The Democratic advocate., 1882-07-08
Select Story.
TOM GRIBBLE's GHOST
By cIAREScE N. RovrEr4E.

Everyone agreed that, if anyone ever did
find his grave an uncomfortable one because
of his sins, and so come out for little
fresh air and chance to stretch his limbs,
or his bones, that old Tom Grihble would
be the man
Every person who had ever had any
dealings with the old man (they sometimes
called hi.n the old gentleman, now he was
dead) felt that it would be the most natural
thing in the world for him to come back to
attend to his money.
GlenviIle was no more free from super
stitious people than the world viii average,
and if one will examine his neighbors (or
HIMSELF he can readily determine how
much that means; and fear of the super
| natural led to love Of the marvellous there,
as it always has elsewhere.
And whenever a particularly terrible
story had been told by someone in Glenville
on a gusty winters night, the listeners
would instinctively look to the north; to the
bleak hill back Of his old home where they
had made Tom Gribble bis last one. A
ghost story almost seemed ike an invitation
to him.
Sam Reed had occupied sn old tumble
down house, that belonged to Gribble longer
than most Of the inhabitants Of Glenville
could remember, and had always been be-
hind with his rent.
One of those worthless old fellows, pick
ing up precarious living BY whatever odd
Jobs he could find to do, Sam Reed was st
the same time one Of those universal favor
ties that such old men are apt to be.
EverF man, woman and child in Glenville
knew Of Reed S sly jokes about cheating ''old
Gribble" out Of the interest Of his money BY
paying the rent few days late, and every
one Of them laughed about it-
II was really matter for grave comment
when Reed paid the agent Of the Gribble
estate the fun amount due, promptly when
il was due, with guarded reEaark about
the slate lameuted Mr.. Grbble, and side
glance through the north window Of the
agents Office toward that bleak hin where
the grass was Just beginning to grow green
on the lonely grave.
Tom Gribhle had becn long past middle
life when he came to live in Glenville. He
had money in plenty for two purpOses--so
invest in cheap property, which would grow
IN value, or to loan on mortgages. He had
been a hard man, although he had kept
inside the law, and more than one man who
followed him 10 his last resting placc had
hreathed a curse after him A. be was given
to the earth's keeping until the Judgment
day. And perhaps those who could giFe
him nothing more than this were justified
Or. Jim Pineher, who had attended him
in his last illness, and Hon. Jack PineheT,
his twin brother, who had been his lawyer
and agent. seemed to be the only peFsons
who really regretted him and uncharitable
people said their regret could have been
bought of for a not very exorbitant sum Of
money.
No one knew anything Of Tom Gribble's $
relstiyes when he died in December, and
no one was at al sure they knew anything
Of them when ApFil's sun was pushing
winter away from the hill which had covered
up all his secrets, good and bad. He had
left curious win a win designed 10 hurt
some one, said those who had thought over
it and puzzled over it.
He left the honorable Jack Pincher his
executor, and provided that his three
nephews, the only relatives he had in the
world, 50 his win said, should have his pro-
perty.
Each, beginning with the Oldest, was %
be offered the homestead on condition Of
making it his home, and the entire income
from it was to be his while he lived there.
Each one In succession having failed to
take possession within reasonable time
after being notified, was to surrender his
chance to the next younger one.
If all declined living there, the property
was to be sold, and the proceeds, added to
the personal property he left, was to be di-
vided among the three nephews.
''Think Of living under the dreadful hill
where old GribbIe is buried, was the gem
eral sentiment of the community, and no
man there, perhaps, would have done it even
to obtain the valuable property left under
these strange conditions.
Gle win come out and sit on his head
stone and watch the one who lives there
That's what he's done that for, said one
gloomy individual who evidently believed
Hon. Jack Pincher did his duty in noti-
flying the young Gribbles, and informed the
loafers in the postofice few days later that
they were considering the question Of com
ing to GIenville.
"a limited residence would be different
| thing, said the astute Pineher, 'but to have
to live there all Of ones life, in order to
secure it to ones heirs, is a good deal to pay
for even the Gribble homestead.
We said that in April no one was sure
they had seen any of the GribbIes Neither
was anyone quite sure they hadn't.
Tom Gribble had not been in his grave
week before woman came down from
New York, bringing city lawyer with her,
and at once began action to break the will
on the ground of being the widow of the
deceased, and the mother Of his children.
She looked sad and worn enough to have
been Tom Gribble's wife, but she failed to
prove her case. She convinced everyone
who knew nothing of the law; but she failed
to win. Law sometimes requires so much
This was January.
In February woman who claimed to be
the sister of the dead man appeared, and at
once brought suit against the estate for sew
eral hundred dollars, which she claimed had
been obtained from her by fraud.
She had not known where Tom Gribble
was until it was too late to reach him; and
she had lived in want all these years be-
cause of his wickedness.
This woman proved her point.
Ann Gribble was Tom Gribble's sister,
and the money had been taken.
Unfortunately he had obtained it by a
moral crime, not legal one, and she drifted
away into the great world outside Of Glen
Il 4. 4.