St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1908-05-16

said. Ever since No. 587 had BEEN
built it Lad been run by Mr.. W., one of
the oldest engine drivers on the rail-
road. 2'he iron horse was beauty
large, powerful, and the pride Of
every one who had anything to do
with it.
Soon after the big strike of the A.
r. U. Mr.. w died very suddenly and
No. 587 was of course turned over to
other engine drivers. The old engine
went all right for while, but it was
not long after Mr.. WIS death that it
began kicking up and playing all sorts
of pranks It ran off the track one
night and came near ditching whole
train of freight cars. II it had run
off the crack but once nothing would
have been thought Of it, but the per-
verse monster kept running on the
track every few weeks and smashing
things so badly that it was in the re-
pair shops nearly a third of the time.
The superintendent of course al
ways laid the blame on the engine
drivers, and more than one man was
laid of for It.
Finally No. SGT was transferred to
the switch yards, where it worked all
right fer while, then it began smash
ing things again. At last 1t was
turned over to one of Mr.. WIS old
friends, Mr. N, an engine driver OF
exceptionally good record, who prided
himself on never having had wreck,
but even he could not keep No. 5S7 on
the track.
The weather had been bad for over
a week, the tracks were slippery, and
the engine driver on No. 587 always
was on the lookout that he kept to
the track all right. One night it was
raining hard and was as dark as pitch
No. SGT started down. the tracks after
a bunch OF cars. There was lot of
freight to be pulled out that night and
| the switching was unusually heavy.
The fireman had filled the frebox with
coal and had settled himself on his
| bench for a rest. Mr. N had his head
out the window and was backing up
slowly when he felt cold hand laid
On his own, which was on the lever.
The eoldness of the hand startled
him, but he thought of course it was
the fireman who had clutched his
hand to warn him of some danger;
turning his head to see what was the
matter, he beheld to his horror, Mr..
VS. apparition, looking as natural as
though he were alive and about to
start on his night run.
Of course his account of the appari-
ton was met with scoffng and con-
siderable chatting upon the part OF
the railroad men about the yards, and
the engine driver began to think that
| it mig ht have been a delusion after
all.
One night, however, about month
after WIS apparition made its first
appearance In the cab of No. 587, the
engine driver had his head out of the
window, waiting for the signal to back
I'D. The fireman was fussing about the
firebox. Suddenly, as before, Mr.. w.
put in his appearance again and stood
there with his hand on the throttle
Both engine driver and fireman saw
the agure.
If the engine driver had been fright
ened at Mr.. WIS apparition the fire,
man was paralyzed with fear, crying
out, with chattering teeth: Its WIS
ghost and no mistake about it,"
The recognition from his two old
frier Dis seemed to please the phan
tom, for he nodded his head, smiled
pulled open the throttle and backed
the engine. AS the engine driver said
after ward: 81 didn't know whether
or w. ran No. 5S7 that night"