The times., 1901-06-09

| EXcusuble Superstitions of EnEfn-
eers-ShOcked by Visions nS Their
Trains Rush AIong-FIaEEed by
the Lenfy BOughs of "A Pine Tree.
wonder what was the first. instantan-
eOus sensation OF that Canadian engineer
who ran down Jumbo IN the fog. Prob
| ably 70 engineer ever ha,. a stranger shock;
but shocks. strange and otherwise. are
the portion of every man who stands at
a locomotive throttle. He must get used
to them and stand them as best he can
or find some occupation with less nervous
/ strain to it. Most OF them in the business
/ set hardened to the unexpected. which Is
/ always happening on the rails.
| newly located watchmau's shauty-
/ looking exactly like the end of box
/ car-set my scalp TO tingling one night
/ There had never been anything there but
/ the river before. and when the headlight
| glared on that very substantial structure
1 was sure my call had arrived
! Another time a tool box in a tunnel.
/ partly covered over with clothes and a
\ coil OF rope, started me for the step,
/ under the impression that it was a rock
| fallen from tine roof But these are mere
harmless scares which help to keep one
| awake. The engine gets by them before
/ you get off, and you are back in your seat
/ again breathing anathena rnaranatha
against the thoughtless idiot who was
/ the cause OF it all Then there are the
other kind
| L was poking up long hill one night
when a red light suddenly showed up.
| followed at once by another, indicating
that the caboose of the preceding train
was just ahead-and l was coming up to
it with astonishing rapidity. 1 yelled to
nv Frs.V 70,
landed in the ditch, when six cars and the
caboose of the train ahead climbed all
over our engine. The train had broken in
two. and this was the rear section that
had trundled down hill on top of u.s.
FrequeEtly l have been asked IL rail-
road men are superstitious l think not,
though they might be pardoned il they
were.
One night after the meeting Fred Jones
asked, with fairly well assumed indlffer-
ence, if any o. you fellers" had seen a
mysterious fagman at night near the old
stone house this side OF Onendorf's Fill.
Two or three of the men looked around
quick and sharp, as though the question
reminded them of something, but no
body admitted he had
Darn funny" said Fred. putting at his
cigar like a -'mOg on grade I We seen
i'm twice. n DANCED if l en- make il out
In response 10 careful pumping Jones
told me that on two occasions, on the
night trip, a fellow had sprung out from
behind the ruins of the old stone house
and tagged him-nOt with a lamp, al
though it was night time. but with flag
He stopped both times. but no man was
to be found. nor was there any occasion
for tagging.
On the second occasion his conductor
hinted with railroad frankness that Jones
was dopy. so Jones said he would disre-
gard the fellows signal if he ever saw
him again. As to details. he remembered
only that both nights were brilliantly
moonlit and that good breeze was blow
ing.
fall. after a heavy rain. Jones ran into
a bad rOck-slide q quarter of a mile be-
yOnd the old stone house. His fireman
was killed, but he escaped with a sprain-
ed ankle. He came hobbling up TO me a
day or two later, as 1 was oiling round
wal. I done it"
Done what?'
Pan by that stone house fagman
was teIlin' ye about: wonder If they'll
think I'm dOpy uOw?"
He went on 10 tell me that the same
fellow fiagged him the night Of the aC-
cident; but with his good name in mind.
he dropped her down nOtch, breathed
defiance at the SpOOk through his teeth,
and went through the cut. tail on end,
only To pile up on the slide moment
later.
was killing time on a clearance The
moon was about full, pretty well down
in the west, and there was stiff breeze
from the same quarter. l remembered
Jones hagman, and decided he would
never have a better chance to get caught
l shut of and let her roll on approaching
the stone house.
Waving shadows or the track, cast by
trees and bushes on the bank above. sug-
gsSted n possible solution of the mystery.
/ kept my eyes fastened religiOCSly on
the spot Jones had described. and pres
entity saw there was something there.
Gradually the thing took form, until.
when within a train length. / could have
sworn that a man was in front Of me
waving a flag.
/ put on brakes, slowed right down and
gave an answering tOOt tOOt, but he paid
no attention. Then l Crawled out on the
run board and looked at the moon, which
was Just visible above the bank at my
right. AS the moon. myself, and the man
came into line, he became blurred and In
distinct. and / observed that small pine
tree on the bank was also coming into
line with US. When the line was COM
plete the fagm.an spread out and lost
form.
Next time I saw Jones I told him about
it, and he exclaimed:
Well. III be daruedi'
On his next day of Jones deadheaded 10
the station near the stone house and
tTamped fOdr miles with an axe. The
spook fagman never bothered him nor
anyone else thereafter.-New York Sun