxes and bundles of documents. There
was an exodus to jig-time going on
in the Blank building
Above it all, a certain man, his face
conyulsed with anger, shouted at the
crowd that there was no danger-ro
fire Hawkins shrank as his eyes fell
upon this parsonage.
Lord! That's one Of the owners!'s
he said. I'm going!"
We, too, made for the door, and
had almost attained it when a heavy
hand fell upon the shoulder of Haw-
kins.
You're the man I'm looking forte
said the hard, angry tones of the pro-
prietor you come back with mel
Dye know what you've done? Hey?
Dye know that you've ruined that ele-
vator shaft? Dye know that thou
sand-pound casting dropped on our
roof and smashed 1t and wrecked two
offices? Oh. you won't slip out like
that He frightened his grip on Hawk
ms shoulder. You've got little set
Ting to do with me, Mr.. Hawkins.
And I want that man who was with
you, too, for
That meant me! A sudden swirl of
steam enveloped my person When It
had lifted, was invisible.
For my only course had sesmed to
fold my tents like the Arabs, and as
silently steal away; only am GER
tain that no Arab ever did 1t with
greater expedition and less ostenta-
ton than used on that particular oc-
cas1on.
Copyright, 1906, by W. G. Chapman.)
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