South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1893-01-13

storm had made swltchman care
loss, or il q rail had been loosened
by the settling Of the track some
whert? On these fast trains n man
must rely on the vigilance Of the
employees; for. in order to mako
schedule time, he must run ct such
speed that often he cannot see q
signal before he is upon it.
"But laughed at myself for my
fears as / bac ked down and coupled
on to the train. / set the brakes
and found everything in good or
der.
"By and by therlittle gong above
my head changed sharply, and with
q pun and hiss of escaping steam
we were of into the night and
storm, rafting over switches, past
signal lights and between long
lines of cars, till, with a roar and
rumble, we rushed over the long
iron bridge and away through tho
hills, waking their slumbering ech-
oes with our shrlll whistle.
"Then pulled the throttle wide
open. and the clank and roar soon
settled isto q hum, for old 449 was
doing her best, and we were max
ing fifty miles an hour.
The darkness was intense save
where the headlight, an electrical
device, cast it's funnel OF light into
the gloom. Jim had hot fire, and
kept steam up to high pressure,
so that we fairly flew on past sloep-
ing hamlets and still farm-houses.
"At our FIRST watering station I
made sure that all was working
smoothly, while Jim inspected the
headlight. Tho operator handed
out the orders, which showed that
the road was clear as far as our
next stopping place. On we went.
"The darkness grew more in
tense, if possible, while the wind
shrieked by. The rain became
more binding, till nothing could
be distinguished in the gray murk
which enveloped MS.
Suddenly, through the mist and
rain, saw, looming right before
MS, the gigantic figure of woman
wrapped in long, black, mantle,
which seemed to ffutter in the wind.
She waved great spectral arms about
in swift, twisting movements. AS
l sat, looking in horror, the figure
vanished with q final wave of her
arms.
81 was too much astonished and
stupefcd TO make q move of my
hand toward the throttle. At that
moment Jim had been bending
over the fire. AS he looked up he
exclaimed:
"Hullo, Frank, what's up2 You
look as if you had seen a ghost J"
81 did not answer. My mind
was too full Of that strange figure
| had seen.
"We were now nearing Rock
creek, whore there is trestle over
deep stream. felt more nerv-
Gus than ever.
Eve dashed around tho curve
and whizzed by Rock Greek station,
which is only mile from the tres
tie. AS We passed l glanced at the
steam -guage for an instant.
ca 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 q shaking fin
ger out into the darkness. turn.
ed and looked, and then began to
shake myself.
"There, on the track, was that
same hideous fgure OF q woman,
outlined on the background of light
from the engine, now notionless,
now vhirling in a witch dance, but
all the time motioning us back.
Frank" gasped Jim, but
scarcely above q whisper, "don' 20
over that trestlel Don't go, for
heavens sake Don't go tiH you'fs
sure its safe
81 suppose / was pretty badly
scared. At any rate, put on the
aIr-braks for all / was worth.
couldn't have resisted the impulse
to stop the train.
GAS we came to a stop, / could
hear the roar of the water in Rock
creek right ahead. 1 stepped out
Of the cab, and met the conductor
coming up.
What's the matter ? What's
the matter - he asked, impa-
tiently.
"I felt decidedly foolish. There
was no gigantic woman TO be seen
now. Nothing could DO made ont
more than a few feet away in the
binding storm.
"Well," said I, Twelve seen some
thing, / don't know what il is -
seemed like it was q great black
ghost--that was waving It's arm and
warning rs not TO 60 forward"
''Tho conductor looked at me
curiousIy. Are you crazy, Frank
he said, I should think you were.
But we're so near tho trestle we'll
take a look at it.
owe took our lanterns aud went
ahead, leaving Jim with the engine.
lie looked scared all over. But
tell you we bad not como five rods
before we stopped in horror.
t"There at our feet lay black