The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-03-18
SHE CAME
in WHITE ROBES TO END
HIS MISERY

some years ago was riding along this
road on my return from a trip into Vlr-
Rinia where had business mission. On
TIE way, and in fact just after we left
Pittsburg, fell in with young fellow
who was on his way to the Rocky noun
tains-I think Denver was his objective
point He was young Virginia lawyer
who had been educated at the University
of Pennsylvania.
During one Of our chats the boy-for he
WAS scarcely more than boy, being prob
nbly 80 years of age-took me into his
confidence considerably and showed me a
photograph of beautiful girl Of whom he
seemed exceedingly proud and told me she
was his sweetheart, to whom he was en-
gagged and whom he expected to marry as
soon as he could become established in
practice.
Along about five miles back, where you
noticed that old mill down by the creek, is
a smooth piece Of track for nearly two
miles, and upon reaching that little
stretch the engineer usually pulls his
throttle open little wider and let's the
train run at very lively rate. 1t is
very level piece Of track and there is not
much danger in fast running there.
Suddenly, however, and without any
warning, the engine left the rails and the
long train of coaches followed. There was
no embankment, only fat piece Of coun-
try, and so it was not SO disastrous as 1t
otherwise would have been. l was so
bruised and stunned that / scarcely real
ICED what had occurred. 1t was after
o'clock in the evening, and l had scarcely
more than cxtricated myself from the car,
which was literally torn to pieces, when
the wreck caught on fire. Most Of tho pas
sengers, however, had been rescued, but a
few of them were still in the wreck, and
60 we started in at once to assist the train
men in doing what we could. lost sight
of my companion as soon as the car went
over, but after got out Of the car won
dered where he was.
Just then the flames shot into the air
and we heard shrek. Rushing to the
other side of the car beheld my young
friend underneath heavy beam--in fact.
the lower half of his body was under the
debris of the wreck, and he was jammed
in so tight that we could not possibly re-
move him without more assistance. We
had nothing to work with, only one ak
having been taken out of the cars, and
that was broken and of little use. The
flames had already reached his feet, and
his cries for help were heartrending, can
assure YOU There was absolutely moth
ing we could do to help him-not a thing
in which we could get any water, and If
there had been there was not a drop nearer
than a mile, for the creek at that point
was at least that far away. pulled at
the debris until burned my left hand so
severely that have used 1t but very little
since, and, as you see, it is badly SCARED
We worked trying to save him until the
fire drove us back. His appeals were
something terrible to hear, and he begged
us again and again to shoot him. This,
of course, no one would do, although 1t
would have been the thing to put him out
of his misery.
---. But just then help came to him.
From the side of the track in the dark
ness-for it was an inky night-appeared
a slender figure in white. 1t came up
without a sound. stood where could
see her very plainly, for the figure was
that of young woman. Her face was
ashen, her features perfect, and l recog-
nized at once in her features the photo
y graph my young friend had shown me on
the train. She glided up to where the.vic-
tim lay We heard the sharp report of a
pistol and the apparition vanished instant
". just had time to see the poor fellow
before the flames closed over him, and
there was a bullet hole in his forehead. He
was dead The flames rushed over him,
and turned away.
The next day from out the ruins we
took his remains. The skull was badly
charred, but in it was hole like that
made by ball, and inside of the remains
of the skull was a small piece of molten
lead. I went to the telegraph office, only
q few miles down the track, and tele
eraphed to the girl, whose name and ad
dress he had fortunately given me. All
answer came from the girl father stating
that steps would at once be taken for the
proper care of the remains, and that they
would be taken back to the Old Dominion
From there went home. Only a short
while after that and was compelled tt
make another trip to Virginia. While il
the state CHANGED to pass through thu
town where the prospective father-in-lav
of the young man resided, and so tool
the liberty of calling at his home, know
ing that they would no doubt like to heal
about the accident in which the young
man met so untimely an end.
The old gentleman was at home ant
very glad to see me. / told him all tn,
circumstances of the strange event tina
had taken place. When / was through, h.
went into another room and brought out
small pistol and said he had no doubt tina
was the weapon that put Harry, as h.
called him, out of misery. He said tina
the night before the accident occurred hi
daughter, the lady to whom my young &C
Quaintance was engaged, was taken sud
denly i'll and died before morning. o.
the table in her room. was this small
ivory handled pistol, which her fiance hat
presented to her before he left. 1t wa
loaded.
The morning after the accident one car
fridge was found to have been exploded
and no one could possibly account for tn
curious happening, as the pistol had no
been touched by any one after the younl
lady's death. had the little lump of lea
which found in the unfortunate youn
mans skull, and we weighed it and ais
one of the pistol balls, and after careful
examination they were found to be Of ex
actly the same caliber. am firmly of tn
belief that the spirit of that young woma
came that dark and awful night to the re
lief Of her intended husband. -Philadel
Mia Times
On the Black Mountain.
Nothing strikes a visitor to the Blac
fountain more forcibly than the perfec
security of a country where every man !
warrior and goes about his daily bus
ness with his revolver in his belt. Th
traveller is sacred to the Montenegrins