St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1885-11-05
ON THE BRIDGE.

There are few things more dreary
and tiresOme than waiting for train
at "A railroad station. 1t is so much the
worse where the station is a lonely
country one. ] am surveyor, and on
the day mention | had been unluckS
enough to miss the early train, and
was compelled by force of circumstan-
ces to- wait at "ElmwoOd" for a later
one.
"ElmwOodn was composed of the
station and cluster of small houses.
As may be easily imagined, soon eX-
hausted the stock of amusement to be
found about the place, and by the
time night fall came | was thoroughly
tired. 1t was growing chilly in the
station, too, for the fire had died out.
ElmwoOd lay on the summit of Il deep
gorge, across which the hand of man
had flung spideT-w web trestle- work,
and on this ran the rails. The station
stood Immediately at the end of the
bridge.
Across the track was fagman'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
than | was that | crossed over the
track and entered his box.
soon was on easy terms with him,
and found him to he man of cOnsid
cradle natural intelligence, with a pc
culiar attraction about his manner of
speaking which made all he said inter
esting.
His name was Tom Williams he
was about % years old, and as manly
and handsome a youth as would often
he seen.
There is always good deal of dan
ger about any kind of railroad life," |
said, at last ''have you ever had any
interesting adventures in that line |"
He thought for a moment before he
answered, and then he told me in his
modest unassuming way tale which
made him "A hero.
''YOu see that trestle work out there,
sir 7 Well, that was where | like to
have met my death one night. | new
er liked trestle works, anyhow. When
a few shaky timbers are stuck tOgeth
CT with pegs and then put end up in a
gorge where the floods have a chance
To undermine 'em, it allus seems dan
gerOus to me, and riskin' life to run
trains over 'em.
"Well, sir, I'd been Waterman and
hagman here for about month, when
one dark night follOwin' rainy day |
fell asleep here at my fire. | don't
think, sir, | ever did that afOre or
since. | dreamt that | woke up, and
as | did so | heard the scream of
whistle up the track-Over the trestle.
you've noticed, probably, that there
is a sharp curve right ut the other end.
Well, sir, out on the trestle work,
about the middle, was human figure,
walkin' slowly toward me. 1t was
woman with black hair and long
howin' white robe | 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.
"Wen, 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 a soft
glidin' motion as if half flynn.
"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.
al tried to scream out warnin', but
my tongue stuck to my mouth and my
lips wouldn't open. | started to run,
but my feet refused to move.
ain one second more the train would
tear her in fragments.
81 closed my eyes, and as did so |
heard "A wild shrek from the engine,
and woke up and found myself shiv-
erin at my fire here.
"The whistle | had heard was that
of comm train, and | left my box
and was at my post when she tore by.
"But my dream worried me. |
thought somehow some terrible acct
dent was goin' to happen. / never
went out of my box, but I'd glance out
on the bridge there as though fearin'
to see that white figure and hear the
comm train.
"Well, sir, three nights after that |
was sittin' heie by my fire, feelin' some
how more weary in my mind than
ever. 1t had been rainin' all day, but
toward evenin' the wind shifted to the
west and blew off the clouds somewhat
There was full moon, and every now
and then, when the clouds drifted off
her face, she cast glow of silver light
over everything.
al looked at my watch--it was near
in the hour of my dream, and the ex-
press would soon be due.
Il took my lantern and went to the
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 toward
the bridge. The clouds on the moon
drifted away almost instantly and the
whole bridge was bathed in moonlight
"By heavens, sir, as | looked there
was a human figure about quarter
way across the bridge comm toward
me-and it was a woman
Chat bridge, you've noticed, sir,
only has single track, aud there are
only few planks laid singly across
the ties, which make very risky foot
way. and there is no room to step aside
if the train catches you there.
''But there was woman coming
over, her dress swaying in the wind.
That alone was enough to shock a
mans nerves.
''But at the instant saw her heard
the shrek of a whistle up on the other
side of the gorge-at Ash Lane-not
mile away. 1t was the through ex-
press.
II knew this figure was no ghost,
aud determined to save her from the