Weekly Trinity journal., 1877-03-17
CHOKERS GHOST.


the story of Choker's ghost, it could not
have begun until Cholter died.
Old Chokerh he had been called for good
many years-beiore he actually was old
should suppose; but be was very queer
fellow, man without relatives or friends
and who seemed to want none. lie was a
mysterious man, too. lie had wooden
leg and no one knew how he came by it.
lie bad a black patch over one eye, and
no one could tell why he wore it. lie had
a rusty brown wig, and there was no man
intimate enough to know whether be
adopted it because he was bald or because
he was gray. lie had deposit at the
Grabtown Savings Bank, and no one
knew how he earned the money. lie came
a stranger to Grabtown, and bought a
house and little farm there, giving his
name as Guy Choker. That was all that
any one knew about him, except that he
had The best crops to be seen fer miles
around.
lie never went to church, never chatted
to q noighbor, and never stopped in the
store longer than to give his orders. No
one knew anything against him, but as
they knew nothing, they suspected "a great
deal; and when at last lie was found
dead one morning, all the bottled up Gu
riosity popped out as champagne does
when it is uncorhed. Everybody went to
see him whore no lay. Everybody at
tended the inquest aud everybody went
TO the funeral. i was decided that be
died Of apoplexy, and the rumor that he
had been murdered died out. There were
DO relations TO see to bun, but there would
probably be plenty left to pay for his
funeral, 50 there was no difficulty about
that. The clergyman said doubtful sort
Of good word lor him, and as he was dead
no one contradlcted it. And Peggy Kin
der who said she wasn'talraid OF anything
was put into the house to take care of it.
She knew old Choher very well, having
Edoue his washing for five years.
That night, tie weather being chilly
Spring weather, she mnde up good fire
in the kitchen stove and slept on an old
lounge there. Oucein the night She woke
up aud thought She heard the clump,
cIump, clump Of a wooden leg overhead,
but though she felt chill run up her
backbone n. the thought, she made up her
mind it was all nonsense and went to slccn
again.
At six she was up and had put more
coal in the stove and was filing up the
kettle when, positively-no fancy about
it this time-she did hear that clump,
clump again, across the room upstairs,
half dozen times then down the stairs.
The sound Of old Choker's wooden leg,
and nothing else; aud as she turned
about, shaking and trembling, She saw
Choker himself at the door in his big
lowered drcssing-gown, with the black
patch over his eye and the brown wig on.
" Lord have mercy on Us Z" cried Peg
gy. Then, rs Choker nodded cheerlully
and said, Breakfast ready yet ?" She
grew bowildered.
1--WE been having horrid dream, sir"
she said, getting away from the figure
though as she spoke land it's as natral
as life. dreamed you was dead, sir. |
did, indeed and buried and all. beg
pardon, sir, but it was SO natral that you
s. kecr me-"
"Do ! ?" said Old Choltcr. Why,
bless ye, We must all die"
" Yc., sir" said Peggy.
And all be buried, too," said Choker
i know that" said Peggy.
Only some of US won't stay buried"
said Choler, putting his finger to his nose.
And at that Peggy, never waiting even
for her bonnet, bolted out Of the house
and came tumbing into her daugher's
half an hour after, shaking with fright
and yowing She had seen Cboker's ghost.
The daughter was nearly ms much fright
ened as the mother, and the news spread
bu. nobody believed it. At least every
ono said twas ridiculous, and that Peggy
must haze had drop too much. She did
dtiuE more than was good for her nowand
/ then and at last the undertaken himself,
accompanied by the Coroner-the two
men OF the village who We're supposed to
be the least nervous on the subject Of
ghosts, and besides who had a thorough
knowledge OF the matter of Chokei's
death and harial--went to the house on
the hill together accompanied by n train
Of admirers, who kept at a respectful dis
tmce as they Knocked at the door.
There was no answer to the first llnocl,
but, having knocked again, clump, clump
came wooden leg across the hall, and
there in The door stood old Choker Ev-
cry one knew him. lie wore his old
dressing gown. lie had The black patch
over his eye; his wig set n little On one
side as usual.
Walk in, walk in, gentlcmon,o he
said. Il bolieye, Mr.. Undertaken,
owe YOU small blll. You are prompt
in calling for it; but never mind, never
mlnd. Let me see the amount and I'll
settle it If not to day, some other day."
The two men drew back
/ have no bill, sir" said the under
tal,or, " but hearing a report that-that
that"
"That Peggy had seen my ghost I
suppose said Chol,er. ''Vory well. sir
draw your own conclusions but you de-
serve to be paid. You buried mo very
respectfully, very respectfully, indeed
and your jury gave correct verdict Mr..
Coroner. II was apoplexy. Al, well ;
don't go don't be in hurry"
But bis callers had retreatod