Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1893-10-25
SAVED BY A GHOST.

This story IS true one, ana VIII Tell IL
to you as it was told to me- The scene was
near Hopkinton, st. Lawrence county, n.
I'VE had decided to go and make visit,
mother and me, taking the baby, then about
8 months old, with u.s." said the relator,
whom l shall call Mr.. Brown.
Preparations had been made for sew
eral. days visit in the eastern part OF the
county among relatives, as was the fashion
in those days. The winter had been an un
usually severe one, and the continued ex
IRENE cold had delayed our visit from time
to time. At length the severity abated to
some extent, although it was still winter,
the mercury below zero.
"We arose earlier than usual that morn
ing. tucked up my wife and little one Sc
curely in the long wagon box, which rested
upon q stout pair of bob sleds We lived
in the suburbs Tor rather beyond them) OF
Hopkinton. The air was so cold and clear
you could almost cut 1t with knife. All
around us, save for the road, was the hard,
frozen, unbroken snow, and the trees stood
up, tall, dark, but net bare, for delicate
hoarfrost draped every brown limb and
scraggy bush.
"The horses Travelled so fast that con
tinuous steam arose from their bodies, and
we did not dare pause lest they as well as
ourselves would chill. We had distance
of about 20 miles to travel, and it was high
noon, when we came to the river, winch
told us we were half way.
''The approach to the bridge was very
slippery. 1t was with considerable difficulty
that we at length reached the ascent, and
nv horses stood for an instant painting on
the floor of the high structure. The wind
was blowing perfect gale and pierced ono
to the marrow.
1.-THE bright glare of the sun prevented
me seeing the condition Of the bridge at
first, but as / shaded my eyes with one
hand and held the reins with the other
saw to my horror as my horses started Gag
erly forward that the floor was one glazing
sheet of ice. 1t was very narrow bridge,
permitting but one team and wagon to
cross at a time, and there was no railing
As the horses started forward the sled
swung around, and involuntarily turned
to look if wife and baby were safe, expect
ing instantly to be precipitated on the icy
river far below.
1--WE were we'll on the bridge now, and
there was no turning back or backing
Death stared me in the face. My wife saw
and comprehended the situation, but she
was very calm.
"My mind was so taken up with the hor
.o1 Of the situation that could not speak.
but strained my eyes to see If there was
any help near, any human aid to which we
could appeal.
mo, SO far as the eye could reach there
was no living thing save ourselves in sight.
Only bleak waste of glittering, unbroken
ice and snow. Blinded with the glare
turned away. Then suddenly there was o
slight lurch, the sled swung evenly around
in the center of the bridge, the seemingly
frantic horses lowered their heads and
moved along as steadily as on pike road.
Turning my head again, not under
standing the cause of this sudden change,
+ saw tall, heavily built man clad in furs
to his chin, his fur cap pulled down over
his ears, his head bowed, with both hands
outstretched and grasping the back of tho
sled, appearing to guide and push it along.
Surprised, looked at my wife in con-
sternation, the reins lying loose in my
| hands. She, too, saw our savior and looked
up into my face and smiled.
Gin few moments we had crossed tho
bridge, and the horses neighed gently and
stood still.
II jumped from the sled to thank my
strange preserver, but he was nowhere in
| sight.
''Stooping, looked under the sled and
| asked my wife what had become of him.
| Alarmed, she said he disappeared just
before we reached the end of the bridge.
Another horror seized me. He had fallen
from the bridge
"Getting down on my knees, looked all
over the rivers surface. No mangled body
lay there.
II walked up and down, calling and look
ing everywhere, but no one came nor an
swered my call.
"There was nothing to obscure my vision
for a considerable distance, and leaving
wife, baby, sled, horses and all 1 could not
resist the impulse to make the attempt to
start back over the bridge again in search
of this kindly friend
Looking down saw that the horses
feet, the sled runners and my own feet made
an imprint on the surface of the ice, but
there were no other footprints. What did
it mean?
"As l started forward, it was as if strong
hands took me by the shoulders and DELHI.
erately turned me about and walked me of
the bridge.
Don't 60, husband; see how the wind
has driven you back, pleaded the wife,
II caught my breath. 1T isn't the wind,
Mary said l, and then getting into the
sled, started on our way again. looked
back number of times, but saw nothing
of the strange friend who guided us safely
over the ice covered bridge on that bright,
cold winter morning 40 years ago."
Mr.. Brown paused and then, "This is a
true story" he said, land 1have always be-
lieved in the supernatural ever since. AR
| kansaw Traveller.