Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1878-08-08
The Engineers Story.

will, if you'll Set down an listen.
'Taint very much to tell, but it
was good deal to see, you can just
bet your life, an l never go by the
place where I see it without feelin'
kind o. searv.
Lem me see. twas in go. L
was jist beginnin' my work on this
road that year. I'd been on road
out West, but friend got me the
position here that I've KEEP ever
since.
Ii was rainy, disagreeable day
when the affair Pm goin' to tell you
about happened. Jest one o. them
days that makes feller feel blue in
spite of himself, an he can't tell
why, neither, less he lays it all to
the weather.
I don't know what made me feel
so, but it seemed as if there was
danger ahead ever after We left
Woods Station. AM what made
it seem SO curious was that the feel
in of danger come on nae all to
once. 1t was jest about 4 O'Clock,
as near as can tell. Anyway jest
about the time when the down ex-
press must have got safely by the
place where what Pm goin' to tell
you about happened, l was a-stand-
In with one hand on lever, a-look-
i'm ahead through the driZzlin' rain,
feelin' chilly an kinder downheart-
ed, as I've said, though 1 didn't
know why, when, all of a sudden,
the idea come to me that somethin'
was wrong somewhere. 1t took
hold o. me an couldn't git red of
it, nohow. knew that all was right
about the engine. But that feelin'
that there was danger ahead never
let up once after it got into my head.
Queer, wasn't it But twas so. l
couldn't account for it after I'd
found out there was danger, jest as
I'D felt, an haint never been able
to account fer it sence.
1t got dark quite early, IN account
o. the fog an the rain /; it was dark
as pitch afore we left Holbrook,
which was the last station we pass
ed afore we come to the place where
see the ghost.
81 never felt so queer in my life
afore," said Jimmy, the fireman, to
me all of sudden.
As L was feeiln' queer myself, he
kinder startled me, sayin' what he
did.
"Why What dye mean P" said
/ without lettin' on that felt un-
easy myself.
''Don't know" answered Jimmy :;
''can't tell how I do feel, only as if
suthin' was goin' to happen"
That was just 1t ! felt the same
thing, an tole him so, an we talk
ed about it. It'll we both got real
fidgety.
There's purity sharp curve about
twenty miles from Holbrook. The
road makes turn 'round a noun
tain, an the river runs below We,
about forty foot or sech a matter.
1t's pokerish lookin' place when
you happen to be goIn' over it, an
think what 'ud be if the train should
pitch over the bluff inter the river.
Wall, we got to the foot o. the
m)untain just where the curve be-
gins. The light from the head-lamp
lit up the track and made it bright
as day, about as fur as from me to
the fence yonder, ahead O. the en-
gi1e. Outside o. that spot all was
dark, as you ever see it, I'll bet.
ALI to once I see suthio, right
ahead, in the bright light. We
alters run slow 'rcund this curve, so
j could see distinct. My hair riz
right up, I tell ye, fer what L see
was man a-standiD' right in the
middle o. the track, a-wavin' his
hands; am grabbed hold o. the
lever an whistled down brakes, an
stopped the train as fast as ever l
could, fer ye see thought twas
live man. AM Jimmy he see too it,
an turned round to me with an
awful scarf face, fer he thought sure
he'd be run over.
But [ began to see 'twan't any
fesh-and-blood man afore the tr ain
come to a stop, fer in seemed to glide
right along over the track, keepin'
just about SO fer ahead of us all the
time.
'My God it's a ghost,' cried
Jimmy graDbin' me be the arm.
"You can see right through him."
AM Weseould
Yes, sir, We could. When I come
te notice it, the fgger ahead of us
was u Kind of foggy4ookin' thing,
and only half hid anything that was
behind it. Bvt it WAS just as much,
like a man as you be, an you'd al
said The same thingif you'd seen it.