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I knew an engineer unco who could not help going to sleep on his engine, try as he would. Nothing would cure him. He was on the edge of an accident all the time, and the thing got talked about so that the general officers heard about it and were going to let him out. He begged so hard, though, that they concluded to let him ruu a little longer, and see if he couldn’t euro himself. One night, when his train was booming along, a signal was out ordering him to stop for telegraphic instructions, but he happened to bo asleep when they passed by the station and shot right l»y. A few minutes later he awoke, shook himself and began attending to business. It was very dark, and, luckily for him slowed up a little. Just as he did so he looked ahead aud saw what seemed to bo a signal lantern ahead on the track. He stopped at once, but as lie did so tbo lantern disappeared. Considerably puzzled lie started again, but no sooner had he done so than it was seen again, and this time it was unmistakable. He could even see, indistinctly, a form which looked like a woman’s just behind it. Once more he stopped and out it went again. By this time lie was thoroughly bewildered and a little frightened, and sent his fireman ahead on the track where the lantern had seemed to be. There was nothing there. The train was started once inoie, aud again the lantern light flashed out. He watched it more closely this time, and it seemed to him that the lantern moved with the train, keeping the same speed and the same distance. The cold sweat came on his forehead, and he grew thoroughly fiightened. A third time he slowed up and stopped, and out went the light. He called the conductor and told him what he lu.d seen, but the conductor could not believe it. To satisfy him he started the train, and sure enough there was the light. Railroad men are naturally superstitious, and the two began to feel the cold chills running down their backs. The engineer remembered that he had not been con-cious when passing the station behind them, and he determined to run back. Accordingly lie did so, but the lantern followed, keeping the same distance. When he reached the station lie got the telegraph signal and instructions to switch off'the main track and leave the road clear for a white flag train which was coming from an opposite direction on the same track. He did so at once, and the minute he reached the switch the light went out. Five minutes later the special came thundering around the curve at the rate of 40 miles an hour, aiid he was saved from a collision.— [Denver Tribune.
Newspaper Details
Saint Johnsbury Caledonian
Saint Johnsbury, Vermont, US
Fri, Apr 29, 1881
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
USA 24 Oct 2024
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