The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1884-06-14
ON THE BRIDGE.
[Jean Pierre.l


There are few things more dreary
and tiresome than waiting for a train
at railroad station. It is SO much
the worse where the station is lonely
country one. am surveyor, and on
the day / mention I had been unlucky
enough to miss the early train, and was
compelled by force of circumstances to
wait at "Elmwood" for later one.
@Elmwood" was composed of the
station and cluster of small houses.
AS may be easily imagined, I soon ex-
hausted the stock of amusement to be
found about the place, and by the time
nightfall came was thoroughly tired.
It was growing chilly in the station,
too, for the fire had died out. Elmwood
lay on the summit of deep gorge,
across which the hand of man had
flung spider-web trestle-work, and on
this ran the rails. The station stood
Immediately at the end of the bridge.
Across the track was hagman's
house, and, as darkness came down, /
could see him through the window of
his little box sitting by glowing fire.
He looked so much more comfortable
shan I was that crossed over the
rack and entered his box.
I soon, by the aid of good cigar,
was on easy terms with him, and found
him to be man of considerable natural
intelligence, with peculiar attraction
about his manner of speaking which
made oil he said interesting.
His name was Tom Williams; he was
about % years old, and as manly and
handsome youth as would often be
seen.
There is always good deal of dan
ger about any kind OF railroad life" I
said, at last; shave you ever had any
interesting adventures in that l;ne?"
He thought for moment before he
answered, and then he told me in his
modest unassuming way tale which
made him hero
"You see that trestle work out there,
| sir? Well, that was where I like to
have met my death one night. I never
liked trestle-works, anyhow. When q
few shaky timbers are stuck together
with pegs and then put end up in q
gorge where the floods have q chance
to undermine em, it allus seems dam
gerous to me, and riskin' life to run
trains over 'em.
well, sir, I'd been watchman and
fagman here for about month, when
one dark night followin' rainy day I
fell asleep here at my fire. don't
think, sir, I ever did that afore or
since. I dreamt that I woke up, and
as I did so l heard the scream OF a
whistle up the track-over the trestle.
you've noticed, probably, that there
is sharp curve right at the other end.
Well, sir, out on the trestle work,
about the middle, was human figure,
walkin' slowly toward me. It was a
woman with black hair and long
fowin' white robe. 1 could see the
CLEAN of the headlight on the rocks
and track in the curve at the other end
of the bridge, and moment after the
engine came in view, lookin' into the
night with its big eye.
"Well, sir, that figure stood out in
the midst of It all with fearful clear.
ness, and in the bright light it looked
like an angel But it kept movin' right
on toward this end with soft glidin
motion as if half fyin'.
"The train, too, seemed unnatural and
there was no noise or rabble. 1t was
tryin' to quietly steal up to her and run
her down and grind her to pieces.
"I tried to scream out warnin', but
my tongue stuck to my mouth and my
lips wouldn't open. 1 started to run,
but my feet refused to move.
an one second more the train would
tear her in fragments.
"I closed my eyes, and as did SO
heard wild shrek from the ENGINE,
and I woke up and found myself shiv.
erin at my fire here.
"The whistle I had heard was that o.
a comm train, and I left my box and
was at my post when she tore by.
"But my dream worr ed me.
thought somehow some terrible acci
dent was goin' to happen. / never
went out of my box, but I'd glance out
on the bridge there as though fearin' te
see that white figure and hear the
comm train.
well, s:r, three nights after that
was sitt.n' here by my fire, feelin' some
how more weary in my mind than ever
It had been rain n all day, but toward
evenin' the wind shifted to the west
and blew off the clouds somewhat
There was full moon, and every nov
and then, when the clouds drifted of
her face, she cast gov of silver ligh
over everything.
II looked at my watch-it Yas nearin
the hour of my dream, and the express
would soon be due.
Il took my lantern and went on th'
track.
"a heavy cloud blotted out the moon
and as glanced out on the trestle
could not see half way across.
Il walked slowly up the path towart
the bridge. The clouds on the moor
drifted off almost in an instant and til,
whole bridge was bathed in moonlight
by heavens, sir, as / looked ther,
was human figure about quartz
way across the bridge comm towart
me-and it was a woman!
That bridge, you've noticed, sir
only has single track, and there ar
only few planks laid singly across th
ties, which make very risky foot-way
and there IS no room to step aside if tn
train catches you there.
But there was woman coming over
her dresses swaying in the wind. Tha
alone was enough to shock a man
nerves.
"But at the instant I saw her hear,
the shrek of whistle up Ion the othe
side of the gorge-at Ash Lane-not
mile away. 1t was the through ex
press.
at knew this fipure was no ghost. an