South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1889-02-08

IN hour before the train was due. IL
VA very dark, bat IL 10 about a. easy
10 walk on the track at one time a.
srothe-, and went ON ~ Q pretty
ratid gate. All Of sudden I felt the
ground giving away beneath me. and
! knew I was going down.
Il dropped my lantern, and trie 10
ave myself, but there was nothing to
get hold of, and In an instant felt
myself going faster and faster. And
then I seemed 10 lose breath, and
strike with great violence agains,
something solid, after which I must
have become insensible.
1T wac bours after thas I aw oke
to find myself lyingiu my own bed at
home. 1t teens that the FIRST pier Of
the bridge had been carried away,
and had walked of the embark msnt
ON this side. 1t Was by one Of Gods
wonderful mercies that in some way
/ had boon caught amopg the failen
timbers below in such q way a. to
save me from drowning, though. as it
was, it cost me dear. My spine Was
so injured by the fall that have new.
er walked q step sincc.
'O.le of the first things I asked,
when I was able to talk Of the mat
.er, was about the train. Joe Var.
nish, the engineer of the express To-
comotive, who was off duty while the
fridge was down, was by me at the
time and told me the story.
How comes it that you are here,
Joe, instead of at the bottom of the
river, you and the whole train ? l
asked.
He looked At me with queer look
a moment. and then he stopped ever,
and took up from the floor red Ian
tern. knew it the moment saw 1t;
as The one had carried that night,
and l remembered dropping it as
began to fall.
'It's that that saved usI said he.
Il was puzzled both at bis manner
and a, what he said, bit was more
puzzled-and startled, too-when he
went on to explain:
We were coming down the road q
little late full drive, at forty-ive
miles an hour, said he, 'and / had
just passed the station, and I had
whistled for the crossing. wien !
caught sight ahead of US and not a
great way off either, Of a danger sig
ne', the red light. II was right in
the middle OF the track, and evident
ly approaching, moving up and down
quickly, as though the man who car.
ried it was running with all his
might.
OF course, reversed and whis,led
down The brakes in an instant; and
it was not half n minute, maysbe,
before we came TO a stabdstill, with
the light now almost upon us. And
almost before we were fully stopped,
| jumped down ard ran TO meet il
and learn what vas the matter.
1T was some rods ahead yet, and
| could see IL swinging from side to
side, as though the person bringing
it had no" slac ened his pace TO q
walk.
"A second ltter it seemed station.
airy, and seemed TO be waiting for
me to come mp. As I came close
upon il, you may imagine my aston
ishment TO find it set down in the
middle Of the track, and not soul
to be seen anywhere around.
Il spoke. and then called aloud
ard then shouted, bat got no re-
spouse. And before this, had not
heard any sound or football. And
when, moment later, the Conductor
ard some OF the trainmen come up
with lights. we searched out and
could not ind any traces OF the per-
son who seemed TO have left il there.
Then we went down on the road,
aud there we found The bridge gone.
As no approached, your dog com
menced bowling, and we found him
on the edge OF the embankment, and
inferred that you had fallen down
the en- bsnkmen'. We searched at
once, and found you almost dead.
though am very glad to say not
quite that
That was the way Joe tolG me the
story. And when be had finished,
lay there thinking II over for some
time. At last I said
Joe, how could it have got there
-t1e laUternp
Il can't tell said he. All / know
about II Il, that Il was there, and IL
stayed the train. But I'm sure i.
wasn't done by any human handP
Il thought II over some months
longer | DID not believe In ghosts,
or spirits. or any thing Of the sort.
Somebody or something living must
have taken the lantern from the spot
where dropped II as fell down the
embankment. and carried IL up the
track TO The place where ice Vsrnish
fret found IL. All at once I was sure
had solved the enigma.
Joe said |, 4 hsve itT
How is thatT be asked.
There we're three OF us lhAt went
down and found that tho bridge was
gone. said /.
'rhretT repeated he more mysti-
fed thsn ever.
Yes, said +, myself, the lantern
and The dog. Now could not have
taken The lantern up the track. And
II couldn't have taken itself up there.
Therefore, IL must have been the
third one Of us-don't you seer
'Joe stood q moment pazzliBg over
u. Then his face broke into broad
smile, and he nodded bis head