The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1874-07-23
THE SIGNAL LIGHT.
An interesting Narrative Of Life on tn,
Ran.
TsyIoril Fast Life on the Modem Hlghvar.

I @-~ 4AAAeNchlAAAf narrative Of Life the
RAIL-
Tsylorii Fast Life on the Modern Highway.
An engineer who had neglected TO
display his red LAMP tagging signal,
and being reminded of the omission
when approaching the train against
which he was bearing the flag attemp-
ted to prevent the inevitable collision
by a mode not in the rules, made the
following singular statement to the gen
eral superintendent
You see, when we got the order I
went to the front of the engine TO help
my fireman to fasten on the lamp. The
/ iron strap had got bent and would not
] 60 into the slot made to hold it. 90 we
| tied it on with a piece of rope. It de-
| layed us just about a minute fixing this.
'' Was it Iighted?"
Yes, sir. After taking SO much trou-
bic to fix lamp on we should not be so
green as to go away without light In
Well, we were a little behind time.
and had not much to spare to save the
connection. / was keeping a sharp
lookout ahead, and we were getting
along pretty fast.
It was not a clear night and it was not
a thick night; 1 had a good view of
things ahead.
Well, sir, You may think I've lost nv
senses, but I tell you solemnly that I
saw a woman, or a WOman's ghost,
walking straight up the middle of the
track toward my enginel
1t was no use whistling, she was so
close. I crawled out of the cab window
as quick as I could, and went along to-
ward the front Just in time to see the
form sitting on 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 as we thundered along after it, it
somehow disappeared.
I got back into the cab trembling
some.
told John the light was out, and
to go and get it and light it.
After he had done it he went out and
tied it on.
went to see if it was burning all
right aud it was burning bright.
said nothing to Jack about what
had seen.
Well, it was no more than three min
utes, and we were going on smart,
when saw that same fignre walking up
the track towards the engine as before.
Jack, I cried, Z" look there !"
Jack had already seen it, and had
sounded a long whistle and began to
put on the brake.
$50 to the cow-catcher !" I cried
and he crawled through the window.
A few minutes after he came back, |
his face pale and his eyes starting out |
of his head. He looked at me and I |
looked at him, but we said nothing.
I pointed ahead, and there it was.
I got out and etched in the lamp.
The lamp was out
60 saw it open the lamp door and |
blow it out" said Jack in an awful ter |
ror; +" and then it got down and walked /
away in front of the engine"
Well, I guess there never was two /
men on an engine so mortally sacred as
my fireman and me.
However, I went out again with the |
lamp and tied it on. I also turned the /
rope once or twice around the door, so /
it could not be opened without some |
trouble.
"JacI," I said, when I got back into
the cab, there's going 60 be soIae ter
ribly dreadful thing happen to us to- |
night. That wOman's a ghost of evil. |
No living thing could do as that has |
done"
Jacks teeth were cbattering with
fright, and so were mine for the matter /
of that.
felt that we had been singled out to
be the cause or the victims of something |
awful.
keep a good lookout, Jack, /" I said;
we're only a mile from G., where
we are tagging No. 174 to, and we must
show the light if ali the the devils in
hell are agin us.
I ordered Jack to the front of the en-
CINE to watch the lamp.
He did not seem to like it, but he
went.
I wrote on the back of the time card
these words
"For God's saked don't pass the switch.
We are tagging 174."
stuck the paper on the end OF bit
of pine wood and kept it ready.
When looked ahead again I saw the
shape as plain as see you, sir, walking
toward MS, and afterward get on the
front of the engine.
1 could see the headlight of No. 135
on the side-track, and was sure our
tagging signal lamp was out, for there
was that female figure walking ahead of
us on the track for the third time.
1 wasn't so scared as before, so I just
lighted the pine stick at the fire box,
and held it up flaming bright with the
paper upon it.
As I passed the engine No. 135
threw it toward the engineer.
1t was getting dark, but by the engine
light saw him pick it up.
He read the paper, as you know, sir,
and waited till No 174 had got in; and
so there was no collision.
My slory may seem strange, but it's
true, as heaven is my judge.
You may discharge me and Jack If
you like, for not showing the flag signal,
as you say but can't alter what I've
said.
When we got to the end of the trip, I
found Jack had tainted away, and was
lying on the front of the engine, for the
she devil had put the light out some
how, in spite of him and the rope tied
round the door.