Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1867-12-27
GHOST STORY.
SCENE rIRsr-THE GHOST.

smoked Weii, nc talked Weli ana, afier bid
ding the clerk IN affectionate "good- night"
retired to his virtuous couch in one Of the
newly completed and well furnished rooms in
the fourth story Of the Savery and there court
ing the favors Of the sleepy god was soon
wrapped in the profoundest slumbcr But
soon he was disturbed with horrid dreams
he, half awake heard that kind of rustling
and scratching, so well and particularly des-
cribed by the author Of "Ripaldo Rinaldine," !"
by the authorcss Of the .'Ghosts Visits" and
all other imitators of that elevating kind Of
literature to the present day. He heard noises,
first over his head, then in the next unfnish-
ed room, Or as he supposed in the ceiling
then all about him. In night shirt, da, kness
and alright, he left his gold dust, pantaloons
and other apparel and fed to the presence Of
the bland and gentlemanly clerk and demand
ed in tones and gesticulations, that he wanted
q room to sleep in that was mot occupied by
devils, ghosts or disturbcrs of the public
peace. The clerk was half sleeping, but in
formed the guest in quiet tones that the same
awful sounds had been heard there before.
but it was only the carnival of rats.' THE
clerk had been reading poetry.
"Rats, exclaimed the guest, s'rats can't
make such unear.hly sounds"
After lighting two lanterns, the clerk and
guest proceeded to the room, and found all
quiet there, hut no argument could induce the
man from Idaho to sleep any longer there, and
he therefore was taken below with gold dust,
and pants, and coats, SC. to quiet bed in No
'5-but no sleep came to his eye-lids-only q
half dreamy nap in which visions of hob,gob
lins, ghosts and fairies had more TO do than
sound refreshing sleep. lie left by the morn
ing train, but as long as the Savery House
was in sight lie cast furtive glances, and when
he passed Four Mile Greek Bridge he quietly
slept.
SCENE sEcoND-rHE AyrMiLEi
Another traveller arrived at the Savery
House. He was hunter from the Rocky
Mountains. With lcggings from the deer skin,
with coat Of shaggy fur of the grizzly hear,
with cap from the skin of the Mountain wolf
and with bale of buffalo robes, TALL the res
suit of his skill and bravery in the hunt.) he
appeared the very impersonation of some of
the description of a Rocky Mountain hunter,
rs set forth in some old and later publications.
lie was armed OH all sidcs-knivcs in his belt
and pistols oil around him. He feared moth.
ing, he cared for nothing, he could whip any,
thing that stood on two legs, or on four legs !:
Bears were ''no whar," catamounts were
easily whipped-wild cats could be disposed
Of by hit of the fist, rattlesnakes were limo.
cuous when "kerrectly' handled, and Wild
tearing mad buffalo bull was 'sportive cuss. y
lie got mad because Savery had no drinks for
might caps" and went to bed in the same
room that two weeks before had been occupied
by the Idaho traveller. lie slept we'll for a
while, but after that s'while," lie half awoke
with the sensation Of a heavy pressure on his
abdominal regions and dimly saw by the aid
OF the shining mon an "animile" with glar-
ing eyes, wide spread paws and bris,ling furs.
To the astonished eyes of the half awakened
stranger was "spread OUT an sanimile' of
the size Of the largest elephant owned by the
King Of Siam. With an affrightened Rocky
Mountain yell, the brave hunter Of the noun
tains, fed from his downy couch and after
tumbling down two Sights Of stairs appealed
to the aforesaid gcntlemanly clerk fora s'cot
in some vast wilderness or "retreat' where
wild beasts Of The anti-diluvian period did
not frequent first class houses. After q care
full reconnaissance of the room 50 lately occupi-
ed BY the valiant hunter, his arms, accoutcr.
ments and skins were recovered, but he would
sleep there no longer, and he was put in No.
for the remainder Of the night, where he
dreamed Of elephants, the rhinoceros, the hip
popotamus, the giasticutusS and the sea ser.
pent.
lie left town on the morning train, merely
rcmarking that Des Moines was the darndest
town for different kinds Of wild "aninlalcs',
he ever "hern" tell Of"
SCENE rHiRD-THE FACT.
From knawings through the plastcrng and
the wood, and from the constant noises in
the attic Of the Savery House, Mr.. Savexy de-
termined to make, on Monday last, an inves>
tigation Of the cause thereof From statements
Of some Of the servants, Mr. s became satisfi-
ed that "coon' or some animal Of s.about that
size had by some means or ways established
his winter quarters in the attic Of the house.
With Fred and Jim as aids to fight sscoon''
Or any other animal or man, he pursued his
Soon scratching was heard,
an "animale was seen, the pursuit was made
through rooms and halls, over boxes and ta-
bles, until real live raccoon passed Savery's
look ont, when blow from a '.shillalah"
aid his cocnsLip low, and Fred and Jim be-
abored the faalen foe, until life was suppose
I'd to be nearly extinct, and dead or dying he |
vas conveyed to the Office below, where he
shortly revived, and at 12l on Tuesday s. M,
hcpes were entertained of his recovery.
Some ofour readers may recollect that last
spring or summer coon was found in an old
chimney Of a building torn down near the
Savery House. The upper story Of the Sayery
House has been natil few months unfurnisl.
ed. While it has been thus unoccupied in the
fourth story and attic. this old coon, through
lhe rear buildings and back pass ways, has
had q chance with ''coon ounning,' 10 navi-
gate g he pleased, and hc has undoubtedly
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