Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1893-08-29
SAVED BY A GHOST.

This story 4 trne one and will tell IL
20 you as II WIS told 10 me. The scene was
near Hopkintou. ~, Lawrence county, N. x.
"We had dc,i,ied TO go and make visit
mother and me, taking the baby. then about
months old, with as" said the re&ator.
whom shall call M Brown
"Preparations had been mace fQr z sew
oral days' vislt In the eastern pare OF soe
county among relatives. as was the faAhion
IN those days The winter had been al un'
usually severe one and the continued ex
treme cold had delayed our visit from time
20 time AT length the severity abated to
some extent. although II was still winter
the mercury below sero.
"We arose earlier than usual thae morn
ing. tucked mp my wife and little one 30
curely in the long wagon box. which rested
upon stout pair Of bob sleda We lived
In the suburbs Tor rather beyond them) OF
Hopkinton The air was 40 GOLD and clear
you could almos; cut II with knife All
around us, sslys for the road, was the hard,
frozen, unbroken snow. and the trees stood
up, tall, dark. hut not bare, for delicate
hoarfrost draped every brown limb and
scraggy bush
"The horhos travelled 70 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 30 miles 20 travel, and II was ht0A
noon when we came 10 the river. wAich
told us we were half way.
"The approach to the bridge was very
slippery. IL was with considerable difficulty
that we at length reached the ascent, and
my horses stood for an instant painting on
a -. IL s.nfssra Tha Ind
was blowing perfect gale and pierced one
To the marrow
THE bright glare OF the sun prevented
me seeing the condition OF the bridge at
first. but IA ! shaded my eyes with one
hand and held ths reins with the other
saw to my horror As my horses started Gag
erly forward .hat tie floor was one glaring
sheet of ice. II WAS n very narrow bridge.
permitting bnt one team and wagoa 70
cross at a time, and there was no railing.
As the horses started forward the sled
swung around and involuntarly turned
to look II wife aud baby were safe, expect
ing instantly to be precipitated on the Icy
river far below
1--WE were well on the bridge now, and
there was no turning back or backing.
Death stared re in the face My wife saw
and coniprehended the situation. but she
was very cain
my mind WAS 40 taken up with the hor
TOR of the situation that could not speak
but strained my eyes TO zee II there was
any help near any human aid to which we
could appeal
"No, 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 q
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,
I saw tall, heavily built man clad In turs
to his chin, his fur cap pulled down owe,
his ears, his head bowed, with both hands
outstretched and grasping the back OF the
sled, appearing to guide and push IL along.
Surprised, I 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.
"In few moments we had crossed the
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 =. j..
"Stooping, 1 looked under the 81 d 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. chad fallen
from the bridge
"Getting down on my knees, Looked all
over the rivers surface. No mangled body
lay there ,.,,.,
ing everywhere, but no one came nor an
swered my call.
"There was nothing to obscure my vision
for considerable distance, and leaving
wife, baby, sled, horses and all could not
resist the impulse to make the attem' to
start back over the bridge again In sea ch
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, ut
there were no other footprints. What did
1t meanf
. "As started forward, II was as II strong
hands took me by the shoulders and delib-
erately turned me about and walked me of
the bridge
Don't 90. husband; see how the wind
has driven you back pleaded the wife.
'I caught my breath. 1t isn't the wind,
Mary said |. 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 q
true story" he said, land have always be-
heved in the supernatural ever since.
kansaw Traveller.