Huntington advertiser. [volume] (Huntington, W. Va.) 1874-1921, 1874-07-30
THE DEMON OF THE ROAD.

An engineer who had neglected tt
display a red lamp hagging-signal
and being reminded of the omission
when approaching the train against
which he was bearing The flag attempt
ed to prevent the inevitable collision
by a mode not in the rules, made The
following singular statement to the
General Superintendent:
"You sec, when l got the order, ]
went to the front OF the engine to helE
my fireman to fasten on the lamp
The iron strap had got bent, and
would not 60 into the slot made tc
hold it. So we tied it on with a piece
of rope. 1t delayed us about a min
ute, fixing that"
"Was it lightedf"
"Yes, sir. After taking so much
trouble to fix lamp on, we should
not be SO green as to go away without
having a light i'll it.
"Well, we were a little bit behind
time, and had not much to spare tC
save connection. | was keeping Il
sharp lookout ahead, and we were
getting along pretty fast.
1t was not clear night, and il
was not thick night; | had "a good
view Of things ahead.
Well, sir, you may think Ivo lost
my senses, but l tell you solemnly
that l saw a woman, or a woman's
ghost, walking straight up the track
! toward my enginel
1t was no use whistling, she was SC
close. | had crawled out of the cab
--iu,iUs. 80 aaick nsI rnnld. ond wont
along toward the front just in time to
see the form sitting in the buffer
beam, and putting out the light in
the red lamp.
The creature got off when it saw
me, and walked away in front of the
engine; and rs we thundered along
after it, it somehow disappeared.
got back into the cab, trembling
some.
| told Jack the light was out, and
| to 90 and get it and light it.
After he had done it, We went out
and tied it on.
went to SEQ if it was burning all
right, and it was burning bright.
| said nothing to Jack about what
had seen.
Well, it WAS more than three min.
utes, and we were going our smart
est, when | saw that same figure
walking up the track towards the en-
gine, as before.
Jack" | cried, "look therel'
Jack had already seen it, and had
sounded long whistle, and begun tc
put on brake.
500 to the cow-catcher" | cried
and he crawled through the window.
A few moments after, he came
back, his face pale, and his eyes start
ling out of his head. He looked at
me and | looked at him, but We said
nothing.
lie pointed ahead, and there II
was!
got out, and fetched the lamp in
The lamp was out!
81 saw it open the lamp door arc
blow i. out" said Jack in an awfu
terror; "and then it got down anC
walked away in front Of the engine.
Well, l reckon there never was TIVE
men on an engine 20 m0rtally scarct
as my fireman and me.
| However, | went out again witt
the lamp, and tied it on. also turn
ed the rope once or twice round tn,
door, so it could not be opened with
out some trouble.
Jack l said, when got bacl
into the cab, "there's going to b
some dreadful thing happen to night
That woman's a ghost Of evil. N
living thing can do as that has done.
Jacks teeth were chattering Will
fright, and so we're mine for the mat
ter of that.
: l telt that we had been singled Oh
to be the cause or the victims of some
thing awful.
keep a good lookout, Jack"
said ; "we're only a mile from C.
where we are tagging No. ia to
and We must show the light if all tn
she devils in hell are agin us"
| l ordered Jack to the front of tn
engine to watch the lamp.
He did not seem to like it, but h'
went.
| l wrote on the back of a time care
these words: "For Gods sake, doh
pass the switch. We're tagging ia.
l stuck the paper on the end of
bit of pine wood, and kept it ready
When l looked ahead again. sa'
the shape, as plain as see you now
walking toward us, and afterward &C
on the front of the engine.
l could see the headlight of Nc
135 on the side track, and | was sur
our tagging signal lamp was out, TO
there was that female figure walking
ahead Of us on the track for the thir'
time.
l wasn't so scared as before, so
iust lighted The pine stick in the fire