Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1892-09-04


mantle, which seemed to fiutter in the
wind She waved great spectral arms
about in swift, twisting movements. AS
sat, looking in horror, the figure vanished
with final wave of her arms.
Il was too much sstonished and stupe-
fed even to make move of my hand to-
ward the throttle. At that moment jim
had been bending over the fire, AS he
looked uphe exclaimed
"'Hello, Frank, what's up2 You look
as if you had seen ghostp
81 did not answer My mind was too full
of that strange figure / had seen.
"We were now nearing Rock creek,
where there is a trestle over a deep stream.
| felt more nervous than ever.
1--WE dashed around the curve and
whizzed by Rock Creek station, which is
only a mile from the trestle As we passed
/ glanced at the steam gauge for an in.
slant.
"A cry from Jim caused me to turn
quickly toward him. He sat rigid, his
eyes large and staring, his jaw dropped,
the very picture Of terror.
HE pointed with a shaking finger out
into the darkness. turned and looked,
and then | began to shake myself.
There on the track was the same hid.
eous figure of woman, outlined on the
background of light from the engine, now
motionless, now whirling in a witch dance,
but all the time motioning us back.
Frank, gasped Jim, but scarcely above
awhisper, don't 20 over that trestle Don't
go, for heavens sakel Don't go till you're
sure it's safev
81 suppose was pretty badly scared. At
any rate, put on the air brake for all
was worth. l couldn't have resisted the
impulse to stop the train.
"As we came to a stop / could hear the
roar of the water in Rock creek right
ahead. stepped out Of the cab and met
the conductor coming up.
"'What's the matteri What's the mat
terp he asked impatiently
II felt decidedly foolish. There was no
gigantic woman to be seen now. Nothing
could be made out more than few feet
away in the binding storm.
"'Well, said /, we've seen something. |
don't know what it is-seemed like il was
a great black ghost that was waving IL
arms and warning us not TO 20 forward
1.-THE conductor looked at me curously.
Are you crazy, FrankP he said. Tshould
think you were. But we're 50 near the
trestle we'll take look at IT,
I'VE took our lanterns and went ahead.
leaving Jim with the engine he looked
scared all over. But tell you we hadn't
gone five rods before we stopped in horror.
There at our feet lay a black chasm,
| filled with the roar Of the river, as swollen
with the spring rains it dashed down to-
ward the lake. The bridge was washed
awayl
"Only a few splinters Of wood and twisted
! iron chung TO the abutment, while now, far
out over the blackness, that awful black
| figure of a woman danced again on the
thin air relieved against the shaft Of light
that the headlight threw.
at was flinging its arms about as if in
wild glee.
"The conductor stared at the chasm and
then at me.
"'Was that the thing you saw when you
stopped the trainY he asked.
Eyes
"'Well, it's something more than luck
that saved us tonight, Frank
Eve went back slowly to the train, feel
! ing very queer and thankful, too, can
assure you. Several Of the passengers had
come running forward by this time. Among
them was young fellow from Chicago,
! about eighteen years old, who was smarter
than the whole Of us, as it turned out.
"When this boy saw the woman in
black he turned and looked at the loco
motive headlight. Then he ran up toward
| II. l looked at it as he did 30. / saw a
peculiar spot on the glass.
There's your woman in black said
the Chicago boy.
"And there II was, sure enough-that
same moth miller that you see there in
that frame. He was clinging to the inside
Of the glass. As | tapped on the glass the
creature flew back and lighted on the re-
lector.
That's the whole story, sir. The moth,
by fiuttering on the glass Just In front Of
the electric illuminator, had produced a
great black shadow, like that of cloaked
woman, on the darkness in front Of us, and
when he Topped his wings in his vain at
tempt TO sail out through the glass, he
gave his mysterious shadow the look Of
waving the arms wildly.
"Then when he few back out Of the
direct shine of the light the figure disap
peared, Of course
owe never knew just how he got in
there, but no doubt IL happened when jim
went TO fix the light at the pumping sta
ton.
"Anyhow he saved our lives by soaring
us with that woman in black.
$50 YOU see why keep the moth in th'
frame It's to remind me Of the way We
were saved that night. Yes, You might
call It accidental, but call it providential
IAN aboard, called the conductor of th'
limited, coming out of the telegraph offic'
with paper in his hand.
Jim the cabman ran and jumped int
the cab as stepped down to 90 back 4
my car.-Youth's Companion.
Selling and Buying.
Trade had been dull, owing TO the dis