The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1896-11-13

HttNAA 80 $3.50 saF'+ NsA "=+t 80
whistle.
"Tho darkness grew more intense.
II possible, while the wind shrioked
by. Tho rain became more binding,
TIL nothing could DO distinguished IN
the gray murk which enveloped ua
Suddenly through tho mist and
rain I saw looming right IN front Of
us the gigantic figure Of a woman
wrapped In a long, black mantle,
which seemed TO hutter IN tho wind.
She waved great spectral arms about
in swift, twisting movements. As I
stood looking IN horror. tho figure
vanished with final wave Of the arms.
II was too much astonished aud
stupefed even TO make a movement Of
my hand toward the throttle. At that
moment Jim had been bending over
the FIRE. As be looked up no ex-
claimed:
'Halloa, Frank. What's up?
You look as though you had seen a
ghost
81 did not answer. Ny mind was
too full Of the strange figure I had
perceived.
"We we're now nearing Rock Creek,
where there is a bridge over a deep
stream. I felt more nervous than
ever. We dashed around the curve
and whizzed by Rock Creek station,
which is only a mile from tho bridge.
AS we passed glanced at the steam
gauge for an instant A cry from
Jim caused me to turn quickly toward
him. He sat rigid, his eyes large and
staring. His jaw dropped, the very
picture of terror He pointed with a
shaking finger out into the darkness.
/ turned aud looked, and then be-
gan myself to shake. There on the
metals was the same hideous figure of
a woman outlined on the background
OF light from the engine. now notion
less, now whirling in a witch dance, but
all the time motioning us back.
" Frank, gasped Jim, but scarcely
above a whisper, don't go over the
bridge. Don't 60 for heavens sake
Don't go until you are sure it's safe.
II suppose was pretty badly
scared. AT any rate, I put on the
brake for all was worth. I couldn't
have resisted the impulse to stop the
train.
Gas we came to a stop cou Id hear
the roar of the water in Rock Creek
just ahead. I stepped out of the cab
and met the conductor coming up.
What's the matterP What's the
matter?' he asked impatiently.
II felt decidedly foolish. There
was no gigantic woman to be seen
now. Nothing could be made ont
more than few feet away in the
binding storm.
We'll, said I, we've seen some
thSun Z.
seemed like it was great black ghost
that was waving its arms, and warning
US not to go forward.
"The conductor looked at me curl
Ously. Are You crazy, Frank, he
said. 4 should think you we're. But
we're so near the bridge we'll take a
look at it.
"We took our lanterns and went
ahead, leaving Jim with the engine /;
he looked frightened to death. But
tell You, we hadn't gone five rods be.
fora we stopped in horror.
1here at our feet lay black
chasm, filled with the roar of the
river, MS swollen with the spring rains,
it dashed down toward the lake. The
bridge was washed away.
"Only few splinters of wood and
twisted iron chung to the abutment,
while now far out over the blackness,
that awful black figure OF woman
danced again on the thin air, relieved
against the shaft of light that the
headlight threw.
cit was finging its arms about aG
il in wild glee. The conductor stared
at the ehasm and then at me.
"'Was that the thing you saw wher
you stopped the tramp he asked.