The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1866-12-15
Dickens's Christmas Story.
MUGBY JUNCTION.
THE SIGNAL-MAN.
TTonJiDptpI

[ContiRHed.l
followed his action with my eyes,
and it was the action Of my arm geStic-
ulating with the utmost passion and
vehemence "For Gods sake, clear the
way"
"Onc moonlight night" said the man,
Il was sitting here, when l heard 4
voice cry 'Halloa! Below there" |
started up, looked from that door, and
saw this Some one else standing by the
red light near the tunnel, waving as
Just now showed you. The voice seemed
hoarse with shouting, and it cried,
Look ont! Look outp And then again
'Halloa! Below there! Look ont" l
caught up my lamp, turned it on red,
anGr ran towards the figure, calling,
What's wrong What has happened I
Where p 1t stood Just outside the
blackness of the tunnel. advanced so
close upon it that l wondered at its
keeping the sleeve across its eyes.
ran right up at it, and had my hand
stretched out to pull the sleeve away,
when it was gone
'Into the tunnel" said l.
mo. ran on into the tunnel, five
hundred yards. l stopped and held my
lamp above my head, and saw the hg-
ures of the measured distance, and saw
the wet stains stealing down TIE wall
and trickling through the arch. l ran
out again, faster than had run III (ior
had q mortal abhorrence of the place
uron mc), and / looked all round the
red light with my own red light, and
went IN the iron ladder to the gallery
atop Of it, and came down again, ana
ran back here. | telegraphed both
ways: AN alarm has been given. is
anything wrong" The answer came
back, both ways: All well"
Resisting the slow touch OF frozen
finger tracing out my spine, l showed
him how that this figure must he de-
ccption of his sense of sight, and
how that figures, originating IN
disease of the delicate nerves
that minister To the functions of the
eve. were known 10 have often troubled
patients. some of whom had become
conscious Of the nature OF their affiic-
ton. and had proved it by experiments
upon themselves. ''As to an imaginary
cry" said /, "do but listen for mo-
mcnt to the wind III this unnatural
valley while we speak so low, and to
the wild harp it makes OF the telegraph
wires"
That was all very WELL he returned,
after we had sat listening for q while,
and he ought to know something OF the
wind and the wires, he who SO often
passed long winter nights there. alone
and watching. But he would beg to
remark that he had not finished.
| asked his pardon, and he slowly
added these words, touching my arm -
.Within six hours after the Appear
oncc the memorable accident on this
Line happened, and within ten hours
the dead and wounded were brought
along through the tunnel over the spot
where the figure had stood"
4 disagrecable shuddcr crept over me,
but | did my best against it. 1t was
not TO be denied, rejoined, that this
was remarkable coincidence, calcula-
ted deeply to impress the mind. But 1T
was unGuestionablc that remarkable
condolences did continually occur,
and they must be taken into account in
dealing with such subject. Though
70 he sure | must admit, added (for l
Thought saw that he was going to
bring the objection to bear upon me),
men of common sense did not allow
much for condolences in making the
ordinary calculations of life.
He again begged to remark that he
had not finished.
Iagain begged his pardon for being
betrayed into Interruptions.
This" he said, again laying his hand
npon my arm, and glancing over his
shoulder with hollow eyes, "was Just a
wear ago. Six or seven months passed,
and had recovered from the surprise
and shock. when one morning, as the
day was breaking, /, standing ut that
door, looked towards the red light, and
saw the spectre again." He stopped,
with fixed look Mt me.
"Did it cry out ]"
"No. 1t was SILENT
oDid it wave its armf'
"No. 1t leaned against the shaft OF
the light, with both hands before the
face. Like this
Once more, followed his action with
nv eyes. 1t was an action of mourn
ing. have seen such an attitude IN
stone figures on tombs.
"Did you go up to it =
II came in and sat down, partly to
collect my thoughts, partly because 1t
had turned me faint. When went to
the door again, daylight was above me,
and the ghost was gone"
"But nothing followed Nothing came
of this y
He touched me on the arm with his
forefinger twice or thrice, giving a
shastly nod each time:-
THAT very day. rs train came ont
of the tunnel, noticed, at carriage
window on my side, what looked like 4
confusion of hands and heads, and some
thing waved. saw it just in time TO
signal the driver, Stop. He shut off,
and nut his brake on. but the train
drifted past here hundred and fifty
wards or more. ran after it, and, as |
went along, heard terrible screams and
cries. A beautiful Young lady had died
instantaneouSly in one of the compart-
ments, and was brought in here, and
! laid down on this floor between u.s.
InvOluntarily pushed my chair back,
rs ! looked from the boards 1t which he
pointed, to himself
"True, sir. True. Precisely as it
happened, so tell it to you."
could think of nothing to say, to
any purpose, and my mouth was very
dry. The wind and the wires took up
the story with long lamenting vail.
He resumed. Now, sir, mark this,
and Judge how my mind is troubled.
The spectre came back, a week ago,
Ever since, it has been there, now and
again, By fits and starts" s,i5z y :.
XXI. .vtT& <-LsAaH