The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1891-01-09
TIE RAILWAY GHOST.

TIE RAILWA ~ GHOST.
Westfield is an old, old town, and
the railroad has run through it for
many a year, ROW upon embankments
which slope TO creeks aud inIets. now
through narrow cuts with high hills
rising sheer on either side. Day after
day, year after year, the trains go to
and fro, and sometimes reckless way
farers are seen in tie brightness of the
midday making thor way from West
field to tile nearest village, or return
ing, on the railroad rack.
But there are fey. :. ho venture that
way after shutdown. It is dangerous,
they say. Many have met their deaths
through folly of th kind. Aud this
is true. Neverthelc there are those
among them who ar thinking of the
Railway Ghost.
1t is the ghost of ssolnan. A dozen
years aud more since she died And
always at dusk that f. M. sad wrath
floats TO and fro over tie shining steel
rails that run down c.fyward from
Westtield between the i;igh rocks and
beneath the first dark arch of stone; it
is there the white sh:ii i,e floats aud
fades and reappears- Fer it was ut
that spot Thers IS curve
immediately beyond the bridge. and
all shut IN by rock. Yon can scarce
breathe, having heard the first duh
roar of the approaching train, ere it
y upon YOU, ieapins and shriek:ng.
aud the cstrriages dance by like mad
creatures.
But the pale ghost knows no fear.
n
years tge there was NO ghost.
Let Us turn back fourteen years and
read the story.
1t is morning in June Morning in
the great city. The sun shines sweet
ly. the leaves of ivy and w.sier.l 81 M
nIer i'm the soft wind. where the thick
vines have hidden soinbre bro2n stone
exteriors.
lnnnumcr:tble aggressive sparrows
compete, carriages clattcr through the
close-bu:it craS--Stres,t> os-c;iSs ss,si:ll iy.
and a h;Int!-uc-.tsi soIaewacr l. meas
uring OH yarsl-leagt:is ef ,.Tt.e Little
Two people hear the tune "a they
staad smiling in eacl Others ewes.
Tnt.v stand near the window in the
,irawiiIg-room of oae of those fine
brown stone. wister'a-mantled man.
sions The window Is opened Il little,
and the tune comes up in blithe stac.
cato; one almost hears the words:
See how his face he covers.
He WAS the prince of lovers
The two people stand smiling a lit
tie longer; then the man turns from
| the woman.
Il must go, he SAYS. Everything
is prepared. You will not fail at the
last moment? You VIII not be afraid p
He is tall. and dark. and large
framed; she is slight. and fair. ant
| petite.
She looks at him with great shining
| eyes of azure.
..Oh no." she says; 81 will not fail
| | am woman"
.sThen du reeoir, he says. ssAt three
| will meet the cab at the station.
| Goodbye" she says. and zwatehe
| him go out and down the sunny street
He was the prince of lovers rs-th,
hand-organ filings it at her from tbs
| distance. And she huns the tune a
she goes about her task. Her task i
great, vet little. Only to write let
| ter-the briefer the better. All els
is complete. Her trayeling-bae i
| packed. She is ready to go-te leav,
| all-for him whom she loves
Tine letter is brief She writes j
without tear or pang.
George" it says. Il have gone
for ever. Do not seek me. | hay'
never loved yea. No one is to blame
| was never happy as your wife. !,
/ AS the clock strikes the half-hou
before three, she places the lette
where it shall easily be found. an,
goes out into the sunslrine-goes ou
from her husbands home for ever.
The lovers travel far away; the,
journey unmolested, even by con
science. The woman is happy in he
choice. They have no wealth com
pared with that once hers. But the
have each other.
! Months slip by. They rarely speal
of the past. But at length she says
him one day:
George could not have cared much
He Will soon cut the legal knot. An
we can be married, can't we, Franeisp
.sYes." he answers carelessly.
Other months slip by. The lover
tire of journeying. They drift back
tie great city, out somehow do no
care 10 rest there. 1t is another june
Il more stlltry and like midsummer.
.AW will go to- some near town
! some quiet waterside- place." he dc
I cides And she agrees with him. H
VIII re-enter business IN the city; he
tired of itiIeness, he.says.
tits in the old town of Westfiel
that they chance to find that whic
they seek. A house upon a hillside
looking one way down upon the di:
tant railroad and one way down upo
the green sea water.
: 1t is pretty house when all is fixe
and fitted But it is lonesome-ver
| lonesome for the woman who is
mulch alone, while he is ais
. city. Left all alone
: want and