Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1875-08-19
WAS IT A WARNING I

1t happened matter Of fifteen years
ago, in 1856, l was an engineer on
the V. G. railroad, and running the
"Amoskeag," on the night line from
N. to St. a. twas good ten hours
trip, leaving N. at seven P. NJ. or just
about daybreak. Brooks Vane was
fireman. A young fellow, only about
two years married to as sweet a little
woman as you'll very often see. They
had one child-a baby, three months
old. Mrs. Vane had been delicate and
feeble ever since its birth and just at
this time was confined to her bed, with
a sort of slow fever Brooks, as was
natural, fretted good deal about her,
and laid off day or two as often as
he could find substitute
The 25th day Of September-I can
never forget that date--between three
and four o'clock in the morning, we
were running on down grade about
forty miles from ST. A, when l noticed
some fifty rods in front of us, what
looked like q fire built exactly on the
track, straight ahead. Brooks saw it
as plainly as I did. We were not
running at full speed, so to reverse the
engine and stop the train was not an
affair of many minutes. Brooks and l
jumped out together. and went round
in front of the engine, where we found
nothing.
The fire, which I saw as plainly as
ever saw anything in my life, and
which Brooks saw, too, had disappeared
utterly and entirely. We went up the
track half mile or more, buS found no
vestige of anything to denote that any
fire had been built upon the track, or
anywhere near.
Brooks turned to me, with Q white
face.
'My God, sir, what was IT."
81 wish I knew" I said. Fifteen
minutes ago would have taken my
oath there was a fire, built by some
stupid idiot OF designing villain, on the
track. Now--I can't understand it. y
f''Nor I--nor /, said Brooks, slowly;
you don't suppose, sir
He stopped confusedly,
Suppose what" said, as we stopped
on board the 'Amoskeag again.
THAT it's warning, or omen Of
danger, sir"
This more firmly spoken.
"Pshaw!"
But, for all my afectation Of con
tempt, was puzzled and COMPOUNDED.
Yet tried to convince myself that il
was merely an optical delusion, and
nothing more. But my success was
doubtful.
The next morning l could see that
Brooks was growing nervous and
anxious. l, too, was not without q
little futter of excitement at my heart
though should hardly have cared to
own it: tbs, perhaps, needless to state
that this nights experience correspon
ded in every particular to that of the
one preceding. The same seeming fire
blazed and glittered on the track ir
front of lis. The train was stopped
again. Again we searched around and
and upon the track for long way
ahead; again we found simply nothing
| don't deny that the repetition O
this mysterious occurrence impressed
me with STANCE feeling of comminglel
dread and .error. And Brooks--tht
mans set white face fairly frightened
me. There was little conversation
passed between us that night. / think
we both felt too deeply for speech.
The third night, Brooks Vane and
stepped on board the "Amoskeng" will
much the same feelings, 1 think, al
men who 60 kowningly to their own
death. As we passed out of the static,
at B. within mile or two of the fata
place, Brooks turned to me-
"Mr- Deane-" he stopped.
$50 on"
cit may seem foolish to you, but
think something will happen to the