The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1889-02-21


Isap ne face ynee more
Now was my time What II should
shut any eyes, aud, not seeing H. drive
oni nut no, that would be cowaWly-
neither would Il effect the object neither
could do H. Moreover, were able In
10 doing | might fail 20 observe some
roal obstacle, and no plunge my whole
train 10 destruction, Therefore, gnzod,
And gazing, II took the strength out Of
me--tho sweet wide open eyes the ten
der, trembling mouth tho half ialntng
rose upon tho check, 40 the storm
BwOops and snaps O bonding tree sent
blast Rhrleling against tho whiatlea
| edge, and felt the answering drag Of tho
brakes, and then, IN spite Of mybelf, tho
| throttle valve had done IL work, and wO
wore gently Hlowing and should have
paused NJ point several rods from tho
appealing 6lght--Hhould have paused
but we did not
10 was o. though some mighty and In.
visible hand mlghuor than the breath
| Of steam or the tcmpor OF steel, mocllug
| nay own, had seized ua und was drawing
40 on NJ its wicked will, Ny heart TO-
| fused % bCat-atOOl mill with horror
the 8hlvcr that ran oven through tho
/ root. Of my hair hardened thoro we
were close upon tho place, grinding with
| all our hCfty iron over iti We had passed
| II, and we paused
Tho wind had dragged the whole train
| fdr that distance II you doubt me,
the books Of my profession VIII tell YOU
/ that II "a no remarkable instance, for q
| sudden lnw Of contrary wind has been
| known 70 do 30 much Oa 90 bring 10 u
stop train under full Roadway /
would that sudden flaws ol contrary
wind had boon blowing ono cruel day
FOR me!
We had passed tho place then TuI
could rouse me from the bcnumhiug
iuiumCHs, could draw q breath, and then
could steady my voice, did not uttompt
20 moyC, But tho instant ! mastered
myself ! went through my customary
drama on these occUslOnl-wOa of, rum
ming behind and Bwingng my lantern
| over the vacant track, finding nothing,
hlCl, ng0iu, and leaning ON my handles
before the conductor hudrD1ohpl me, |
| told him then that we wore ahead OF
time hy reason Of the wind, and was
| waiting on the side track for the down
| train 10 pass, Fortunately fact upheld
LAG. " my au-hed Case aat .hll.ing
hands would have betrayed thc ruth, or
tho falschood, behind,
/ questioned with myself now if the
ghost was laid. Yet how could " hcY
We had run over the face, II was true,
but by no volition Of mino Indeed, ]
had decided exactly the oppoHitci | had
refused TO do soi had stopped My will
had again been cowed and conquered
not yet had II priokod the bubble Of this
phOntasm and caused II 10 explode Into
empty and lnnoSloua or.
~ would be idle torchearsc tho passing
Of the summer and the coming Of tho
winter, with their continued yisitationB
that then, indeed, camo moro seldom,
but overy time with increased powor /
had struck work for o soason, and had
been up resting with Margaret, nj her
mothers, for two delicious months
resting, Just closing my eyes IN pcaco.
/ had begged her thon, before / camo
away, TO marry mei for / thought II /
had the dear real face my daily compan-
ion, 10 como homo TO, 10 20 out from, tho
fictitious one would perforco die anatural
death. But, oven had Margaret herself
entirely consented, her mother had
too many scruplos 20 suffer her only
child TO lonvo hor for such precarious
projection as mino might be, So went
back TO solitary lifo again,
My troubles had now become 80 much
n chronic thing that except whom It's
gN.URlNnDlnitgNH 4V thgIW Vlut4lNH .as
traordlnnry, | took no serious noto OF
themi only tho possibility Of their future
coming, and Cho actually Of their past,
hung over mo like black, suiTocatng
cloud, awake or asleep. In fact, though,
had no sleep that deserved tho bonoA-
cent namo, In place Of the sweet OBJ
hylon and rest Of forgetfumoss that
other men know, / had for my part
long and living nightmare.
In oil this tim6 had failed to find
sufficient strength 10 obey the phyBlclan's
order, TO cut through the cursed thing
that was killing me, with tho sharp
ilango OF my wheels, and annihllato IL,
But DR.. Blanchard had found mo out,
although In consulting him had given
no name, and ono afternoon he accosted
mo In tho street, on my way 10 tho
station, not TO ASCERTAIN what progress I
had made-for that was visible enough
In my haggard and jaded appearance
but 10 ask me II was TO be on duty
that night, responded In the aAlfma-
tive, and, on hearing my reply, ho said
gently that ho should have tho pleasure
Of trusting himself to my guidance for
that trip, and, II had no objection, and
could find room for him, ho would bo
my companion upon the Black Bess or
course | perceived his intention sufll-
ciently WE'LL and perhaps II WINS an UNI
wise thing for him TO propose, for his
nero presence was moro likely TO con-
jure up the appearance than TO help me
overcome IL.
If, now, tell the rest Of the story as
II appeared TO me then, and as my
troubled brain received II, II Is because
remembrance i3 nearly ns vivid az the
suffering, and / can hardly say today
whore reason ends and phantasms begin.
We had q snowy night for this oXcur-
sion Of DR., Blanchards, 90 much is cer-
tafni not like that great, white, whirling
storm in which the face, oil wrapped in
folds Of bridal lace, fitted before mo and
rested TIL atopped, and not all The big
plows In tho company's uso could then
have advanced the showed up train an
inchj but night Of Eusty flaws, when u
light down dropped on the track and was
gone, and velyety flakes drapoa spray
and twi. e thq woodland end gbook of