The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1870-01-01

w hat IN the world has happened,
Rogers q said I. "You look as glum as
if you were going to funeral"
Mr.. Woodbury." said he earnestly,
edo you believe in presentiments ?"
"No," said I, 81 certainly do not !!
They are all old women's whims p
"Perhaps so. / wish I could think so, -
said he sadly. 81 have been trying hard
to-"
"What is it Earl? Anything gone
wrong with Laura 2" for did not know
but the little jade had been playing off
with him after tho manner of women.
'sNo. You will laugh at me, Mr..
[ shall go out of my WITS" said he, half
laughing, land before heaven tell you
it is all truth. Thursday afternoon /
River Bridge. do not mind confessiDg
that went on purpose; to get glimpse
of her home-perhsps of herself. |
stood at one end of the bridge-looking
across at the house-enraptured at the
sight of scarlet shawl knew was hers
fitting in and out through the frost-bitten
shrubbery of the garden.
"And while I was looking at her |
heard footsteps, and glancing up, 1 sdac
myself approaching from the opposite side
of the bridge l was dressed in this
suit of Waterproof face was pale as
death, and my wide open eyes were blank
and expressionless
"Sir, you think I am dazed, but am
telling you only the truth While l
stood staring at the vision, it disappeared;
and weak and trembling came back to
town. BY the next day-yesterday, l
had reasoned myself out of the belief in
anything of the kind. 1t was an hallu-
cination, I said, and to prove it SO,
would go out there again and see if it
would appear for the second time. l went
again yesterday, and, sir, the same thing
was repeated It will come once more
and then shall go to my death !"
''Nonsense p said /. ''Come, Earl,
be honest, and confess thatyo had been
taking too much whisky"
"I never drink anything, as you know,
MIR. Woodbury." returned he, sand this
thing was fearfully real And of one re-
suit, l am satisfied. IF run the mail
train out tonight shall be killed, and
heaven knows what will be the fate of
the train 1 suppose it could not be
taken off for tonight 2"
oTaken off What in the deuce do
you mean 2" snapped I-'sthis road runs
trains as dvertised-cowardlye engineers
to the contrary Notwithstanding"
He looked at me sadly, reproachfully-
and I could have kicked myself for the
way I had spoken to him.
at is not ON my own account, sir,
L. - fnxu II haf
| Thanksgiving, and the train will be full
one. If there is an accident it may be
| bad one."
Accident !" said I contemptuously,
"fddle-sticks. Come in tomorrow, and
let us laugh at you"
He bid me goodnight gravely, and
went out.
Presently tie clock struck twelve, and
I heard the three successive whistles,
that told me the train was nearly ready.
A strange feeling of apprehension
seized me. What if anything should
happen? :,
Yielding to an impulse which would
not be controlled, threw on my over
coat, turned out the gas, locked the office,
and hurried over to the depot just in
season to catch the rail of the rear car
aud swing myself on board.
Earl Rogers stood at his post, pale and
silent, yet altered and watchful.
By the head light in the locomotive he
could see the track for a half mile
and his keen eye scanned every inch of
the track as the train swept on. Past
Roman station-past the Mill Cut-past
Hills Embankment, and they plunged
into the belt of woods which skirted
Rocky River.
Suddenly, as they swept around the
curve, Earl's cheek whitened and he drew
his breath quick and hard
What he saw before the train, warned
him that only death and destruction lay
ahead
He could probably save himself by
leaping off, but that would doom all on
board.
Not moment did he hesitate
The sharp whistle to down breaks
] sounded-he reversed steam and did ev-
erything in his power to stop the train.
When he saw that his efforts were in
vain, that the obstacle which lay across
the track only few rods in advance
could not be avoided, he sprang over the
WO0QD0X ana unuOOkeu lIou tuo Cat
riages The engine, released from the
drag, shot ahead, and the next instant
plunged into the gulf.
There was a crash-a succession OF
shrill whistles from the escaping steam,
and all was still
Not one of the carriages went down !;
| the first one halted on the very brink OF
the abyss, as if the more fearfully to i'm
press upon the minds Of the passengers
the terrible danger they had escaped. !.
Before the train came to stop had
jumped out and was flying farward, look
ing for Earl Rogers.
They pointed into the river in answer
to my inquiries, and seizing lantern
from the hands of one of the brakesmen,
I soon climbed down the bank and found
him.
/ He lay under the wreck Of the loco
motive, pale and bloody, with no breath
coming from his icy lips.
The two stokers were little way of,