The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1892-10-15
THE WOMAN IN BLACK.

Travelling recently from Chicago to New
York, found in the morning, upon crawl
ing out of my berth, that the train was
standing stock STILL The porter told me
that it had been standing thus for an hour
and half while | had been sleeping the
sleep of the just.
| dressed and peeped out and saw that
we were alongside the platform of coun-
try station. l took good breakfast in
the dining car and then went ont to stroll
up and down the platform.
In the cab sat the engineer alone, wait
ing. | stopped and gossipped with him a
moment about the engine. Then offered
him cigar, which he took with thanks
and asked me to come in. swung my
self into his cab
The engineer bright, pleasant faced
man about forty years old-explained to
me the af-Lha-laIaDaa- .a-l.--.-----s'~.a
and shining as polish could make them,
for an engineer is as proud of his engine
as any housewife is of the neatness Of her
dwelling. | glanced at the two shining
steam gauges with the clock between them,
and then | noticed what seemed to be an
ordinary white moth, in a gilt frame,
hanOing against the wall of the cab.
ais that for ornament asked, point
ing at the moth.
The engineer smiled. "Well, partly for
ornament, he said, ''but good deal more
for sentiment. put that moth there be-
cause it saved my life and the lives of $50
people as well.
Chow in the world could an insect save
human lives?' asked.
"Well, I'll tell you, if you want to hear
the story. | reckon there's time enough
before we're able to get out of this. "
[ settled myself in the absent fireman 5
seat and prepared to listen.
at wasn't such long time ago" said
the engineer, "only year ago last spring.
| was running this very train, and had this
very engine-old 40 My fireman was
Jim Meade-same fellow I've got now.
You can see him over there, leaning up
against the telegraph office.
"Jims good boy, but he is very super
stitious; believes in ghosts, dreams 'and
warnings l used to laugh at his fancies,
but don't make so much fun of him as
did-not since we saw the Woman in
Black.
ave were scheduled to leave NJ
about o'clock in the morning, and to ar
rive in s. at about 6. On the nigh
when this thing took place fearful storm
of wind and rain had been raging since
early evening" and was at the height of it
fury when | started for the roundhouse.
at was about midnight and the wine
seemed to sweep clear around and through
the building. 1t was terribly dismal. jim
was there, and the engine was all ready
so, after getting my working clothes on,
ran the machine down to the station. On
train, the vestibule limited, was an hou
late. gave the engine thorough oiline
and made sure that all was in order.
"As we sat in the cab we could hear tn
storm raging outside, while the rain drive
by the guests of wind, beat fercely agains
the windows.
"It's going to be bad run, Frank, Jill
said. 4 wish we ere in s. safe an
, sound.
''I laughed What makes you so terr
bly, glum, Jim? Iasked.
, "'Oh,' said he, 4 just feel creepy somt
) how. Seems ike there's something teri
+, bic going to happen, can feel it in m
r bones.
, ''I laughed again. You got little VT
coming over, guess, Jim, said I. An
: the sound of the wind isn't very encou
c aging, that's fact
: "To tell the truth was little nervol
e myself, Notwithstanding my easy way
a treating Jim's notions.
Presently our train came in, long an
: heavy, consisting mainly of sleePers-
r used to make me nervous to know tn
y the lives of hundreds of my iellowm'
d were in my keeping, but now ! think not
) ing of it. That night | was neryor
What if the frightful storm had made
Is switchman careless, or if a rail had be
1t loosened by the settling of the track SON
Is where? On these fast trains man mu
e rely on the vigilance of the employees; I