The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1896-10-28
THE WOMAN IN BLACK,
AN ENGINEERS STORY.
From, Pearso,a's JYeekly.

From Pearsons Weekly.
Travelling recently from Chicago to New
York, T found in the morning, upon
crawling out of my berth, that the train
was standing stock still. The porter told
me that 1t had been standing thus for an
hour and half, while I had been Sleep
ing the sleep of the just. I dressed and
peeped out and saw that we were along
side the platform of country station. I
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
for machinery, I stopped and gossipped
with him moment about the engine.
Then I offered him cigar which he
took with thanks, and asked me to come
In. swung myself into bis cab.
The engineer, bright, pleasant-faced
man, about DO years old, explained to me
the uses of the numerous valves and lev
ers 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. Iglanced I at the two shining
steam gauges with the clock between
them, and then I noticed what seemed to
be an ordinary white moth, mounted in
gilt frame, hanging against the wall OF
the cab.
sis that for an ornament" asked,
pointing TO the moth.
The driver smiled swell, partly for
an ornament" he said, "but a good deal
more for sentiment. I put that moth
there because it saved my life, and the
lives of $50 people as we'll"
"How in the world could an insect saye
human lives?" I asked.
"Well, will tell you if you want to
he, the story. 7 reckon there's time
enough before we are able to get out of
this"
I settled myself in the absent stoker's
seat and prepared to listen. at wasn't
such long time back, said the engineer;
"only year ago last spring. was rum
ming this very train, and this very engine
old 449. My stoker was Jim Meade, the
same fellow ss have got now. You can
see him over there, leaning up against the
telegraph Office.
"Jim is q good boy, but he's very super
stitious; believes IN ghosts, dreams and
warnings. I used to laugh at his fanoies,
but I don't make as much fun of him as
T did-not since we saw the Woman in
Black
"We were timed to leave NJ about l
O'clock in the morning, and to arrive in
s. about o'clock. On the night when
the thing took place % fearful storm Of
wind and rain had been raging since
early evening, and was at the height of
its fury whenI started from the engine
shed.
lit 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,
80, after getting my working clothes on,
I ran the engine down to the station. Our
train, the vestibule limited, was an hour
late. I then gave the engine a thorough
ofiing, and made sure that all was in or
der.
GAS we sat in the cab we could hear the
storm raging outside, while the rain driv-
en- by the gusts of wind, beat fercely
against the windows.
It's going to be bad run, Frank
Jim said. I wish We were in S., safe
and sound"
81 laughed What makes you feol 30
terribly glum, Jim2' I said.
"'Oh,' said he, Il feel creepy somehow.
Seems like there something terrible
going to happen I can feel it in my
bones.'
II laughed again. You gota little wet
coming over, guess, Jim, said I. And
che sound of the wind isn't very encour-
aging, that's fact
"To tell the truth, was little nervous
myself, Notwithstanding my easy way Of
treating Jim's notion.
"Presently our train came in long and
heavy, consisting mainly of sleepers. It
used to mako me nervous to know that
the lives of hundreds of my fellow men
were in my keeping, but now think
nothing 1t. That night was nervous.
What if the frightful storm had made a
slignalman careless, or If rail had been
loosened by the settling OF the track
somewhere? On these fast trains man
must rely on the vigilance OF the en-
ployes, for in order to keep to time he
must run at such speed that often be
cannot see signal before he is upon 1t.
"But laughed at myself for my fears
as backed down and coupled on to the
train. set the brakes, and found every
thing in good order.
"By and by the little gong above my
head Changed sharply, and with puff
and hiss Of escaping steam we we're off
into the night and storm, rattling over
functions, past signal lights, and between
long rows Of carriages till, with roar,
we plunged across the iron bridge and
away through the hills, waking their
slumbering echoes with our shrill whis-
tie.
"Then I pulled the throttle wide open,
and tho clsnk and roar soon settled into
a hum, for old 4A9 was doing her best,
and we were making so miles an hour.
1.-THE darkness was intense. save where
the headlight, an electric device, cast it's
funnel of light into the gloom. Jim bad
big fire, and kept steam up to high
pressure, so that we fairly flew past
the sleeping hamlets and still farm hous-
eS.
sat our first watering station made
sure that all was working smoothly,
while Jim inspected the headlight. The
station master handed out the orders,
which showed that the line was clear as
far as our next stopping place. On we
won't.
"The darkness grew moro intense, II
possible, while the wind shrleked by.
The rain became more binding, till moth
ing could be distinguished in tho grey
murk which enveloped US.
uSuddenlv through the mist and rain