The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1877-09-14
Sand all he buried to-" said Choker.
" know that" said Peggy.

| Onohoi, pultiuP LIS unSeT Oh HIS nOSc.
And at that, Peggy, never waiting even
for her bonnet, bolted out of the house, and
came tumbling into her daughters half an
hour after, shaking with fright, and vowing
she had seen Chokel's ,,host.
The daughter was nearly as much fright
ened as the mother, and the news spread,
but nobody believed it.
At least every one said it was ridi-
culous and that Peggy must have been
drinking.
She did drink more than was good for
ner now and then and at last the under
taker himself, accompanied by the coroner
the two men nervous on the subject of
ghosts, and besides who had thorough
knowledge of Choker's death and burial
went to the house together, accompanied
by train of admirers, who kept at Il re-
spectful distance as they knocked at the
| door.
| There was no answer to the first knock,
but having knocked again, clump, clump
came wooden leg across the passage, and
there in the door stood old Choker.
Every one knew him.
He wore his old dressing gown, he had
the black patch over his eye his wig set a
little back on one side as usual.
"Walk in, walk in, gentleman" he said;
81 believe, Mr.. Undertaken / owe you
small bill. You are prompt in calling for
it; but never mind, never mind. Let me
see the amount, and I'll settle it; if not to-
day, some other day."
The two men drew back.
II have no bill sir" said the undertaken;
"but hearing a report that-that-"
"That Peggy had seen my ghost, sup
pose" said Choker. every well, sir, draw
your own conclusions; but you deserve to
be paid. You buried me very respectfully,
very respectfully indeed; and your jury
gave correct verdict, Mr.. Coroner. 1t
was apoplexy. ALI, well, dol't go, don't
be in hurry"
sit is Choker,' said the undertaken to
the coroner, "yct l buried him, and he was
a dead man then"
"It's Choker, but he was dead when
held an inquest over him." said the coro-
ner.
They hurried away and the crowd hur-
ried away too.
That day the grave was examined.
1t was empty, even Choker's coffin was |
gone.
After that every one believed the story
but the clergyman and scientific gentle
man.
The former declared that it was wicked
to believe in ghosts, that there was no such
things as ghosts.
"Choker is not at the house at ALL" he
said, 'and his body is in the grave, but
your imaginations have been so worked
upon that you fancied you saw him in the
house, and you believed you did not see
him in the grave. When man is dead
and buried, that's an end of him"
"But go to the house and see for your
SELF" said some one. "Alive or dead, Cho-
ker is there"
"Sir," said the scientific gentleman, 'nei-
Their alive or dead can he be there. A body
cannot burst its coffin lid, arise through
the turf, and walk about the town as be-
fore. Nor can a spirit exist without body.
If should see Mr.. Choker should not be-
lieve him. My common sense tells me that
cannot see him, and / never allow my
senses to contradict my common sense.
The house is empty. There is no one there.
1t is all imagination"
However that may have been, every one
else in Grabtown saw him sooner or later.
The lamp burned bright in the window
at night. The garden prospered under his
ghostly tillage He drew money at the
bank as usual.
AS ghost, his silent reserved conduct
seemed very suitable to his condition.
AS a ghost, it seemed very proper
that he should have no friend and no kim
dred.
People avoided his house of nights, and
boys ran scampering away when they saw
him plodding along lonely lanes by moon
light The old folks shook their heads
and said it was curious; but there was
Choker, fact to every one but the scien-
tific gentleman, who, when he passed him,
muttered to himself, "Optical Illusion"
and whether he was ghost, ar man en-
dowcd with the power Of defying the I'M
dertaker, no one felt prepared to to ans
wer.
He was known some times "Choker's
ghost" and sometimes as "Choker that
came to-" but no one doubted for moment
that somehow he was Choker. and the very
Choker that had been dead, subject to an
inquest and buried and all this went on
for ten good years, and people had grown
used to it, when one cold winter morning
small note was brought to the doctor, bear
ing these words:
"Come to me. Pm ill. Chokern
"Don't go, DEAR" said the doctors
wife.
81 must" said the doctor and went &C.
cordingy.
He found the door Of Chokers house
open, and the popular ghost himself wrap
ped in o blanket by the fireside.
"Ccne in" he said, gasping for breath
II wasn't sure you'd come. I've been feel
ing the inconvience of being supernatural
since I've been too i'll to make myself
cup of tea. Just see what is the matter
with me, will you? think it's serious,
whatever it is"
The doctor did his best.
His private opinion was that Choker,
whatever he might be, had not long to
live.
Whether lie had ever been dead be-
fore or not, he was certainly going to die |
now.
sit is as thought" said Choker, look
ing into his face. 81 knew the malady was
incurable years ago. But the end is at
hand now, eh 2"
SIN the case of any other man I should |
say yes" said the doctor; but examined
you once when you were certainly dead
man, and can't judge for you. I don't
ask your confidence, Mr.. Choker, but that
anah 10 PuAAle W ihe, IhouSh vi COURSE
I have never taken you for ghost"
81 think I'll confide in you DOCTOR" said |
Choker; "only, you must promise to keep
my secret while live. The night before
you helh the inquest on old Choker came
to Grabtown. I'd been an actor once,
then soldier, lost leg, and came home
to starve or beg.
"The door of the house stood open, and
in it stood man. went up to him.
"Sir," said /, "they say that fellow
feeling makes us wondrous kind. You've
got a wooden leg, and perhaps. know ii