The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1880-03-24


And oh, they got dreadfully weti
While discussion prevailed
They carelessly sailed,
AND the boat they were in was upset.
Though each is entitled opinions to have,
They need not be foolishly strong;
And to quarrel and fight
Over what we think right
is, Yo~ kHoto, and knoaO. quite wrongl
Charley's Ghost Story.
It's sin to steal pin,
As well as any greater thing,
sang little AL Smith, in loud, shrill
voice.
Very good sentiment, but very poor
rhyme" drawled Hen Rowe (whose
father was poet), patting the singers
tiaxen head in a patronizing manner.
Talking of stealing. said Charley
Bennett, dropping the pumpkin he was
turning into lantern, "did ever tell
you fellers about the time went down
to old Pop Robins to steal apples, and
came back past the barn where the
horse-thief hung himself years and years
ago, cause he knew the constables-
they called 'em constables in those
times-were after him, and that he'd be
hung by somebody else if he didn't?
No? Here's ghost story for you then,
and I hope it will be warning to you
all never to take anything that doesn't
belong to you, specially apples.
You see, Billy Evans and were
staying with our folks at the hotel in
Bramblewood that summer, and about
two miles away was Pop Robins farm.
He used to bring eggs and chickens
and vegetables and fruit to the hotel:
and, oh myl wasn't he stingy? You'd
better believe it. He wouldn't even
give you two or three blackberries, and
If you asked him for an apple he'd
tremble all over. A regular old miser
he was, with lots of money and bully
apple orchard. Lets go there some
night and help ourselves says Billy
Evans, one day. Dogs, says /. 'Only
one, says he; I know him, ana SO do
you-old Snaggletooth; I gave him al
most all the meat we took for crab bait
the day we didn't catch any, All right
says I.
"But when the night we'd agreed on
came Billy had cousins down
from New York, and he had to stay
honae and entertain them. don't care
much for girls myself, and was afraid
they might want me to help entertain
them, too, SO I made up my mind to 20
down to Pop Robins alone. It was a
splendid night; the moon shone so
bright that it was almost as bright as
day. I scudded along, whistling away,
until I got within half mile of the
orchard, and then I stopped my noise
and walked as softly as possible till I
came to the first apple tree. I Skinned
up that tree in ;iffy Gold Snaggletooth
didn't put in an appearance), filled my
I bag with jolly fat apples, and slid down
again. But when I came to lift the bag
up on my shoulder I found it was awful
heavy to carry SO far, and I was Just
a-going to dump some of the apples out
when I remembered all of sudden
that if cut across the meadow to the
plank re d 1 could get back to the hotel
in little more than half the time it
would take to go the way I came.
So I shouldered my load, and was
nearly across the meadow before I
thought of the haunted barn at the end
OF it. 1t wasn't nice thing to re-
member; but I wasn't agoing to turn
back, ghost or no ghost, and I tried to
whistle again, when, all at once, that
thing Al Smith was singing Just now
popped into my head, and says I to nv
self, 'Thats so, Charles F. Bennett; you
and your chums may think it's great fun
to help yourselves to other peoples APP
pies and watermelons and such things,
but it's just as much stealing as though
you went into mans house and stole
his coat It doesn't seem as bad when
you're going for 'em, but when you're
coming back, up a lonely road, all alone,
at 10 o'clock at night, . lot of stolen ap.
pies on your back, and haunted barn
not far off, it seems worse.
aAl the same held on to the apples.
And when faced the barn determined
I'd whistle if I died in the attempt; but,
boys, don't believe anybody could
have told that Yankee Doodle from
Aud Lang Syne.' I tell you my heart
jumped when I passed the tumble. down
old place: but it stood still when, as
marched up the plank-road, L heard
step behind me. wheeled around in
an instant, but there was nothing to be
seen! Il must have imagined it, saws
to myself, and walked little faster.
listening with all my might, and, sure
enough, pat, pat, came the step after
me. Again I wheeled round. Not a
thing did see. And again I started
on, the apples growing heavier and
heavier: Pat, pat, pat, came the step.
1t wasn't Like a human step. That made
It more dreadful. It must be the GHOST
l thought; and I don't mind telling
you, fellers, l never was SO frightened
IN my life The time I fell overheard
was nothing to it. I made up my mind.
when reached the bridge that crossed
q little brook near our hotel, I'd streak
It I! hadn't exactly run yet, for 1 was
saving my strength till the last). But.
before | got to the bridge, saws I TO
,myself-and I must have said it ont
loud, though I didn't mean to-sPer.
haps he wants the apples
:, Applesp repeated. hoarse voice.
with horriS laugh :