Omaha daily bee., 1888-10-23
A Phantom Train

Birmingham (Ala.) Age: you ask
if | have ever lac an adventure on the
railroad hat would be interesting to
the readers of the Age. l could wish
you had left that question unasked, for
1T calls up an occurrence that for fifteen
long years l have been doing my best to
forget"
The engineer who made this remark
is one of the Oldest engineers running
into Birmingham. His train had just
pulled into the union depot, and the re-
porter had mounted the engine, which
was being leisurely run into the round
house. The engineer was attired in the
rough garments common to the guild
while on duty. Underneath the tight
fitting cap perched on his head could be
seen a plentiful sprinkling of gray
hairs, b~etOkening the decline of life.
II would like to hear the story" in
sin uated the reporter, as he seated him
self in the cab and drew out his note
book and pencil, the time-honored
though chestnutty earmarks Of his pro-
fessiOn.
"Well. you shall have it, although it
is something l would willingly forget.
But it seems impossible. Fifteen we ars
ago l was running on the East Tennes-
see road, between Knoxville and Chat
tanooga. The scenery between these
two points is grand at points, the moun-
tains being in sight nearly the entire
distance. | had left Knoxville an hour
late n afternoon in November, and at
London the telegraph operator handed
me an order to make up the lost time,
as there was a large southern excursion
on board who wanted to make connec
ton at Chattanooga for Atlanta. | had
always been ranked as n of the coolest
men on the road, as a man who never
got excited, and | once ran over a burn
ing trestlo without a muscle changing.
Yet this afternoon was strangely ner-
vous. For the first time in my life | dis
covered | had nerves.
"'Jack,' | said to the fireman. 4 am
all in a tremor. | am not superstitious,
but feel as if something was going to
happen
Jack burst intoa loud guffaw. why,
cap'n, you nervous? That is too good
and he laughed again.
81 said nothing else, but the uncom-
| Portable feeling continued. l did not
know it at the time, but / have since
found out that even the iron nerves of
an engineer must break down some
time. Jack, in the meantime, was pill
ing up coal in the furnace. 'Cap'n, you
are cold he remarked after a few min
utes' intermission. Well have a better
fire and Well be in Chattanooga in a
jiffy.'
THE grim November twilight hung
over the earth like a pail. We had
passed Athens, and with only fifty-six
miles to go to reach our destination.
For the first time since / mounted an
engine / longed for the trip. | was
looking straight ahead, where the iron
bands far down the track seemed to
unite into a single rail, when l was
startled by an exclamation from Jack.
'Cap'n,' he screamed, look there, my
God, look there, pointing with tremb-
ling hand to the east, where in
the distance the mountains doomed
up grim and pare in their awful gran
deur. The look of horror on the poor
fellows face was indescribable. But the
sight | witnessed as | quickly turned my
eyes to the east was enough to freeze
the warm blood which courses through
your veins. for there, above the noun
tain tops with a terrible d~istinctness
sailed a phantom. engine drawing a
phantom train. The puifs of smoke came
regularly from the engine. could see
the glaring headlight, the lights in the
coaches. all as plain as if the train was
running on the side track by as. I stood
there watching the strange sight toe
amazed to utter q word, how long ! can