Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1897-11-17
THE PHANTOM TRAIN.
(By Mrs. Mary R. P. Hatch.)


lBy MIS-. mary II. L. ttuJcn.)
- - T was in the fall of
s, ,sSIa-....-,'-'NN 1881, Sept. 20, that
N GuHs "NH~ party of FIVE, in
=! Sa!Gsg1a ENNNOhl Guiding myself,
ii S S7-;ss;i7R "NO started on trip to
@ ~: i: i: i: :: /: : ::$: i:
ETTTTVwTTvEE fifty miles north of
TNns,s,. "''' the White Mount
'IOtlIINDNMyN, sias, cl Tenn
our setting forth at the proposed hour,
so it was nightfall ere we passed
through Colebrook; indeed, lamps were
lit in many of the stores and dwellings
Upon inquiry we learned that we were
still ten miles from the Notch. We de-
cided, however, to go forward, al
though our horses were tired and did
not pull we'll together being both off
lorses which had never before been
driven side by side.
The twinlSling lights grew less fire.
quent and finally disappeared altogeth-
er, which led us to conjecture that we
were now in the DiXville region. The
stars came out and the moon gave
faint light, but this only served to make
more apparent the gloom of the i'm
penetrable forests and rocky cliffs. and
as we observed all this, we regretted
that we had not retained at Colebrook
until morning, for the road If not ac-
tually dangerous, was dreary enough.
We seemed as much out of the world,
or at least from the abodes of man, as
though we had been travelling days in
stead of hours. The cry of LOOM or
some other bird of night, occasionally
broke over the silence which settled
over us; for the gentlemen were too
much engaged in their efforts to keep
the horses in the narrow path to in
dulge in any but laconic remarks, and
Miss Alden and l. with tightly clasped
hands, sat rigid and still, waiting for
the carriage to be overturned or hurled
downwards into the far-reaching dark
ness
Aren't you afraid?" exclaimed Miss
Alden
mo, l feel as safe as though l were
in my mothers lap" returned Charlie,
but Immediately before the laugh sub
sided he drew the horses up suddenly.
Mr.. Ackley got down and discovered
that he had narrowly escaped being
thrown down precipice.
"Shall we go on?" / asked anxious
ly.
we can't turn around. and / sup
pose we must" returned Charlie.
The gloom increased, the darkness
thickened. Trees grew thick on either
side of the road, the curtains of our
carriage were down, and Miss Alden
and myself were thus enveloped in to-
tai darkness AS for my little boy, he
had fallen asleep.
Suddenly we heard the shrill whistle
of a locomotive and the thunder of
train broke the silence. Our horses
quivered with fright so that their har-
ness shook, and they began plunging
and rearing Bending forward to peer
out, we saw, high up on the crags, the
lights of passing train. Another
whistle, a rumble, and it had van
ished
Heavens" exclaimed Charlie, 1--WE
Phantom train!" repeated Miss AL
den, Il see nothing remarkable about
it,"
Nothing remarkable when there is
not a railroad track within twenty
miles of here! That train" said Char
lie, "if it did not float in the air, ran
over the points of stones bristling sew
eral feet apart, and at an altitude thai
surveyors have thus far not interfered
with"
"Is this true?" / asked
at is indeed" he replied. 81 have
heard of this phantom train, but never
believed in its existence until now. 1t
only appears one night in year, and l
suppose, luckily or unluckily, we have
CHANGED upon that night"
Absurd as the story has always ap-
peared to me, did not in the I'M
canny darkness which surrounded us,
find it too strange for belief. Indeed,
had we not seen with our own eyes,
the phantom train?
Shall tell you the story as 1 heard
it?" asked Mr.. Ackley.
20, no, not until we are out of this
gloom said l.
IF we ever are" said Miss Alden.
We went on, past one or two lum-
bering camps untenanted and solitary
and just as we began to feel hopelessly
shut in by dangers, seen and unseen,
we entered a cleared space, and in a
moment drew rein at large, pleasant,
well-lighted hotel, the Dix house.
The change was wonderful. Out of