The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1896-10-08
THE WOMAN IN BLACK.

New York, | found in the morning. upon
crawling out of my berth, that the train
was standing stock still. The porter
told me it had been standing IL rs for
an hour and a half, while l had BEEN
sleeping the sleep of the just. l dressed
and peeped out, and saw that we were
alongside the platform of a country sta
ton. l took good breakfast in the
dining car and then went out to stroll
up and down the platform.
In the cab sat the driver, or engineer,
as they call him, alone, waiting. With
the natural fondness of an Englishman
Cor machinery, l stopped and gossiped
with him moment about the engine.
Then 1 offered him a cigar, which he
took with thanks, and asked me to come
in. 1 swung myself into his cab.
T:le engineer, a bright, pleasant-faced
man about 40 years old, explained 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 an engineer is as proud of
his engine as any housewife is of the
neatness of her dwelling. glanced at
the two shining steam gauges with the
clock between them, and then | no.
ticed what seemed to be an ordinary
white moth, mounted in gilt frame,
hanging against the wall of the cab.
els that for an ornament?" 1 asked,
pointing at the moth.
The driver smiled well, partly for
an ornament" he said, "bIt good deal
more for sentiment. I put that moth
there because it saved my life, and thu
Sives of $50 people as we'll"
How in the world could an insect save
human liyes?" 1 asked.
well, 1 will tell you, if you want to
hear the story. reckon there's time
enough before we are able to get out of
this"
] settled myself in the stoker's seat
and prepared to listen. "It wasn't such
a long time back" said the engineer;
''only year ago last spring. Twas ruL-
ming this very train, and with this very
'engine-old 449. My stoker was Jim
Meade, the same fellow as l have got
now. You can see him over there, lean
jng up against the telegraph office.
''Jim's a good boy, but he's very sd
and warnings. used to laugh at his
fancies, but l don't make so much fun
of him as | did-not since we saw the
Woman in Black
1--WE were timed to leave Nj about
one O'Clock in the morning, and to arrive
jn s. about six o'clock. On the night
when the thing took place a fearful
storm of wind and rain had been raging
since early evening, and was at the
height of its fury when l started from
the engine shed.
at was about midnight and the wind
seemed to sweep clear round and
through the building. 1t was terribly
dismal Jim was there, and the engine
was all ready, so after getting my work
ing clothes ON, I ran the engine down to
the station. Our train, the vestibule
2imited, was an hour late. l gave the
engine a thorough oiling, and made sure
shat all was in order.
<'As we sat in the cab we could hear
the storm raging on the outside, while
the rain, driven by the gusts of wind,
beat fiercely against the windows.
Its going to be a bad run, Frank
Jim said. 4 wish we were in S, safe
and sound
Il laughed. What makes you feel so
terribly glum, JIM I said.
"'Oh,' said he, 4 feel creepy, somehow.
Seems like there's something terrible
going to happen. 1 can feel it in my
bones
81 laughed again. You got little
wet coming over, guess, jim said 1.
And the sound of the wind ism t very en-
couraging, that's fact
ITO tell the truth, was little nerv-
Gus myself, notwithstanding my easy
way of treating Jim's notion.
Presently our train came in, long and
heavy, consisting mainly of sleepers. 1t
used to make me nervous to know that
Che lives of hundreds of my fellow men
were in my keeping, but now I think
nothing of it. That night was nervous.
What if the frightful storm had made
II sigralman careless, or if a rail had
been loosened by the settling of the
track somewhere? On these fast trains
"a man must rely on the vigilance of the
employees, for in order to keep to time he
must run at such speed that often he
cannot see signal before he is upon it.
But laughed at myself for my fears
as / backed down and coupled on to the
train. | set the brakes, and found
everything 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
functions, past signal lights, and be-
tween long lines of carriages till, with
Il roar and rumble, we rushed over
she long iron bridge and away through
she hills, waking their slumbering
echoes with our shrill whistle.
'Then pulled the throttle wide open,
and the clank and roar soon settled
dpto a hum, for old 449 was doing her
best, and we were making so miles an
hour.
''The darkness was intense, save