Gilpin observer., 1907-06-13
THE RED SIGNAL
LIGHT

ding me If there wasn't lot Of dis.
cussion about those signals said the
fat engineer. "a feller would be peg
ging along about As miles an hour
with heavy train n come up again
the signal at Danvers Crossin' all
standin'
Now, Danvers Crossin' was a bad
spot to get stopped, n it didn't tend
to smooth anyone's feelin's to lay
there the required time for automatic
signals n find everything all right.
"Of course, there was only one ex
PLANTATION. Spooks.
"Oh, yes, we decided that at a pro-
tracted session of the stove commit
tee. Farmer Bailey and his two chill
dren were killed at Danvers Crossin
durin' that winter n it was only
natural that their departed spirits
should get back by tamperin' with the
signals and set the operatin' depart
ment of the road by the ears.
What seemed to make the spook
theory more plausible was that the
tampering with the signals did not
begin until after negotiations with the
railroad company by Bailey's relatives
for damage claims had become dead
locked
But I wouldn't fall for any such
thingamajigs in mine. However, the
signals up that way continued to play
hob with us, n reports n complaints
at the main office didn't bring any i'm
provement. There was a reign of ter
ror among the train crews.
Il was comm east one night with
first Sc, the livestock express, n only
had just as much time as the law al
lows to get in m make the export
steamer with 'em. l wasn't thinkin'
much about spooks or spirits, but just
merely payin' attention to business.
81 was shakin' 'em along right lively
when comm along there by Danvers
Crossin' the red light on the signal
pole was shinin' as brightly as the big
ruby in the rajah's crown. l kept
steam on just as long as l possibly
could, thinkin' that the signal would
turn to white. But it didn't, n came
to a dead stop.
From what 1 could see the track in
the block ahead was just as clear as
a politicians conscience. However,
had to wait the required ten minutes
before procedin'. Well, sir, the Ian
guage 1 used about spooks n auto
matte block signals in general while
we were standin' there would have
sterilized milk.
"All of a sudden down behind a
bush near the tracks was a splashin'
wallerin' sound, as if some one had
slipped n made a false step in the
ditch. Immediately l thought it a
part of my duties to go down there
n investigate. Mebbe l might see
Farmer Bailey's shade n talk him
out of this foolishness OF tryin' to gel
hep tamperin' with our signal system
Il ran down the bank toward tho
bush. The spook saw me comm frs
n evidently not wishin' to be inter
viewed, started to leg it across lots
me in full pursuit.
1T beat any Marathon cross-country
race you ever saw. my contest witt
that shade. He was pretty swift or
his spindles n I'm no sellin' platter
myself.
Il was closin' the gap on him prett,
rapidly n l was just mad enough tt
give that ghost a good slap on the hale
when | caught up TO him. Comm to ;
little brook crossin' the lot the spool
decided not to take the Liverpool an
he stopped so suddenly that l nearl.
went through him.
"'Well,' says, swingin' him aroun
the pleasure is all mine. You can
"'No,' he returned in voic
strangely familiar, but that belonger
to no spook, it's all mine. l saw i
first. You just hike back to your trail
n move on
81 just felt as cheap as fur ovel
coat in hades. There I'd been chasir
the superintendent of signals.
You see the company had bee
tryin' little test just to see who wa
who n up to snuff on the autonati
signals to find out what engineer
were observin' the signals properl,
OF course they hadn't thought it necei
sary to take us into their confidenc
N except for the super's false ste
we wouldn't be wise yet"