The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1882-03-24

|wss-so badly that ha could hardy
speak.
-".T There be . hoegazt (ghpst9 after
me- painted Grimes, rattlmf chain
and shroikin.' Try II thee can stop
him. for the love II heaven. cam
mott q
i heard . sound Of psttering feet ap-
preaching, mingled with the clanking
Of chain; al d through the darkness I
could Just make out something white
coming swiftly toward us. Grimes,
who seemed too much scared even to
run away, got behind me as if had been
wall, while the ghost came on.
"And when the terrible hobgbblin
got right up to US, what do you think it
turned out to be? Why, neither more
nor less than the miller's own white
donkey, which, having been carelessly
tethered, had managed to break loose,
and was enjoying moonlight run by
itself, dragging its chain along with it!
II took care to keep the secret, but
the story leaked out somehow, and you
may fancy what hard time of it the
poor miller had in the village for a good
while after, although many who laughed
at him would have been no Drawer them
selves in his place. @
NOW it happened that the hardest
of all upon him was Sam Barton, the
butchers great, brawny fellow, with
large, red whiskers, and hand like one
of his own shoulders of mutton-who
was fond of Boosting that he feared
nothing above ground or under it.
Zone night, when lot of them were
having sort of holiday-supper at the
little inn, yonder, Barton made fun. of
the miller SO numerically that at last
the poor fellow got quite angry.
80 Ah, any mon can talk big when
there be no danger! cried he; but if
thee'd been i my place. thee ha' done
jist as I didr
".Would 1, thought shouted the
butcher, fiercely. Thee mum get up
early to catch Sam Barton playin' Grad
dint (coward.) / bent afeared o. nought
above ground, nor under it, neither!'
"'Well, them said Grimes, looking
him full in the face, will thee 90
through the church-yard now?'
".Ayc, that WILL cried the butcher,
jumping up at once; and We may a.
COON with me if ye loike. and see that
I do it fairr
"'Well, bark We to me, lads put in
the landlord, Use tell ye how We'll do
it. Sam shall TAX these three knives,
and stick one i the ground by the stile
where he I'll go into the choorch-yard, and
another by Squire Hawker's monument
i the middle, and the third at the gate
on t'oother side. Then We'll go round
to the gate and meet him, and see that
as fair
''The plan was at once agreed to, and
off started the valiant butcher, whistling
defiantly, and clinking the three long
knives in his brawny hand.
"But as he began to leave the village
lights behind him, and to approach the
dark, dreary church-yard, his whistle
grew fainter and his step less brisk. 1t
was chill, gloomy night, and the wind
dismally through the leafless
trees, while the distant roar of the tor
rent that ran through Dead Mans Gully
unnaturally loud in the grim
silence.
EVERY ghost story he had ever
heard in his life seemed to crowd into
the unfortunate butchers memory at |
once, and by the time he reached the |
stile he would gladly have given all the !
money in bis pocket to be well out of |
the whole business, But it would never
do to give in now, so over the stile he
planted his first knife, and
went on.
"The church-yard was dark as pitch,
and he got more than one tumble over
the graves, which made his nerves none
the steadier.
"Just as he was sticking the second
knife beside the 'Squire's monument
(which loomed white and ghostly
through the darkness), the church-clock
struck twelve.
"The deep, hollow sound. amid that
lead silence, started him from q walk
INTO a run. On he went, scratching
himself against projecting boughs and
cruising his shins upon the tombstOnes,
ill at last he came down on his hands
md knees, close to the white gate. Just
hen an old owl overhead gave such
scream that Sam, too scared even to
ook round, stuck the third knife at
.andom behind him, and tried to rush
IF. But 10! something seized and held
him fast, and poor Sam, frightened out
If his wits, howled, shrieked, kicked,
and finally tainted outright.
" Meanwhile, his comrades, who were
Waiting outside, heard his cries, and fear
ng that something had gone wrong.
,entured in, keeping very close to-
,ether. And what do you think they
ound? Why, that he had stuck the
Inife through the skirt Of has oa0n coat,
md pinned himself to the ground! And
hat was all the ghost there was about
he matter."-GOlden Days.
Little Johnnie.