Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1901-05-11
! The Phantom Headlight.
ocoeeoocccoccocooocococcG
r HE holiday was over, and the
tired eXcursionists troopcd
back TO the depot, where

Number Eight, patient and
strong, stood waiting to bear them TO
their homes.
Ready to start 1 suppose, Billy"
Eyes, sir. Got on good steam.'
BE pretty dark by the time we
reach Jacksonville
Yes, sir. Looks like it was goin
to fog up some"
The fireman and the engineer were
talking together in the cab, just be-
fore Number Eight pulled out from the
depot with its heavy load. Phinney
Fitzpatrick. the engineer, was broad
slouldercd young fellow OF middle
height blue eyed and light haired, with
an honest, open face. He had we'll
bred air, which was to be expected,
for Phnney was the son OF Il North
Carolina gentleman.
He had been sent by his father to
the university, where he soon won Il
thrccfold reputation-as a thorough
gentleman, jolly good fellow, and
q failure.
When he failed for the second time
on the last Latin examination, and had
been made doubly sure Of the fact by
the receipt OF his report, Phinney said
to his father:
dad, I'm not going back to Chapel
Hill"
HIN! Rather emphatic. What do
you intend to do them"
I'm going to work-going 10 work,
on the railroad"
And my son will be common en-
Gineer:"
We'll, It's no use returning to col
lego, and ia rather be a common Ell.
ginCer' than an uIcommonly stupid
college boy"
So that is how PhinNcy came to be
an engineer. He worked two years
as fireman and then was given an en-
CINE. He had been changed from one
engine to another, and at the end Of
four years on the road was making this
trip from Jacksonville to Wilmington.
Forty miles of the run had been
made in safety. The sun had set in
hazy fog.
lawfully foggy. isn't it. Dilly:'
"Yes, sir. Mighty foEgy, Sir" an.
swcred Billy, who, in ten years scrv-
ice, had never risen above the post Of
| fireman, ana seemed to have no am
bition for anything higher than shov.
cling coal, and supporting his wife
and five children in what they consid-
ercd comfort. ITS OH nights like this
we see the ghost headlight, sir"
"Ghost headlight! Well. I've heard
of phantom rckshaws, but never of Il
phantom headlight"
II didn't say it was fantum, sir.
just said it was common ghost"
HIM! Not at all common, l should
say. Well. what do you think it is:'
ITS the ghost of some old engine
that's got wrecked; and 1 think It's
about here they see it sometimes"
Just then Phnncy blew the danger
whistle loudly, slowed down and
stopped the engine.
Look at that fool engine yondcr!"
lie said, pointing to light that was
coming rather slowly down the track,
| anu HOW StopDcu.
"Why, it's this fantum!" cried Bill.
ly. IL s'pose it's the fog that makes
her light look co low
Il don't believe any such trash. I'm
going to see what the fellow means
by coming down the track when he
knows the excursion train is due" And
Phinney, in spite of Billy's protests,
got out of the cab, and started down
the track with Il lantern.
He had gone only few yards
when, finding the centre of the tract;
very wet, he mounted the rail and
walked on The iron, IN arr in which
lie was expert, but after walking sue.
ccssfully for Il while, he suddenly lost
his footing. He stopped to find out
what had caused him 10 stumble. The
rail was gone. Forgetting the phan
tom headlight and the other engine in
his surprise, he hurried back to Mum.
Der Eight.
Billy, the tracks gone, not fifty
yards ahcad.'
"Gone. sir? Gomez
Yes. gone vamoscd. left out. Don't
stand there like a--er-wc must fix II
right now you know" for Billy was
standing staring at him in perfectly
vacant aStoniShment.
After the hands. under phinney'.
supervision, had replaced the rail, he
suddenly remembered the other head
light.
why, where's that engine gomez
he asked. For it was nowhere to be
seen.
God bless the ghost headlight"
said Billy, with dcvout irrelevancc.
At which Phinney only laughed. Blu
aftcrward. when the trembling womcl
and frightened mon had become calm
and Number Eight WAS speeding safe
! ly down the track, almost at the cnt