The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1878-03-07

50, came 10 near 1Or 01mSeH the my9.
terious ghost of Deans Hollow. o.
course, all this time the widest stories
were rife of unheard-of tragedies and
other things which the fertile imagina.
ton of men will invent on similar oc-
casions.
Business was neglected; school was q
mere farce; the men lounged about the
lst0re and talked about the noises, tell
Ling each other horrible stories; and all
the women visited each other in their
homes and did the same.
Children chung to their mothers
apron-strings, and things were going
generally to rack and ruin.
Now that deeply-agitated village
boosted, among other things, of two or
three enthusiastic Spiritualists, and they
| asserted confidently that this was the
unhappy spirit of some one who had
committed a wrong deed in his lifetime
and wished now to atone for it, and
| that if it could only explain to sympa-
thetic listeners the facts in the case,
the wrong might be righted, and the
unhappy spirit would depart and trou-
BILE them no more.
So they got up select party of their
own faith, carefully CLEANED from the
unbelieyers Of the, neighborhood, and
strengthened by the presence Of a cele-
brated medium from the city, who
was in the habit of lending his body for
the use of so-called spirits.
Requesting everyone else to stay
away-which the people disregarded by
coming in greater crowds than usual
this party proceeded to the depths of
the woods, and there affectionately adj
dressed the supposed sufferer. They
told him, in most winning tones, that
they were only friends who wished to
help him, and that here was an accom-
modating gentleman who would lend
his body, and politely invited him to
make himself known.
A longer, wilder, altogether more
terrific shrek answered. The highly
wrought crowd, with undignified haste,
and hair on end. went home, and the
'sympathizing Spiritualists were not far
behind.
Things had come to this pass when
one day Mr.. Mills, quietly and without
attracting notice, asked half-a-dozen of
the most sensible and least-frightened
men to meet privately, after dark, in
the Darkroom of the store
When they had. assembled, Mr.. Mills
told them that Harry Norton had sug-
gested to him possible solution o. the
mystery, and he wanted to talk it over
with them; for though Harry was but a
boy, he was a bright one, and having
crcp;osnpo from fko Ero< H. Al 49,.
very sharp in watching. So Harry
was called in to tell his story.
/" You all know" he began, modest
ly, "that this was heard irst by my
sister and me. thought at the time
that it was done by some enemy of
mine;sso I've been watching the ones /
suspected-the Burns boys-and I've
found out two or three things that
make me most sure they're at the bot
tom of it,
Well, what have you found out,
boy?' asked Mr.. Brooks, rather incred-
ulously. vs. S x
"rve noticed" said Harry, "that
there is never but one of the Burns
gang in the crowd at night. Some
times it's one and sometimes another
'tThat's nothing very surprising"
said Mr.. Brooks.
~ don't know about that, . said Mr..
Jones. Those boys are most every
where, I've observed .
Whichever one is there" said Har-
ry, turning gratefully toward Mr..
Jones, talways tries to take the lead in
drawing the crowd away from the
noise. He always seems to have a
reason. Then I've noticed they are not
at all scared; and they're Just the ones
to run away from the noises If they
didn't know anything about them. I
saw Tom Martin laugh one nightwhen
the people RAM
1 Il wonder we never thought of that
gang" said Mr.. Jones,
81 did think of them," said Mr..
Mills; "but, on looking around, could
always see one of them; but It never &C.
CURED to me that they were not all of
them there. shouldn't wonder if the
youngster had the right cine; but where
in the world could they hidep''
II think they could easily hide in the |
upper part of the trees" said Harry. |
:. have looked at them in the daytime,
and they are very thick,'' sE
But no boys. however SMART said
Mr.. Brooks, who didn't seem to like the
possibility of such commonplace end
ng to the mystery, "could make such
dreadful sounds. They're not humanr'
$50 / thought, and so I told Harry, =
aid Mr.. Mills; . but you must hear his |
performance on an old horn before you
lecide what boys can't do: though, to
1e sure, horn isn't what you'd call |
human. Harry, bring it OUT
Harry produced from a drawer bat
cred tin-horn, and proceeded to draw
rom it some doleful sounds, which sur
,rised the audience.
II DECLARE exclaimed Mr.. Jones.
Z that actually does sound like it, ifvou I
lllow for distance, and dark woods, and
j frightened crowdr'
q believe we've all been q pack of
ools," said Mr.. Wilson, land duped
y gang of rascals; but if we can
'atch them, it shall be their last prank
n this town."
That's what Harry and Eve been
alkiLg about, and what / believe. VIC
an do" said Mr.. Mills.
.sWell, out with the plas, 's-said MI.
brooks.
What do you think Of thisP'' said
DR.. Mills. Harry found that the
ounds came only from three p2GeesgI
We thought that If two of rs should
Iuietly take each of these directions. I
My separate from the crowd, without
eng noticed, yesmight slip - nser Z
Rough to tell, the Aoxt time hospuuds f
roke opt exac>ly Whist pot thy came !
rom.
That's It! That's . good planr'
rled MI. Jones, violently lappfng his
want to bring tEh thing 70 the lieht |
nd see Il pack Of scamps Ike that
|urns gang can got mp such row.
!. a hstle more discupsien followed. I
~ Sn3 c4ro51lJ MDee tkeiK plans. 4,
iyided into paroles u Two, and quietly 4