Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1882-02-09


"He turned and looked &C me like n
man in dream.
1T is a fearful night he answered,
after while. Hear the old machine
groan and complain like sick woman.
She knows she's in danger, verify be-
lieve. wish the trip was over, Jim /
"why, 80 do L. l said, for to tall
the truth was unaccountably depressed
myself. But, 80 far, everything is all
right
"'Yes.' he answered, $50 far. But l
have kind of presentiment that we
are going to have trouble before We are
done with it. have been thinking OF
Mary, too, for the past half-hour.'
"'A very good subject to think Of,
said, laughing.
Don't joke, Jim,' he replie d, sol.
emnly. IT'S serious thing to think
that with the fulfillment of mans
hopes OF happiness only two days of,
he is liable to be hurled into eternity
any minute
=" It's reaction, said. You have
been too happy and too excited with
thinking Of your wedding and all that,
aud now, what with the cold aud the
rain, you are looking at the darker side
of the matter
MAYBE he said. then he uttered
loud cry: Great God look lookp
&" He was pointing out of the window
with trembling finger. his face as
white as death. followed the direc-
ton in which he pointed, and-how
shall describe what he saw?
Il was we'll acquainted with Mary
Warren, the girl Dave was going to
marry in two days. She and were
old friends, and il it had not been for
Dawes better education and fine figure,
We might-b5:t that is nothing to the
point. AS surely as I see you before
me now, l saw Mary Warren then,
"The steam was pouring in thick
white cloud out OF the stack, some
times shutting out our view OF the
track ahead. The headlight made
sort of reflection upon it like the sun
in fog, and there, right in the center
Of the misty glow, saw the figure of
Mary Warren.
1--WE were going at top speed, but
the shape glided along like shadow,
always hanging in the midst of the
steam.
1.-THE strangest part of it was that,
while che looked like a real living
woman, suspended in the steam, / could
plainly see the glow OF the headlight
through her figure.
"She appeared to be looking hxedly
at Dave, with wild expression of ter
ror, and kept wringing her hands and
waving them toward rs, as II she
wanted us TO stop.
For the space OF half minute we
both stared at the shape, dumb and
breRthless then the steam dispersed
and the figure was gone. The whole
thing was like the stereopticon views OF
men and animals which they show you
reflected on smoke, and it disappeared
exactly the same.
When it was gone Dave slowly
turned and looked at me with terrible
expression in his face.
90 Mary is dead. he muttercd that
was her spirit come s.to bid me fare
WELL
NO. cried I-'no, Dave. If it was
Mary at all, she came to warn you of
danger ahead. She .vss you we'll
enough TO be able to come out Of her
body to save you. Cheer up, old boy,
and keep bright lookout
Whether Dave took my view of the
mystery or not, he kept very quiet, with
his hand upon the bar and his eye on
the track ahead.
Nothing happened for the next
hour to alarm Us nor did the spectral
shape appear again. Just before reach
ing EIkhorn bridge there is nasty
curve in the road, and you are almost
on the bridge before Jon can see it. II
was here expected trouble, II any we're
to come. Evidently Dave was of my
mind, for, as we turned the curve and
/ leaned out to catch sight ofthe bridge
light, he said, in low tone
"What Is it, Jim 2
"'White,' said /.
"Even a. ] said the words We both
uttered a cry. Driving right before Us,
like cloud of steam, We again saw the
figure OF Mary Warren. This time che
seemed TO move rapidly ahead of us.
and disappear near the bridge light,
which suddenly turned red.