Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1896-12-04

COlOuti SdV at IuC SohO t"NiO WV"
the traiu and engine crew.
'What did you shut off for just
this side of Coyote spur, Samf
asked the colonel, Looking the ell
gineer in the eye, and instantly
the eyes of the whole party were
upon the drivers dusky face. The
engineer was speechess. Not
that the circumstances had escap-
ed his mind, for as matter OF
fact he had thought OF little else,
but he knew not how to answer.
Did you think that engine wae
on the main line' asked the gener'
al manager, noticing the embarras'
sment of the engine crew.
'What engineP asked the en-
queer, trying to look and speak
naturally.
There was only one engine
there besides your own was the
colonePs response. 'Will you be
good enough to answer my ques'
tlOnP
'Well,' thought the d:i yer, 'if
I've got 'em the G. Ms got 'em
and he answered: Il did think she
was on tue main stem.'
'What did you think, Harry !
asked the superintendent of the
fireman who was staring at the
engineer. The fireman only closed
his eyes aud shook his head slow
Iy, as though he considered them
all crazy, and his long lashes,
dark with coal dust lay upon bis
newly washed face like the loshes
OF a chorus girl.
Did you see anything on your
sldeV asked the colonel, who was
determined to unlock the lips OF
the fireman.
Not a thing said Harry Il don't
believe in ghosts
1T will not he necessary for you
to take out 63 IAN accident report)
bat | wish you would tell me what
you saw and how it affected you,
said the general manager, address.
ing the engineer.
May l ask you first if you saw
anything colonel" SAID the driver.
Il saw locomotive standing on
a spur or siding just east OF
Coy yote,i
when | saw her hrst,' said
Sam. taking courage from the
cOlonel's confession, 'she was bang
in front OF us coming out OF a cut
like a ball out of cannon. | saw
ii was all up with Us. but 1 natsr'
ally shut off-mechanically, so to
speak. I think | hooked her over,
but | didn't whistle open the sand
Salve nor set the air-they want
no use-nO time-but Just then
hought OF little Sammle as l saw
him last, hangln' on the fence by
seat Nv bis pants, an it seemed to
me that never see ANYTHING 50
funny, and l laughed that hard
that the tears came IN INV eyes and
blinded me. Then the thought
came to me that we we're a long
time coming together, so L looks
ahead an there want a thing in
81 ght. asked Harry if he see
ANYTHING an he lied an asked me
If | see anything an l he'd too, an
opened up the throttle again.
That's all know about IT.
There was a noticeable increase
IN the attention of the compan' ,
and Tin Flarrity, the fireman,
leaning low toward the table
crossed himself and ventured the
prediction that they would have
a head END collision before they
reached the Junction. Il never
see a ghost train show mp yet that
didn't mean something he added,
but the burst of laughter that fol.
lowed closed his circuit, and be
said no more.
Now the agent came in With a
number of messages for the super.
lntendent and as the official began
reading the first of the lot he be
gan to smile.
Read it OUT said the colonel.
'Perhaps it will tell us something
about the ghost!' The superlntend'
ent read:
Engine 81 is of the track anC
n ,arIy off the right OF way, 1,OO(
yards east of Coyote spur, bat
still on her feet.
That explaiDeq the ghost engine
At the instant when the englnee
shut of, the sewing machine JUS
then rounding a sharp curve
inmped the track IIt square on heI
wheels and went ploughIng ou
over the hard abode Of the desert
She rolled and rocked for feV
seconds and then came to q sto
With the engine men still standInl