The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1873-11-06
stood at one end of the bridge


stood at ohe end of the bridge
looking across at the house --enrap.
tured to see q scarlet shawl
knew to be hers, fitting in and
out through the frost bitten shrub.
berry of the garden. And while /
was looking at her | heard foot
steps, and glancing mp Isaao my
self coming from the opposite eide
Of the bridge! l was dressed in this
suit Of waterproof-my face was
as pale as death andmy wide open
eyes were blank and expression
less! Sir, you think l am mazed,
but l am telling you the truth.
While l stood staring at this
vision, it disappeared, and weak
and trembling | came to town.
BY next day-yesterday had
reasoned myself out of the belief
of anything OF the kind. 1t was a
hallucination, said, and to provo
it 1 would 60 ont there again and
see ii it would appear the second
time. ] went again yesterday, and
sir, the same thing was repeated! 1t
will come once more-and then |
shall 60 to my deatl'l" xs
"Nonsense!" saidI. Come Earl,
be honest, and confess that you
had been taking too much whis-
KY"
"I never drink anything, as
you know, Mr.. Woodbury." re-
turned he, land this thing was
frightfully real, and of one result
l am satisfied. If l run the mail
train ont tonight l shall be kill
ed and heaven knows what will
be the fate of the train. l suppose
it could not be taken of tor to-
nightl"
"Taken off! What the deucc do
you meant" snapped l. "This
Road runs trains as advertised
cowardly engineers to the contra
ry notwithstanding" -
He looked at me sadly,reproach
fully, and l could have kicked
mysclffor the way had talked
to him. H'
sit is not on my account, sir"
he said, "but it is only few days
before Thanksgiving, and the
train will te full one. 1t there is
an accident II may be a bad one"
"Accident!'' said / coptemptu-
ously, "come in tomorrow and
let us laugh at you."
He bid me good night gravely
and went ont. '''s
Presently the clock struck
twelve, and I heard the sharp sue.
cessive whistles, that told me tho
train WAS nearly ready.
A strange feeling OF appr chen
sion seized me, What il anything
should happena ''"
Yielding to- an impulse which
would not DO controlled, / threw
OH my overcoat, turned out the
gas, locked the Office, and hurried
to the depot just in time to catch
the rail of the rear CIR and swing
myself on beard.
Earl R'gers stood at his post,
i,ale ard silent, yet alertl and
watchful. .-..s-----
By the headlight of the focotno-
motive he eould see the track for
half d fhile ahead, and his kech
eye scanned every inch Of the
way as the train swept on.
Past Rortan stafioh-psst the
Mill Cdt-psss Hil's Embank.
ment, and they pIowedr into the
belt OF woods which skirted Rocky
River. oe- cqte.,
Suddenly, as they. swept found
the curve, Earle check whitsncd
and he drew bis breath In quick
and hard!
What lie aaw beE,re tire train
warned him that only death and
destruction lay ahead. siaal
Hc could probably save himseii
by leapins of, but tina, would
doom all OH board. a.ings
Not q second did no hesitate.
Tire sharp whistle to- down
breaks sounded hcreversed steam
and did everything in his power
toaop the train. l'gh 1uU
When he saw that his efforts
were in vain, ilrat the obstacle
which hay across the track Only
a few rods in advance conId not
bc avoided, ho sprang over the
wood.box and unlocked from the
coaches. Tire enaino, released
from the drag, 1shot ahead and
pfahged into the gulf lE,..----.o.,n.l
There was a crush-=a succession
of shriA whistles from, the csca-
ping stear, and all wac still.