Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1896-05-21

gineer recalled the circumstance he
threw back his head and laughed as
heartily as he had ever laughed in his
life. The fireman, casting farewell
glance at his companion, saw him
laughing and concluded in his last
moment that the driver had suddenly
become insane, but as he glanced
ahead where death was awaiting he
was not sure that he was sane himself.
The driver having finished his laugh
and still feeling no shock, looked aheah.
The track was clear He unlatched
the reverse lever and threw the engine
in the forward motion and the speed
of the train which had been but
little checked, carried them away down
among the sand hills. The driver
looked over to the fireman and asked:
"Did YOU see anything"
No, said the fireman. Did you?'
And the driver said no, tried his wa
ter and opened the throttle and the
engine whirled away, while the fire
man returned to his place at the fur
mace door.
The two men scarcely glanced at
each other again until they stopped
for water at Green river, but each in
his own mind was recalling all the
wild tales of ghost trains" he had
ever heard. Each was firm in the be-
lief that he had seen "ghost" but he
would never tell it-not for his job.
The official in the special train felt
the resistance of the engine when the
engineer shut off and reversed, and
the general manager, turning to the
superintendent, asked with a show of
surprise:
When did you put in that siding
"What, back there? That's Coyote
spur, and it has been there for SIX
months, was the reply.
a know very well, said the man
ager, "where Coyote spur Is, for We
waited there fifteen minutes for No
Eight going down the other day, but
we Just passed siding on the north.
The superintendent was inclined to
be funny, but the colonel, stroking his
long, gray whiskers, remarked that
he had seen locomotive standing at
the point mentioned, and "as trains
are not in the habit of meeting and
passing between stations, | take it
that there must be a siding there.
There was Just a twinkle of mirth
in the colonel's eyes, which, despite
the finger marks left about them by
the touch of time, are still bright with
the sparkle of youth, but the superin-
tendent was utterly unable to under
stand the general manager.
There was silence for little while,
but the general manager was by no
means satisfied. He pressed the but
ton and when the porter came in he
asked Did you see an engine on a
siding back aways. George ?'
No, sab, | haven't saw no engine.
D'aint no sidin' 'cept Ci-ote spur, an
dat wus clear
"Send the conductor to me, " SAID
the official, and when the conductor
came in the manager asked to be al
lowed to look at the running orders.
Run special to Grand Junction
avoiding all regular trains. Extra
engine 81 has until 5.55 to make Coy
ote spur against You.
What time did YOU pass the spur?
demanded the colonel
"Precisely at $50, said the con
ductor, now somewhat alarmed at The
managers air.
is there siding between here anC
Coyote? asked the colonel, and the
superintendent being at a loss to make
out what the manager was driving at
started to leave the car, but his su
perior office called him back.
There is not, was the conductor
reply.
"Perhaps," said the colonel, "ther'
was not when we went down, bu
there Is now, for I saw a locomotive
standing there
The conductor laughed as the super
intendent had done, but the colOne
offered to risk dinner that he haC
seen no ghost train, and the super
intendent took the bet as the easies
way of settling an argument which
was about to become embarrassing.
When the special reached Greer
river the party went into the eahnl
house. where supper had been ordered
and, as was his habit, the colonel sa
at the same table with the train ant
{ engine crew.
"What did YOU shut off for just thi
side Of Covote spur, Sam ?" asked tn