The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1893-06-29
HE WOMAN IN BLACK.

New York. l found in the morning
upon crawling out Of my berth, that
the train was standing still. The
porter told me that 1t had been stand
ing thus for an hour and a half Whlle
I had been sleeping the sleep OF the
lust. l dressed and peeped out: and
saw that we were alongside the plat
form of a country station, l took a
good breakfast in the dinnlng:sar,
and then wenU out to -sJrolf up ahd
down the platform. In the cab sat
the engineer alone, waiting. L
stopped and gossiped with him abo.t
the engine. Then l offered him d
cigar which be too. with thanks, and
asked me to come in. l swung my
self into his cab. The engineer-a
bright, pleasant-faced man about
forty years old-explained to ME the
u.es of the numerous valves ana
levers about him. They were all as
bright and shining as polish could
make them, for an engineer Is as
proud Of his engine as any housewife
is OF the neatness o, her dwelling. l
glanced at the TWO shining steam
gauges with the clock between them:
and then l noticed what seemed to
be an ordinary white moth, mounted
in a gilt frame, hanging against the
wall Of the cab. "Is that fors orna-
ment?" I asked, pointing at the
moth The engineer smiled. "Well,
partly for ornament'" he said, ''Dut
a good deal more for sentiment l
put that moth There because it saved
INV life and the lives Of 250 people as
we'll" "How in the world could an
insect save human lives?" I asked.
Well, I'll tell you, if you want to hear
the story. l reckon there's time
enough before we're fable to get out
Of this" I settled myself in the
absent freman's seat and prepared tc
listen to his story.
1T wasn't such long time ago, I"
said the engineer; 'only year ago
last spring. I WIS running this very
train, and had this very engine-old
449. Ny fireman was jim Meade
same fellow I've got now. You can
see him over there, lean.Lg up against
the telegraph office. Jim's a good
boy, but he is very superstitious: be-
lieves in ghosts dreams, and warn
inrs. used to laugh at his fancies,
but don't make so much fun of him
as l did-not since We saw the Wo-
man in Black. We were scheduled to
leave NJ about one o'clock in the
morning, and to arrive in Sat
about six. On the night when this
thing took place a fearful storm Of
wind and rain had teen raging since
early evening, and was at the height
Of its fury when I started for the
roundhouse. It was about midnight
and the wind seemed to sweap clear
around and through the building. 1t
was terribly dismal. Jim was there,
and the engine was ali ready, so, after
getting my working clothes on, l ran
the engine down to the station. Our
train, the Festibule Limited, was an
hour late. I gave the engine thor
ough oiling. and made sure that all
was in order. AS we sat in the cab
We could hear the storm raging out
side, while the RAIN, driven by the
gusts of wind, beat 6ercely against
the windows. IT'S going to be bad
run. Frank Jim said i wish W,
were in s. safe and sound.'-'
laughed. What makes you so ter
ribly glum?' l asked. Oh, s.Id he,
4 just feel creepy somehow. Seems
like there's something terrible going
to happen. I can feel it il my bones.
I laughed again. You got a little
wet coming over, I guess, jim said
/. And sound OF the wind isn't
very encouraging that's fact To
tell the truth l va; little nervous
myself, Notwithstanding my easy way
N treating Jim's notions. 49,.