Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-02-23


and bleeding body, but 1t seemed to stick
to my mind with great persistency. When
we reached the first telegraph station
wired the agent at the station near where
the accident occurred about the sad affair.
and asked him to make a careful search
for the missing finger. There was not
thing on the person OF the dead woman
that would give the slightest clew as to
who she was and, of course. she was buried
down in that region without being identi-
fed.
1.-The next night while passing the spot
where the woman had been killed almost
lost my nerve, for can tell you 1t makes
no difference how reckless an engineer gets.
none of us like to kill human beings. es-
feeling of guilt, but simply Of dread. The
finger could not be found, and the publish
ed account of the terrible accident had just
been copied in the papers all over the coun-
try, but 1t seemed that the identity OF the
Inflated woman had been lost forever.
A Chastity Appearance.
when the old engine, which by the way
was numbered 213' got in from her
bloody trip. she was run into the shop for
some extensive repairs and another engine
was given me to do the work with. In
about month old 213' came out in first
class condition, and l was SO pleased with
her that forgot all about the spot Of blood
on the driving wheel. 1 had a gentle re-
hinder Of it, however, the first trip made
when we struck the curve where the
woman had been killed gave the engine
a little more steam. 1t was down mill at
that place, but 1 always opened the throt-
tie little in order to get good start up
the next grade. half a mile ahead. This
time / gave her a good deal, for 1 was
pleased with the way old 2l3 was moving
herself. just as yanked her open stuck
my head out Of the window so as to see
the track better. The exhaust seemed to
stop. 1 felt my engine check and die out
as If some one had shut off her throttle:
Il pulled my head in quickly to see what
had produced that strange action. l be-
lieved the fireman had done something to
her to tease me, but he sat doing on his
box the very picture of Innocence; l sus-
pected him, however, but said nothing.
1.-The next trip l made shall never Tor
get, it the last one 1 ever made
over that road. Having attributed the
in that numbeD two nights previous to the
fireman I determined to watch him. He
had worked up good gauge or steam, and
was doing on his box. pulled open the
1 leaned back against my cushion and fixed
my eyes on the reclining figure on the OPP
poste side Of the cab.
1.-The next instant the cab filed with fly
ing hair. l felt the engine check and die
as dead as If the air had been turned on.
My eyes dropped to the throttle, and in
stantly my blood seemed to turn to ice.
There was a finger touching the throttle.
1t was the index finger of the left banda
pcman's hand. Around it was plain gold
hand and ring of blood where it had been
separated from the hand.
Finally 1t Was Buried.
There was no mistaking that finger: 1t
was there and it simply pressed the life
out Of the engine. The speed was so d.
minished that the fireman, perceiving it
With start, jumped down and began Civ
ing her coal He did not discover the true
cause Of old No. 2l3's strange action, for
just as he opened his eyes the phantom
finger disappeared.
"Once was enough for me. AS soon as
C uld get to the office of the superintendent
I resigned under the plea that / was worn
Il afterward learned through letter
from friend down in that section that one
Gay while party of curious people We're
exploring cave found near the track,
some one discovered a half decayed finger
in a crevice in the rock. 1t was the index
fiji: ger of the left hand, had the gold band
around it, and was beyond doubt the miss
ing finger of the unknown corpse buried
three months before. The ring was taken
Off and examined. 1t bore some initials,
which afterward led to the Identification of
the woman. She had become slightly de-
nented over the death of her lover and,
having money, had boarded the train in
Louisville, and had been carried down into
the mountains. where she was killed. She
was eXhumed and the finger buried with
her. Since the finger is buried l don't be-
lieve it would startle any one on that road
hut the country Is unhealthy for me, and /
don't believe 1 shall ever go back there to
work. The country has a creepy feeling
for me-
1t was II o'clock when the weird story
was concluded, and as several of the group
made a break for home, The Star reporter
taking advantage of the companionship, did
likewise.