Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1860-10-26
Gie 1T 1aea . / II q
q Ghost or No Ghost.


the heavy falls of snow, and specializing
on sleigh ride up the Hudson as far as
Poughkeepsie, until the eyes of my young
brothers and sisters cleaned with anticipa
ted delight. ......
Our uncle Otis occupied as usual, bis
big armchair, gazing through bis large
spectacles upon the pleasant family grouF
that surrounded him with that benignant
air which old bachelors assume when, hav.
ing no family of their own, they adopt those
of others.
"Uncle Otis, cried Fred, you have
travelled ever SO much. Won't you tell u:
nice ghost story? Do uncle p and the
young scamp laid his curly, fourteen-year.
old head on the old mans shoulder.
Ny uncle frowned little and looked
round, as much as to say, ''Who has Deer
putting those foolish ideas into the child
ren's heads ?" I endcaEorea to look as if
wasn't guilty, but l fear much that I had
to answer for several sins of narration, pos,
sessing, as did, large repertory Of such
lore
ut is only fools and towards that be-
lieve in ghosts said uncle Otis, in Sc
we're tone.
We all kept silence, but after moment 5
reflection he seemed to forget hit anger,
and said, softly
"You wished for a ghost story I? Well
you shall have one. 1t happened to myself,
so you cannot doubt its truth y
We all gathered round him-Fred closer
than any-and he commenced,
One evening in autumn, forty years ago,
when Twas hardly twenty, I was travelling
in France in one of those vehicles in which
we travelled post in those days, when pas
sing close to small town-Sainte Gabelle,
| think, it was called-a furious storm over
took US, and one of the horses was struck
by lightning and instantly killed.
There was no possibility of proceeding ;
so philosophically leaving my courier to
follow with my baggage, quietly walked
to a roadside inn, which was about quar-
ter of a mile distant. The place seemed
filed with company as I entered-some
Spanish merchants, young sportsmen over
taken by the storm, with a few persons
whose trade or occupation was not discern
ible. We all crowded round the huge fire
to dry ourselves, and in short time after
supper was announced.
This unlocked every tongue, and CONVEX
sation-before conducted in monosyllables
became general Each related the per-
lis he had passed through, One had been
flung from his horse another's carriage
had been upset. At last some one cried.
'sThe devil must be aboard tonight =
It's regular witches Sabbath -
This remark was commonplace enough,
but it gave birth to singular rejoinder:
"Sorcerers and ghosts prefer fine moon
light night to a stormy one like this. "
We all looked at the speaker. It was
one of the Spanish merchants. His race
was easily known by his dress and figure /;
breeches open at the knee, CATERS laced
with thongs of leather, red cloak pictur-
esquely hanging from the shoulders, and
an air of proud poverty painted on his
brown face, around which hung long black
curling hair. No one seemed inclined to
contradict this observation, made, as it
was, III grave, severe voice, until young
man who sat next to me burst out into a
fit of loud laughter, and said
"You appear, sir, to know the habits of
ghosts Have they told you that they do
not like to get wet in their feet p
He had scarcely finished speaking, when
the Spaniard cast or him ferocious glance
saying r-s T.:
sYoung man, you must not speak SO
lightly of things you know nothing about %
do you mean to pretend to persuade
me to believe in ghosts?" answered the
young man contemptuously.
perhaps, " replied the Spaniard, ''if you
had the courage to make the trial.
My neig hbor bounded angrily from his
seat; but he composed himself instantly,
saying. calmly:
You would have to pay dearly for this
impertinenee if it was not that of foo"
"That of a fooln' cried the Spaniard,
leaping to his feet. well" he added
bringing his fist down on the table, and
hinging thereon large leathern purse +;
"see here are FIVE thousand francs, which
I am content to lose, if, in one hour from
this time, I do not show you the ghost of
any of your deceased friends that you chose
to name, no matter how long he may be
dead and after having recognized him,
you have the courage to permit him to lay
his lips against yours.
The Spaniard had such terrible air as
he said this that we all started. My neigh
Dor alone preserved his disdainful and
mockine smile.
'sYou will do that, will you?" he an
swered. '..-....
''Yes and will stake these five thou
sand francs on the event, if you will wager
like sum. If [ fail, lose if you are
yanquished, | win. .,...
The young man remained silent for a mo-
ment, and then said gaily: .- -.
Give thousand francs, most worthy ma
gician, is more than a poor student ever
possesses. But if you will make the bet
a hundred francs, I am your man."
The Spaniard took back his purse in 81
lence then be said in contemptuous tone.
"Ah, you back out, my little braggado-
clio !"
Il back out" cried my neighbor. "Ah,
if I had the five thousand francs you would
see whether | would back out or not u
Il could not resist sudden temptation
that seized me.
Here's quarter Of the bet" I cried,
putting the money on the table Il will
60 shares with you young man -
I had scarcely done this, when FIVE OF