I.
THE TERROR OF THE PRAIRIES.
'HOWLY vargin! what is that?' Mickey McSquizzle, with something like amazement.
'By the Jumping Jehosiphat, if that don't, all natur'!'
'It's the divil, loose, full steam on!'
There was good for these upon the part of the Yankee and Irishman, as they on the of Wolf Ravine, and off over the prairie. Several miles to the north, something like a man be approaching, at a for a seconds, when it its speed, until it moved.
Occasionally it its course, so that it nearly at right angles. At such times, its were out in full relief, looking like some Titan as it took its over the prairie.
The was too great to the closely; but they see that a black of either from its mouth or the top of its head, while it was it a of carriage, in which a single man was seated, who appeared to the movements of the being in of him.
No wonder that something like have the of the two men who had for gold, for a minutes, to view the apparition; for such a thing had been of at that day, by the most philosophers; much less had it entered the of these two men on the western prairies.
'Begorrah, but it's the divil, to his 'waging, his wife the reins!' Mickey, who had his from the object.
'That there in the is a man,' said Hopkins, looking as in the same direction. 'It to me,' he added, a moment later, 'that there's somebody else a-sit-ting alongside of him, either a dog or a boy. Wal, naow, ain't that queer?'
'Begorrah! begorrah! do ye that? What shall we do?'
At that instant, a like that of some came home to them across the plains, and looked around, as if about to in terror; but the of the Yankee him. His practical saw that it might be, it was a contrivance, and there be nothing about it.
'Look!'
Just after its ear-splitting screech, it toward the two men, and with the black from the top of its head, came along at a rate.
Mickey some nervousness, but he was by the of Ethan, who his position with his upon it.
Coming at such a speed, it was not long in the space. It was yet hundred yards distant, when Ethan Hopkins gave Mickey a upon the shoulder.
'Jerusalem! who do ye s'pose naow, that man is in the and the reins?'
'Worrah, worrah! why do you ax me, I'm so that I don't know who I am myself?'
'Its Baldy.'
'Git out!' the Irishman, but added the next moment, 'am I or dhraming? It's Baldy or his ghost.'
It was no ghost, from the manner in which it acted; for he sat with his on one side, a pipe in his mouth, and the two in his hands, just as the driver the and them well in hand.
He was seated upon a large of wood, while near a little hump-backed, bright-eyed boy, with at the performance of the machine.
The speed of the steam man slackened, until it came opposite the men, when it came to a halt, and the 'Baldy,' as he was called, (from his having his years before, by the Indians), his and said:
'Glad to see you hain't gone under yit. How'd you along while I was gone?'
But the men were able to answer any questions yet, until they had learned something more about the them. Mickey away, as the at of the locomotive, which, the boy (at a from Baldy), gave a in his hand a twitch, the nose of the thing out a of steam with the of the whistle. Mickey a dozen backward, and would have off at full speed the ravine, had not Ethan Hopkins his arm.
'What's the matter, Mickey, naow! Hain't you anything like a whistle?'
'Worrah, worrah, now, but is that the way the its nose? It must have a voice when it at night.'
Perhaps at this point a of the should be given. It was about ten in hight, to the top of the 'stove-pipe hat,' which was after the common order of coverings, with a brim, all painted a black. The was of iron, painted a black color, with a pair of eves, and a mouth. A whistle-like was to answer for the nose. The steam proper and boiler, were where the in a being is to be, also into a large over the and back. A pair of arms, like projections, the shafts, and the were with spikes, as though he were the of base-ball players. The were long, and the step was natural, when running, at which time, the in the different from a being.
In the were the valves, by which the steam or water was examined. In was a painted of a vest, in which a door opened to the fuel, which, together with the water, was in the wagon, a pipe along the and with the boiler.
The lines which the driver the of the steam man; thus, by the on the right, a was which it in that direction, and the same on the other side. A small rod, which ran along the right shaft, let out or off the steam, as was desired, while a cord, along the left, the at the nose.
The of this were a apart, so as to avoid the of its upsetting, and at the same time, there was more room for the play of the within. Long, sharp, spike-like those of the feet, so that there was little of its slipping, while the length of the that, under circumstances, the steam man must be of very great speed.
After Ethan Hopkins had some what himself with the of this piece of mechanism, he upon a more examination.
The door being opened in front, a of in the of the giant; the in the themselves apparent, and the top of the or smoke-stack had a sieve-like arrangement, such as is on the locomotive.
There were other little in the way of a draft, and of it off when too great, which be without a of the itself.
The steam man was a looking object, being painted of a black, with a pair of white its legs, and with a which was to be of a color, but, which was a red.
To give the an of room, the steam man was corpulent, out to proportions, which, after all, was little out of with its hight.
The was an ordinary four-wheeled vehicle, with springs, and very wheels, a being arranged, so that when necessary it be covered. To against the of it was very broad, with low wheels, which it may be safely said were to 'hum' when the got under way.
Such is a and Imperfect of this steam man, as it appeared on its visit to the Western prairies.
