New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1880-08-25
THE HAUNTED HOUSE.

| "Lawsy me, Aunt Elizabeth, you
don't fur to tell me dat you're gwine to
lib right here in dc Simmons cabinr'
"And I'd like to know, Mary Jane,
wot fur I can't lib here" Mrs. Elizabeth
Smith replied, and if her face had not
been coal-black, you would have seen an
angry flush color it at Mary James i'm
pertinence. II reckon folks like Joe
and me, wot kin pay our rent, kin choose
Our place. De house amt as good as
the one We lef' in Texas, and dere amt
one whole pane OBJ glass in de kitchen
window, but it's handy farm fur corn
crop, and good orchard. We calklate
to go to Kansas next year, an we lowed
we haint seed any place dis sido Stratton
suited us 50 wcll!''
"Don't pay much fur rent. l guess"
was the next question, Or rather asser-
ton.
cts dirt cheap. Only ten dollar,
house, farm, and all. De folks. wot
worked it fore we coined, dey didn't
lib in dis house, but in dat one way down
de field. Dey'll hab to turn out bag and
baggage, fur Joe wants all dc land fur
his crap.'
"Maybe," Mary Jane replied, with a
snigglc, "but dere's been tree men fore
you coined, wot tuck de farm, and
wanted all de land, too. Some way it
didn't suit 'em, fur dey gin it up dc fust
week, and Lish Potter, he's dc man wot
Ibis yonder, he kept 1t, and I reckon
you'll be glad to glib it up. I'm mon
strous glad, Aunt Elizabeth, you've
coined here, but wish you hadn't tuck
dis Simmons farm
Mrs. Elizabeth was at the end of her
patience. She was a portly old woman,
with towering sense of her own I'M
portance, and looked down with somc-
Thing like contempt upon the speaker.
Mary Jane was a distant relative, very
poor and shiftless, besides being weighed
down by large family of children.
Mrs. Elizabeth's dignity revoltcd
against these obscure hints which seemed
to reflect against the judgment of her
husband. who had selected the Simmons
farm as the most eligible location In tho
heighborhood.
"Why don'tyou speak up, Mary Jane,
stead OBJ jawin' round ting. Ell you
links Joe Sniff amt good jedge Of rich
sile fur crappin', why you don't know
him, dat's all. Nobody can't trow dust
in his eye, so you needn't insinivate do
land isn't good. Perhaps mayn't like
de people, fur I've been customcd to tip
top society, black, and white, an reck-
on dc folks round here amt much, y
with contemptuous glance at Mary
james shabby attire.
"Well, we amt airiled,'' Mary Jane
replied, with an angry toss Of her head,
"but dere Amt a family round here
would lib in Simmons house Of you paid
''em fifty dollars a mont o, here's 1ish
Potter's wife come to see you. Maybe
she kin tell you why folkses don't stay
long in dis here house.
Mrs. Elizabeth was sprely troubled in
mind, but she greeted Mrs. Potter, who
was sharp faced mulattress, with lofty
cpGrtesy The visitor looked around GU
tioUsly, sighed deeply, and shuddered,
as she cast her eyes up to the ceiling.
1T makes mo shibery ebry time I
comes. in dis rQom,' she explained
You must be ihonstrous brave, Miss
Smif to lib here. Pears to me I'd go
d{azy st I had to stay In liarnted house
& 4 i = Il S.-is.
Is A harptcd houso!' Mrs. Elizabeth
screamed. her t,lrban quivering, and her
whole portly frame shaking with terror.
Brave and daring about everything else,
tie very name Of ghost threw her into .
state of abiect terror.
:. Why, do tell, didn't you know It
afore?'' Mrs. Potter's sharp, cunning
face was fairly beaming at the excite
ment she had produced. s. I fought
ebry body knowed bout de Simmons
gh6stesses. You'so stranger, and IT. s
shame MI. Wiley didn't tell you why
nobody kin lib on dis here place. We'se
worked It nigh on to four year, but we'so
got anoder cabin. Folks come and go,
but nobody stops"
didn't know nothin' = quayered
the frightened woman.
!, {" Tell her bout il. Miss Potter, . Mary