The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1893-04-24

upon crawling out Of my berth thai
Tie train was standing stock still IN,
porter told me that Il had been stand
ing thus for an hour and half, while
! had been sleeping the sleep Of the just
Freight train done wopsed up on d.
track ahead. said the porter. II reckon
we don get out q here under anuddei
hour or two"
Idrcssed and peeped out and saw wa
were alongside tho platform Of coun,
try station I took good breakfast IN
the dining car and then went out "a
stroll up and down the platform.
Presently | went TO the locomotive
and stopped to- admire II. There Is
nothing much better 70 look at, for
that matter, than the locomotive Of one
Of these through express trains on the
great trunk lines. How IL throbs as Il
stands, straining with pent-up power.
rs II impatient to leap away at fearful
speed
This one was kissing fercely, while
the measured thud of the air pump
sounded as II II might be the regular
breathing Of sleeping giant
III the cab sat the engineer alone,
waiting. ! stopped and gossiped with
him moment about the engine. Then
] offered him cigar. which be took,
with thanks, and asked me 70 come In.
swung myself into his cab.
The engineers bright, pleasant
faced man. about forty years old-ex-
planned to me the uses Of the numerous
valves and levers about him. They
were all as bright and shining as polish
could make them, for the engineer Is as
proud Of his engine as any housewife Is
Of the neatness OF her dwelling. 1
glanced Mt the two shining steam
gauges with the clock between them,
and then noticed what seemed TO DO
an ordinary white moth. mounted In q
gilt frame. hanging against the wall Of
the cab
lis that for ornament2p / asked,
pointing at the moth.
The engineer smiled. well, partly
for ornament" be said. "but a good
deal more for sentiment ! put that
moth there because IL saved my life and
the lives OF two hundred and fifty peo-
pie rs well"
"How in tho world could an insect
save human lives2" 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
tins"
! settled myself in the absent hre-
mans scat. and prepared to listen.
.'It wasn't such long time ago, " said
the engineer; only a 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.
Jim Is good boy, but he Is very
superstitions; believes in ghosts, dreams
and warnings. used to laugh at his
fancies, but don't make as much fun
of him as didnot since we saw the
woman In black.
I've were scheduled to leave NJ
about one o'clock In the morning, and
to arrive Ia S~-- at about six. On the
night when this thing took place fear
ful storm Of wind and rain had been
raging since early evening, and was at
the height 81 It's fury when started
for the round-housc.
ut was about midnight, and tho
wind seemed to sweep clear around
and through the building. It was ter
ribly dismal Jim was there, and the
engine. was all ready. SO, after getting
my working clothes. on, l ran the ma
chine down to the station. Our train,
the vestibule limited, was an hour late.
! gave the engine thorough oiling,
and made sure that all was in order
AS we sat In the cab we could hear
the storm rigging outside, while the
rain. driven by the gusts Of wind, beat
fiercely against the windows
Its going to be bad run, Frank,
Jim said 4 wish we were in S.,
safe and sound
II laughed. What makes YOU so
terribly glum, Jim9 asked.
oh, said he. i just feel creepy
somehow. Seems like there's some
thing terrible going to happen. can
feel it in my bones
II laughed again. You rot little
wet coming over, guess, Jim, said /.
And the sound Of the wind isn't very
encouraging, that's fact.
ITO tell the truth was a little
nervous myself, Notwithstanding my
easy way Of treating Jim's notions.
Presently our train came In, long
and heavy, consisting mainly Of sleep
ers. 1t used TO make me nervous to
know that the lives Of hundreds Of my
fellow-nen were in my keeping, but
now think nothing OF II. That night
mrs nervous What If the frightful
storm had made a switchman careless
or II rail had been lcosened BY the
settling Of the track somewhere? On
these fast trains man must RELY on
the vigilance.of the employees; for, In
order to make schedule time, he must
run ut such speed that often he can
not see signal before he is upon it.
Butt laughed at myself for my fears
% backed down and coupled on to the
train. set the brakes and found ev-
erything in good order.
" by and BY the little gong above my
head changed sharply, and with puff
and hiss OF escaping steam we were off
into the night and storm rafting over
switches, past signal lights and be-
tween long lines of cars, till, with
roar and rumble, we rushed over the
long iron bridge and away through
the hills, waking their slurnbering
echoes with our shrill whistle.
Then ] pulled the throttle wide
open, and the clank and roar soon set
tied into a hum, for old 40 was doing