Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1896-10-18

Il
man, about 40 years old, explained 10
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 neatness
of her dwelling l glanced at the two
shining steam gauges with the clock be-
tween them. and then l noticed what
seemed to be an ordinary white motn,
mounted IN a gilt frame, hanging against
The wall of the cab.
rs thar for an Ognament?' l asked,
pointing 10 the moth.
The driver smiled. "We!l, partly FER
an ornament" he said, 'but a gCod deal
more for sentiment. ! put tlaL MON
there because il saved my lie, and the
lives of 250 people as WELL
How in the world could ~ insect save
human uyes?' / asked.
well, / viii tell You ii you want to
hear the story. 1 reckon there's time
enough before We are able to get out OF
this"
settled myself in the absent s.Oker's
seat and prepared to lisJenIt wasn't
such a long time back" said the engi-
near, only a year ago last spring l
was running this very train, and this
very eng.uc-oid 449 My stoker was
jim Meade. You can see MIN over there
leaning up against the telegraph or
fee.
"Jim's a good boy, but he's very SUI
porslitiOus believes in ghosts, dreams
and warnings. | used TO laugh at bis
iancies, but | don't make so much fun
Of him as | did-not since we saw me
woman IN Black
I'VE were timed 10 leave M about
] o'clock in the morning, and 10 arrive
in s. about 6 o'clock. On the night
when the thing took place a fearful
storm of wilma and rain had been rag
ing since early evening, and was at The
height Of ifs fury Wnon l started from
the engine shed.
1T was about midnight and the wind
seemed to sweep clear round and through
1he building. 1t was terribly dismal.
Jim was there and the engine was all
ready. 30, after getting nay working
clothes on. ran The engine down TO the
station. Our train, the yesubule limited,
WAS an hour late I gave the engine a
thorough o.ling, and made sure all Was
in order
AS we satin the cab we could hear
the storm raging Outside, while the ram,
driven by the gusts Of wind, beat iiercely
against The windows.
IT'S going to be a pad run, Frank,
lin said L wish we were in s. SAFE
and sound
81 laughed what makes you feel so
teri BY glum, jim" said.
"'Ol said he, i feel creepy, some
how. Seems like there's something ter
r.ble going TO happen. / can feel 1t IN
my bones .,
Il LAUGHED again. You got little wet
coming over, 1 guess, jim said l.. And
.he sound of the wind isn't very encour-
aging, hats q fact
TO tell The Cru,h, ! was little nery-
Gus myself, notwithstanding my easy
WY of treating Jim's notion.
presently our train came IN long ana
heavy. consisting mainly of sleepers. lt
used to make me nervous TO know that
The lives OF hundreds OF my fellow men
we're in my keeping, but now 1 think
nothing of .t. That night 1 was nery-
Gus. What il the frightful storm had
made a signalman careless, or II q rail
had been i0oseued by The settling OF the
vrack somewhere? On these fast trains
a man must rely on the vigilance Of the
employees, FOR in order 10 keep 20 time
he must run to such speed that often
he cauno. see q signal before he is upon
it.
But I laughed at myself for my fears
as ! backed down ana coupled on 10 the
train. I set the brakes and found every
thing in good order.
BY and by the little gong above my
head changed sharply. and with pun
and hiss of escaping steam we were OF
into the night and storm, rafting over.
functions. past signal lights, and be
lWeen long lines Oh carriages tlii, with
! a roar and a rumble, We rushed over the
long iron bridge and away through the
hills. waking the s,umbering echoes with
our shrlll whistle.
Then 7 pulled the throttle wide open,
and the oauk and roar soon settled into
a hum. for Old 449 was doing her best,
and we we're making fifty miles an hour.
"Tle darknC was intense, save
where the headlight an electric device
cas- It's funnel .Oi light into the gloom.
jim mad big fire, and kept steam UP
10 a nigh pressure, so that we fairly flew
past sleeping ham.eIs and still farm
houses.
AT our first watering station I made
sure that all was working smoothly.
while Jim inspected Jle adiight The
station master handed out the orders,
which showed that the line was clear
as far as our next stopping place On
we went
The darkness grew more intense, II
possible, while the wind shreked by
The rain became more binding, till
nothing could be discovered in the gray
murk which enyeloped US.
Suddenly through the mist and rain
I saw looming right IN front Of Us the
gigantic figure of a woman wrapped in
d long, black mantle, which seemed 70
nutter in the wind. She waved great
spectral arms about in swift twisting
movements. As | stood looking in hor-
ror. the figure vanished with final wave
Of the arms
81 was TOO much ast0nished and Sup
fed even to make a movement OF my
hand toward the throttle. At that no
ment jim had been bending over the
fire. As he looked up he exclaimed:
'Hallo. Frank. What's up. You look
as though you had seen ghost