The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1861-08-08


But who is shei
You'd better ask him.
Seeing there was nothing to be got out 9
her, went down to the stream, washed my face
dried it with my pocket handkerchief, and the
looked after Peck. he gave a shrill whinny G
recognition, and, thought, seemed little rest
less. A fresh feed of corn was in the old bas
ket, and presently the old man came into tn
stable with a bunch of hay and commence
rubbing off the marks of Peck's oozy couc
which were left on his TANKS. As we went bac
TO the shsnty noticed that he eyed me furtive
ly, without daring 70 look me full in the face
AS ! was apparently none the worse for tn
nights experience, he rallied at last, and ven
tured TO talk at as well as TO me.
! B. this time, the breakfast, which was rep
etition of the supper was ready and we sat dow
totuetabe. During the meal it occurred to m
to make an experimental remark. Turnin,
suddenly to the man, l asked,
is your name Eber Nichosony
There = exclaimed the woman knowe,
he'd heerd it'
i He, however, flushed q moment, and then be
coming more sallow than ever, nodded first, ant
then, as if that were not suffcint, added-'Yes
thai IS my name
/ Where did you move from 4 / continued
falling back upon the first plan had formed il
my mind.
THE Western Reserve, not fur from Hud
SON.
turned the conversation on the com arativt
Advantages of Ohio and Illinois for farming, the
price of land, etc., carefully avoiding the dau
geroQs subject, and by the time breakfast W al
owe, had arranged that. for consideration, he
should accompany me as far as the Blooming
ton DAD, some FIVE mills distant.
| nile ne went out to catch III old horse, rang
ing ii the creek bottom, saddled Peck, strap
ped On my valise, and made myself ready fol
the journey. Tho feeling of Two hard silver
hall dollars in her rough palm melted down the
woman's aggressive mood, and she said with q
voice, the edge whereof was nightly blunted,
'Thankee! it s too much for SIGH as you
had
| IFS the best You can give, replied.
That's SO ~ she said, jerking my hand up
and down with pumping movement as took
leave
felt sense of relief when we had climbed
the rise and had the open prairie again before
US The sky was overcast and the wind strong,
but some rain had fallen during the night aud
the clouds had lifted themselves again. The air
was lesh and damp but not chill We rode
slowly of necessity for the mud was deeper than
ever.
deliberated what course l should take in
order 20 draw from my guide the explanation of
the nightly noises. His evident shrinking when
ever his wife mentioned the subject convinced
me that gradual approach would render him
shy and uneasy; and, on the whole, it seemed
best to surprise him by sudden assault. Let
me strike to the heart of his secret at once,
thought, and the details will come of them
selves.
While thus reflected, he rode quietly at my
side. Half turning in the saddle, looked stead
lily at his face and said said in earnest voice
Eber Nicholson, who was it to whom you
were married in the sight of God"
He started as if struck, looked at me implor-
ingly, turned away his eyes, then looked back
became very pale, and finally said in broken
hesitating voics, as if the words were forced
from him against his will -
Her name is Rachel Emmons'
Way did you murder herr asked in a still
Sterner tone.
In an instant his face burned scarlet. He
refined up his horse with violent pull str aight-
ened up his shoulders SO that he appeared six
inches taller, looked steadily at me with strange
mixed expression of anger and establishment,
and cried out
Murder bert Why, she's hrin nop!'
My surprise at the answer was scarcely less
than his at the question.
You Son': mean to say she's not dead 7
asked
Why no J! said he, recovering from his sud-
den excitement she's not dead or she would
Mt keep on troublln' me. She's been livin' III
Toledo these ten year
/ beg your pardon MY friend said I; but
| don't know what to make of what heard last
night, and suppose have the old notion in
my head that all ghosts are those of persons
who have been murdered
Oh, if had led her, he groaned, I'D a
been hung long go and thered been the end
| of il
Tell me the whole story, said 1 ats hard
| ly likely that can help you, but can under
stand how you must be troubled, aud I'm sure
pity you from nay heart.
| lbink he felt relieved at my proposal-glad
perhaps, after long silence, to confide to anoth
ersmaa the secret of his lonely, wretched life
after what you've heerd, said he, there's
nothing that don't care to tell. I've been
sinful, no doubt; but God knows there never
was man worse punished
l >old you,' he continued after a pause !;
thai | come from the Western Reserve NV
father was middlin' well to do farrher--not
rich yit not exactly poor. He's deau now
He ,Yas always savin' man; looked after mon
ey .ectte too sharp, I've often thought sence
however, 'tsnt my place to judge him. Well,
l was brought up on the farm to hard work,
like ne other boys Rachel Emmons-she Is the
same woman that haunts me- You understand
1 d
poor enough he was. His wife was always sick
| ly, and you know it takes woman as well as
a man to get rich farmin' So they were al
ways scrimped but that didn't hinder Rachel
from being one O. the hkeliest gals round. We
went 10 the same school in winter, her an me
| Ctisn much schoolin' l ever got, thought an l
had a sort o natural hankerin' after her as fur
back rs | can remember She was different look
in then from what she is now, an me too, tor
that matter.
We'll, you know how boys and Aals some
times git to likIn' eschother afore they know il.
Me an Rachel WAS more an more toy ether the
more we growed up, only the more secret like
so, by the time l was twenty an she was nine.
teen, we promised to one another as true as
could be. l didn't keep company with her,
though leastways not reg lar l was afeard nv
father'd lind 1t out, and | knowed what he'd say
to it. He KEEP givin me hints about Mary Ann
Jones; that was my wife's maiden name. Her
father had two hundred acres an money out a,
interest, an only three children. He'd had ten
but. seven of EN- died. had nothin' apin MARY
Ann, but never thought of her in that way
like / did toway DIS Rachel.
=, Well, things KEEP runnin' on I was = good
deal worried about it, but young Teller. yov
know, don't look fur ahead, an so got along
One nlght,however-'twas jist about Is dark q,
last night was-Id been ut the store at the Cor
ners, for jug o. molasses. Rachael was there
gittin' quarter Of pound o. tea, l think il
was, an some sewing thread. went out a lit
tie while after her an follered as fast as co I'D
for we had the same road nigh onto home.
1t weren't long beforeI overlook her. 'Twai