Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1870-02-03


proof suit, the hood over his head
and collar buttoned closely, but
saw that his face was very pale anC
his eyes cleaned with an unnatura
fire -rarl la MIA
"Whot in the world has happen.
ed, Rogers" said /. "You looh
as glum as If you were going to
your own funeral.n
"Mr. Woodbury. said he, ear.
nestly, "dQ you believe in presen.
timents ?"
"No," | said, "I certainly do
not They are all an old woman'e
perhaps 50. / wish I could
think so," said he, sadly. u have
been trying hard to. -wvE
q "What is it, EarlH Anything
gone wrong with Laura p for / did
not know but the little jade had
been playing off with him, after the
manner of women. 81
mo. You will laugh at me, Mr.,
Woodbury., but | must tell some
body or ] shall go out Of my wits, "
said he, half laughing, "and before
heaven l tell you it is all truth, =
Thursday afternoon I took a hand
car and went over to the Rocky
River bridge. l do not mind con
'fessing that | went on purpose to
get a glimpse of her home--per-
haps of herself. | stood at one
end of the bri ge-looking across
at the house-enraptured to see a
scarlet shawl l knew to be ners,
fitting in and out through the frost
bitten shruhbery of the garden =
And while | was looking at her /
heard footsteps, and glancing up,
I saao myself coming from the OPP
ooSite side Of the bridge! | was
dressed in this suit Of waterproof
my face was as pale as death, and
my wide open eyes were blank and
expressionless! Sir, you think l
am dazed, but ! am telling you the
truth. While l stood staring at
this vision, it disappeared, and
weak and trembling came back to
town. BY next day-yesterday-I
had reasoned myself out OF the be-
lief in anything Of the kind 1t was
a hallucination, | said, and to prove
it so l would 60 out there again
and see if it would appear the sec
ond time. / went again yesterday,
and, sir, the same thing was repeat
ed! 1t will come once more-and
then l shall go to my death! y
"Nonesensem said l. "Come,
Earl, be honest, and confess that
you had been taking too much
whisky"
81 never drink anything as you
know, Mr. Woodbury., returned he,
"and this thing was frightfully real.
And of one result / am satisfied
If | run the mail train out tonight
| shall be killed, and heaven knows
what will be the fate of the train
| suppose it could not be taken off
for tonight p
"Taken off! What the duce do
you mean p snapped l. This
road runs trains as advertised
cowardly engineers to the contrary
notwithstanding"
He looked at me sadly, reproach-
fully, and | could have kicked my
self for the way ! had talked to
him.
at is not on my own account,
sir" said he, "but it is only few
days before thanksgiving, and the
train will be full one. If there is
an accident it may be bad one"
"Accident p said | cOntemptu-
ously, "come in tomorrow and let
US laugh at you"
He bid me good night gravely,
and went out.
Presently the clock struck twelve,
and heard the three sharp success
sive whistles that told me that the
train was nearly ready.
A strange feeling Of apprehen
sion seized me. What if anything
should happen2
Yielding to an impulse which
would not be controlled, | threw on
my overcoat, turned out the gas,
locked the office and hurried over to
the depot just in season to- catch
the rail of the rear car and swing
myself on board.
Earl Rogers stood at his post,
pale and silent, yet altered and
BY the headlight of the locomo-
tive he could see the track for half
a mile ahead, and his keen eye
scanned every inch of the way as
the train swept on.
Past Roman station-past the
Mill Cut-past Hills Embaukment,
and they pIoughed into the belt of
woods which skirted Rocky River.
Suddenly, as they swept round
the curve, EarI's cheek whitened
and he drew his breath in quick and
hard 0rE
What he saw before the train
warned him that only death and de-
struction lay ahead.
He could probably save himself
by leaping of, but that would doom
all on board.
Not a second did he hesitate.
The sharp whistle to down breaks
sounded-he reversed steam and
lid everything in his power to stop
he train.
When he saw that his efforts
we're in vain that the obstacle
which lay across the track only
'ew rods in advance could not he