Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1878-04-10
ne pearing figure Of Juan, our Mexican

AFTER We crossed the divide, and the
water was out everywhere; every ditch
was q creek, every creek river. We
had lost two horses on the Truth Fork.
we were dead beat. off the trail and
sloshing around. with night coming OH,
and the level hail like shot in our faces.
Things were looking black and scary,
when, riding little ahead Of the party,
saw light twinkling in a hollow be-
yond. My horse was still fresh, and
calling out to the boys to follow me and
bear for the light, 1 struck out for it.
In another moment, was before little
cabin that was haf buried in the black
chapparal. l dismounted and raped
at the door. There was no response
then tried to force the door, but it was
fastened securely from within. was
all the more surprised when one Of the
boys who had overtaken me, told me
that he had just seen, through the win
dow, a man reading by the fire. Indig-
nant at this inhospitality, we both made
a resolute onset against the door, at the
same time raising our angry voices to
yell. Suddenly there was quick re-
spouse, the hurried Withdrawing of
bolt, and the door opened.
The occupant was Short thick-set
man, with pale, careworn face, whose
prevailing expression was one of gentle,
good humer and patient suffering.
When we entered, he asked us hastily
why we had not sung out before.
"' But we Knocked said, inpatient
~, and almost drove your door in
That's nothing he said, patiently.
Pm used to that.
Il looked again at the mans patient,
faithful face, and then around the cabin.
In an instant the whole situation flashed
before me. Are we near Cave CityY l
asked
g" Yes he replied, it's just below.
You must have passed it in the storm
"' see.' again looked around the
cabin. Isn't this what they call the
haunted house?
He looked at me curiously. at is
he said, simply.
you can imagine my delight? Here
was an opportunity to test the whole
story-to work down to bed rock and
see how it would pan out We were
too many and too well armed to fear
tricks or danger from outsiders. If
as one theory had been held-the dis
turbance was kept up by band OF
concealed marauders or road agents,
whose purpose was to preserve their
haunts from intrusion, we were quite
able to pay them back in kind for any
assault. l need not say that the boys
were delighted with this prospect when
the fact was revealed to them. The
only one doubtful apathetic spirit there,
was our host, who quietly resumed his
seat and his book, with his old express
sion of patient martyrdom. 1t would
have been easy for me to have drawn
him out, but felt that did not want
to corroborate anybody else's expert
ence; only to record my own. And
thought it much better to keep the
boys from any predisposing terrors.
1--WE ate our supper, and then sat,
patiently and eXpectant, around the
fire.
An hour slipped away, but no disturb
ance; another hour passed as monoton-
ously. Our host read his book; only
the dash of hail against the roof broke
the silence. But"
The doctor stopped. Since the last
interruption, l noticed he had changed
the easy slangy style Of his story to a
more perfect, artistic, and studied man.
ner. He dropped now suddenly into
his old colloquial speech, and quietly
said. "If you don't quit stumbling
over those riatas, III hobble you."
Come here, then lie down, will you?'
| We all turned fiercely on the cause
of this second dangerous interruption,
but sight of the poor fellows pale and
frightened face Withheld our vindictive
tongues. And the doctor, happily, of
his own accord, went on:
But had forgotten that it was no
easy matter to keep these high-spirited
boys, bent on row, in decent subjec-
ton, and after the third hour passed
without u supernatural exhibition, OBJ
served, from certain winks and whispers,
that they were determined to get up
indications of their own. In few
moments violent rappings were heard
from all parts of the cabin; large stones
| (adroitly thrown up the chimney fell
with a heavy thud on the roof. Strange
groans and ominous yells seemed to
come from the outside where the inter-
stices between the logs were wide
enough.) Yet, through ali this uproar,
our host sat still and patient, with no
sign of indignation or reproach upon
his good-humored but haggard features.
Before long it became evident that this
exhibition was exclusively for has bene-
fit. Under the thin disguise of asking
him to assist them in discovering the
disturbers outside the cabin, those in
side took advantage of his absence to
turn the cabin topsy turvey.