The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1878-05-11
A GHOST OF THE SIERRAS,


a hundred feet of clear, unbroken
interval to the first lateral branches
that formed the fiat canopy above rs.
Here and there the fierce SUP, from
whose active persecution we had just
escaped, searched for US through the
woods, but it's keen blade was dulled
and turned aside by intercostal boughs,
and its brightness dissipated in nebu.
lous mists throughout the roofing of
the dim brown aisles around Us. We
were in another atmosphere, under
another sky, indeed in another world
than the dazzling ono we had just
quilted. The grave silence seemed
80 much part of the grateful cool
uess that we hesitated to speak, aud
for some moments lay quietly ont
stretched on the pine tasse|s where
we had first thrown ourselves. Final.
~, q voice broke the silence.
TASK the old Major; he knows all
about it."
The person here alluded to, under
that military title, was myself. /
hardly need explain to any CalifM'
MAN that it b. no means followed
that was a "Major," or that l was
"eld." or that l knew anything about
"it," or indeed what sit" referred to.
The whole remark was merely one Of
the usual conventional feelers to con
versation-a kind of social preamble
quite common to our slangy camp in
tercourse. Nevertheless, as l was
always known as the Major, perhaps
far no better reason than that the
| speaker, an old journalist, was al.
! ways called Doctor, recognized the
! fact 50 far as to kick aside an inter
vening saddle 80 that l could see the
speakers face on level with my
own, and said nothing.
"About ghosts" SAID the doctor,
after a pause, which nobody broke o,
was expected to break. "Glosts sir
| That's what we want to know. What
are we doing here in this blank o'd
mausolenm Of Calsveras county, if il
isn't to find out something about 'em
ell =
! Nobody replied.
"Thar's that haunted house at Cav
City. Can't be more than a mile q
two away, anyhow. Used to b. jus
of the trail"
A dead silence.
The doctor addressing space gen
erally): Eyes, sir; it was a might,
queer story"
Still tho same reposeful indiffer
ence. We all knew the DOCTORS skill
as racouteur; We all knew that
story was coming; and We all kne,
that any interruption would be fata|
Time and time again, in our prospect
ingexperience, had a word Of polit
encouragement, a rash expression {
| interest, even a too eager attitude q
silent expectancy, brought the doctu
to a sudden change of subject; tim
aud time again had We seen the u1
wary stranger stand amazed and bt
wildered between our own indiffr1
epce aud the sudden termination (
a promising anecdote through his IN
lucky interference. So We said moth
ing. 1.-THE Judge'-anotller instaut
of arbitrary nomenclature-pretent
ed TO sleep. Jack began to twist
cigarito. Thornton bit off the enc
of pine needles rrAee'ively.
Eyes, Sir" continued the docto
coolly, resting the back Of his hea
on the palms Of his hands, lit vi
rather curious. All except the mu
der. That's what gets me, for Il
murder had no new points, no fant
touches, no sentiment, no myster
Was Just one of the old style, 'su
8 head paragraphs. Old fashioned m
nor scrubs along on hard tack al
: beans, aud saves up little money
70 home aud see relatives. OIL
fashioned assassin sharpens up knit
old style, loads old fiutlock, bras
mounted pistol; walks in on u
r fashioned miner one dark uight, sen
him home to his relatives away Ia
II to several generations, and walks
with tho swag. No mystery theI
y nothing to clear up; subsequent
# Iations only impertinence. Moth
Tor any ghost to do--who meant h
d siness. More than that, over fol
murders, same old kind, commit
It every year in Calaveras, and
spiritual post obits coming due eve
e anniversary; no assessments ma
=, "u the peace and quiet Of the sur
u wing community. l tell you VIII
boys, I've always leon inclined
in throw off on the Cave City most
that alone. It's a bad precedent,
= If that kind O. thing is going to
u tain in the Foot Hills, we'll have
" trails full of chaps formerly KNOCK
ve over by Mexicans and road ageD
every little camp and grocery :
be have stock enough to 60 int" b'
ness, and where's there any eecu'
o. for surviving life and property,
-, What's your opinion, Judge, as +;
% minded Legislator
n OF course there was no reepo'
Yet it was part Of the doctors sys
-. Of aggtavation to become discur'
al at these moments, in the hope Of
!, terruptioD, and he continued for q
moments to dwell on the terrible
4 sibility of a state Of affairs 10 vi
in a gentleman could no longer settl
dispute with an enemy without bt
he subjected to succeeding spiritual
barrassmeut. But, all this digres
'od fell upon apparently iuattentive 6
"Well, sir, after the murder,
40 cabin stood for long time desc
and tenantless. Popular opinion
ace against it. One day a ragged ?
/, pector, savage with hard labor
'ne harder luck, came to the camp, Il
Al. ing for a place to live and q CHI
r. =