Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-11-28

bony hand on my shoulder turned and 50 y
the loser of the ring His teeth were cienched
and he glared at me fierceiy
Keep your hands of me-" ! said, diseny1g-
ing a he yssd 1ps eo s0 my 4:
now began TO get angry st the fellows per
sistency.
cried, at the same time SELLING him by the COL
lar and holding him at arms length. He was
on the platform OF the smoking car. At the
struggle caused "a number OF the passengers 70
rush out. They surrounded as. The train had
| reduced speed slightly TO cross a bridge over q
| rapid river The weight OF the locomotive was
just on the rails oi the structure. There was a
frightiul crashing shock followed by appal-
ling bump. l clutched at something tosaye
stood hung over the bank of the river, resting
against the trunk OF tree, while the engine,
fused heap below in the water, having fallen
sixty or seventy feet, killing or manning some
thirty human beings. Flames burst out from
the wreck. The remainder of the train had
jumped the track, the passengers in the coaches
being by miracle unhurt. The bridge had
suddenly given way. and my assailant, who
had caused me so much annoyance could see
as held on TO the rail OF the platform, In a
shapeless, lifeless mass, with his legs doubled
under him on what was formerly the root of
the smoker. Shall ever forget that day? The
kissing steam, the burning wood, the groans of
the wounded and the dying will always nnger
in my recollection.
1t was getting dark. Messengers were at once
sent to the nearest station and every body went
ts the steep bank to bring up the bodies OF
be living. The sight when 1 got among the
crushed cars was terrible. Broken glass, splin-
terS and burnt and scOrched arms and legs that
had been wrenched from human beings, who q
few minutes ago were full of health and vigOr,
protruded in "a CHASTITY manner from the wreck.
With the help of a brakeman l carried up the
almost lifeless form OF the young man who
claimed the ring had found. His heart still
beat, but he was fearfully injured. His right
and log hrOty on in three DiaCeS.
His cheek was horribly lacerated and his skull
fractured. really felt sorry for the poor fellow
With several other of the wounded he was car
ried to the little village of Centervile, and then
discovered that he had sustained all the fnju-
ries had mentioned, i'll addition to which
he was suffering from conclusion of the
brain. They said it possible for
him to live, but his recovery in any case
would take very many months. / could
not divest myself of the idea that in some
way had been the cause of his dreadful misfOr-
tune, and determined therefore to make all the
reparation in my, power. That same night
two months board in advance. / gave the
local doctor-a bright young man-S25O, au-
thOriZed him to secure a nurse and draw on
me for any additional funds that might be ne
ces>ary. What troubled me more than any
thing was that i could not find the slightest
clue to the whereabouts of his friends or rela-
tives, nor could even learn his name. Any
papers he had about him must have fallen in
the river. The next morning saw the suffer-
erS broken limbs set and his wounds dressed.
The doctors said he was doing fairly well,
although barely conscious. / then continued
my journey, leaving word that was instantly
to be communicated with should any of his
friends come to Centerville or make inquiries
concerning him. But weeks passed and no one
had appeared who knew him. Battered, shape
less and charred remains OF other victims had
been identified and buried, but not a soul had
asked q question or seemed to know this young
man. who lay in this remote village lowering
between life and death, unable to utter an in
telligible word.
1t was in the early part of September about
five months after what was known as the Green
River bridge accident, that / was in the Town
of HudsOn-On-Hu Hudson, n. Y, on business. 1t
was trivial matter had taken me there, but
before had carried out nv object received q
very urgent telegram from the head of our firm
telling me to start at once tor Springfield, Mass,
and close an important contract This contract
was one for which a number of rival manufac-
turers had put in bids, and 1t had remained
open on account OF some little difference as
to terms; l looked at my watch and found to
that would have enabled me to make connec-
ton and get to Springfield late that night.
knew it was necessary tor me to be there before
business hours in the morning in order to beat
my competitors. So determined to drive over
to Pittsfield and there connect with the Boston
ton, which passes through Springfield and
would enable me to be there in proper
time. For this purpose l hired a horse and
buggy, which undertook to send back in good
order and condition to my friend, the Hudson
livery stable keeper. Iknew the direction in
WITH the WAS saife
rally successful in finding my way through
strange regions, and saw no reason why this In
was one of those 8 ptember nights that might
easily be mistaken for one in April. The air
was warm, but the weather was squally and
rainy. Black clouds obscured the moon for q
time, then would follow q shower giving ex-
cellent promise of rain for the remainder Of
the night. But the moon encircled by q halo
would again show itself. only to be
concealed from view. 1t was therefore dark
and light by turns. and after driving eight
billy country fancied was off the road l
stopped at a farm house and aroused the far
"I'iI give You SO" I said. ITO drive with me
as far as Pittsfield. I'm not sure of the road,
and I'm in a hurry to get there"
was not a horse thief or tramp.
''Wa-al, mister, $40 Is a good bit Of money,
but I'm an old man and don't want to 60
myself. But if my.sOn Pete likes to 60 he kim"
Pete did "lIke, and was soon on my jour
ney again. Pete was a tall, raw, uncouth youth
OF ora about 70; ne had very little to say, 80 at
cloud again passed over the moon, but no more
rain fell. We had passed the State line and
We're skirting the hiiis towards Pittsfield, and
had reached winding road on each side of
which were trees The clouds began to thin.
turned to look at my companion. His gaze
seemed to be fixed on some object right ahead
why, man alive! What are you staring ate?
asked.
lie ulu HOt answer, out Nc Stlll gaZe0 so hard
in the same direction that his eyes seemed to
be starting out of their sockets. At this mo
ment the moon came from behind q cloud
then Pete, giving vent to an unearthly yell
jumped out of the buggy and ran back as hard
a. he could tear. The sudden movement star
tied the horse, and had some difficulty in pull
ing him in, and when / had him in hand he
too, showed "A disposition TO shy. Inow saw what
had scared Pete. There was burial ground on
the slope of a hill TO the right. The white
toInbstones were plainly visible through the
trees, and on one grave stood the TALL white fig
ure of a woman with long hair In flowing robes
Her hands were clasped and raised above her
head as If in prayer. 1t was weird, unearthly
looking sight, and well calculated to frighten
so call ii, swayedto and fro and mOined. l Sc
cured the horse and buggy to q tree and sprap9
over the fence that surrounded the burial
ground. made my way up the hill towards
/. where the figure stood. / do not believe in
ghosts, have not the slightest faith in the su-
| pernaturai, and, as have said before, have no
physical lear My object in investigating this
strange appearance was partly a humane one
and partly curiosity. The figure was alive
there was no doubt about that. and 1t was not 8,
| spOOk, there was still less doubt about that
WAS right before il. and must confess that the
moonlight falling on the white night-dress of the
woman. in graveyard, too. did have a some
what startling effect Her face was very pS4e
I she was handsome, and her deep blue ewes
| seemed to be staring into vacancy. She was
evidently somnambuist who had wandered
some distance from her home-for there were
| no houses near-and was in a most dangerous
! position, with nothing but slippers on and a
was soon made up as 10 what was TO be done.
! must nnd this wOman's home and take her to
! IL. i knew the shock ii would cause il woke
| her, but there was no alternative. / seized her