South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1893-01-13
THEINTELLlGENcEn
FRIDAY. JANUARY 10. 1898.
THE WOMAN IN BLACK.


Travelling recently from Chicago
to New York, i found in the morn
ing upon crawling out of my berth
that the train W - standing stock
still. The porter told me that it
had been standing thus for an hour
and a ha.f, while 1 had been sleep
ing the sleep of the just.
Freight train done wopsed mp
on do track ahead" said the por-
ter. 81 reckon We don't get out o.
hero under anudder hour or two,
l dressed and peeped out and
saw we were alongside the platform
Of country station. took good
breakfast in the dining car and
then went ont to stroll up and
down the platform.
Presently / went to the locomo-
tive and stopped to admire IT.
There is nothing much better to
look at, for that matter, than the
locomotive Of one of these through
express trains on the great trunk
lines. How it throbs as it stands.
striining with pent-up power, q, if
impatient to leap away at fearful
speed!
This ives Kissing fiercely, while
the measured thud of the air pump
sounded as il it might be the regu-
lar breathing Of sleeping giant.
In the cab sat the engineer alone,
waiting. l stopped and gossiped
with him moment about the en-
CINE. Then l offered him a cigar
which he took, with thanks, and
asked me to come in. / swung
myself into his cab.
The engineer bright, pleasant
faced man, about forty years old
explained to me tho use of the
numerous valves and levers about
him. They were all as bright and
shining az pc ish could make them,
for the engineer is IS proud of his
engine as any housewife is Of the
J neatness of her dwelling. glanc-
cd at she two shining steam gauges
with the clock between them, and
then | noticed what seemed to be
an ordinary white moth, mounted
in gilt frame, hanging against
the wall OF the cab.
els that for an ornament" l
asked, pointing at the moth.
The engineer smiled. "Well,
partly for an ornament" he said,
"but a good deal more for senti-
ment. l put that moth there be-
cause it saved my life and the lives
OF two hundred and fifty people as
we'll"
Glow in the world could en- in
sect save human lives?'' asked.
"Well,EI'll tell you, if you want
to hear the story. l reckon there's
tims enough le'rs we're able to
get out of this"
settled myself in the absent
fircman's scat and prepared to lis-
ten,
cit wasn't such a long time
ago." said the engineer; "only a
year ego last spring. 1 was run
ming this very train, and had this
very engine-Old 449. My fireman
was Jim Meade-same fellow I've
got now. You can see him over
there, leaning up against the tele.
graph office.
"Jim is good boy; but he is
very suporstitious believes in
ghosts, dreams and warnings. I
used to laugh at his fancies, but |
don't make as much iun OF him as
l did--not since we saw the woman
in black.
eve were SC heduled TO leave
N about one o'clock in the
morning, and to arriYs In s. at
about six. On the night when
this thing took place a fearful
storm of wind and rain had been
raging since early morning, and
was at the height Of its fu-y when
/ started for the round house.
cit was about midnight, and the
wind seemed TO sweep clear around
and through the building. 1t was
terrible dismal. Jim was there. and
the engine was all ready, so, after
getting my working clothes on, I
ran the machine down to the sta.
ton. Our train, the Vestibuled
limited, was an kour late. I gave
the engine a thorough oiling, and
made sure that all was in order.
Gas we SIT ia the cab VIC could
hear the storm raging outside, while
tho rain, driven By the gusts Of
wind, beat fercely against the win
dows.
" It's going to be q bad run,
Frank Jim said. I wish we we're
in s. safe and sound
81 laughed. what makes you
80 terribly glum, JimP ] asked.
ooh, said he, I just feel creepy
somehow. Seems like there's
something terrible going to hap
pen. I can feel it in my bones
CT laughed again. You got a
little wet coming over, guess,
JIM said I. And the sound Of
the wind isn't very encour12 ing,
that's a fact
"To tell the truth wss q little
nervous myself, notwithstanding
my Easy way Of treating Jim's no
tiOnG.
Presently onr train oamo in,