The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1882-01-10

4, And thus il naturally came about
that, Oh the iliitu New Yrar'e Eve. ii
more numerous parry than usual
was gathered IN the village store, and
the expected coming of the ghost was
discussed with an intensity OF inter
est that can scarcely be depicted.
I've made up NV mind that this
hing itas got to be fixed" SAID Dick
Dalkins, one of the countrymen who
had first seen the spNok.
Fixed how" said another.
why, he must leave ia, and give
an account Of himself. F"
Suppose he WON'T
"Then we'll make him"
How ?"
When the precise means nv which
this was 81 be ,I"iic came Ia I've dis
cu~Sel. il wa~ another case of the
mice who prrm.Sc'l 10 put bell
around lie cat> ncck.
Tie scngme wa, enthusiastically
supported. bat ~" one could be found
wins would guarantee IL arrest the
ghost, and force the explanation from
him
After more talk, pi;tn Wa fxe,i
urOn, which il canrGt Le denied Va
unworthy and cowarllv.
! Five of tie bravest agreed Ia wait
below the village. and then. when I've
came to view, call out Ia him to hait
anal give an explanation. Ii he was
anyway in>olcnt or defiant, they wnu'i
open a bomiardment nf snow balls
50 hard and compact that he woui!
be compelled 10 >u"cumb, and then
when he should become - battered
and weakened as 10 be helpless, they
would gather around AID make an in
vestigation for themselves
just before this conclusion VAS
reached, Fred Wilmer. who was sit
: ting III the rear cf the store, inter
posed.
/ Fred was fine athlete, generous
and good hearted, and one of the fcA
in Titusyile who We're very skeptir!l
respec ing the ghost theory.
Il am satisfied there IL nothing SUI
pernatural about it, raid he; land
your proposition is absurd IN the face
for If II Is a spirit, yos can't hurt it
with SNOW balls, pistel-shots, or can
non! ais; while, if it is veritabe
old gentleman, as | believe il is. your
treatment will he altogether brutal.
IF he behaves himself he won't
get hurt"
"In what way do you wish him 10
behave HIMSELF"
"When he heaves in sight. vii hail
him, and if he's polite and respectful.
all right--he won't get hurt; hut i.
be undertakes TO play the mysterious,
he deserves to be stoned ar snpa-
balled, and I'm one that's ready 10
keep it up until the life is hammered
cut OF him, if he dou't come down
before"
And Jake Harbour locl.ai upon
his four chosen comrades, WHO each
elected some tobacco juice upon the
stove, and nodded u.ir heads and
grunted by Way q 7rpioval.
Fred had been q peaicd TO a.
leader Of the pa. tan te refused.
saying that il VS. "a -lann L. abuse
an old gentleman IL that i,shiou. ami
if he did e. along. il would he rs {,
defender, rather than ap assailaut. Of
the stranger.
Having made this declaration.
with considerable emphasis, Fred
drew lis coat about ma ears, and
st;,ike;i cut Of the place in the di
rcction Of his home. He probably
wished To spend the evenin. there,
as he intended to leave for CO lege Oh
the morning following.
Ii was not long afterward that Jake
Harbour and his companions, passed
down the main street OF the village.
along The river, and taking posi-
ion near deep gorge or no low,
where an immense lot Of driftwood. /
taken up from the Delaware, was
pied, they awaited, with some trepida-
ton. the coming of the spook.
AS considerable time was ut their
disposal, they occupied il in laying in
a sto,k Of ammunition. The night Wa
quite mild, and the snow packed
readily, SO that five stacks of the ma
terial were soon made. Every che
was as near perfect in its way as posi-
BILE.
Each man carefully scooped up
about the right portion. and then
pressed it together. and turned il
over and pressed it again, wrinkIing
the eyebrows, screwing up the lips.
and holding the breath, with the in
tensity of the effort This rendered
the missiles almost as hard as ice.
and very effective In the han de ola