The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1886-06-23
Live and let live, ? Trades gracious apo
thegm,
Shuts up the sorlid soul, an oyster in It's
Live and help liye,T the sayiOrs word to
them,
Makes one all human sonls that on this
planet dwell. &C. S. percival.
A REAL GHOST.

A AAL44Ah N4LNO1h
It was during one OF my annual busi.
ness trips to the west that had occasion
to stop over a few hours at 1oderyille,
where two or three small customers
needed attention, Ny business with,
them mswas somewhat delayed, 50 thGt /
had few minutes to reach the station,
only to learn that the train had Just
gone. The last car, in fact, was disap-
pcaring around the curve, and winked
red eye at me from the rear platform,
while from between the distant hills the
locomotive sllrieked back'its derision ut
my discontinue. was out Of breath
and out of temper, and there WIS no
truin until 10 o'clock tho next morning.
So picked up my valise, and got into Il
shabby stage, inscribed with tmnished
gilt letters, ~LOderville House."
The supper was good. But this adjec-
tive, though applying well enough to the
main body Of the repast, does but scant
justice to the desert. This crown and
glory Of the meal was a pie, mince
pie, compounded by the landlady
herself. When think of the worse
than worthless limitation Of this noble
American dish that ilaunt at every rail-
road restaurant and appears lmabashcd
at tirst-class hotel tables, Invading even
the sacred domain of home, to impose
upon the digestion of the Scry elect, und
then recall the memory Of this magnif-
cent pie with its delicious depths and
delicately blended AavoB, l do not
wonder that my prudence foSook me.
Forgetting that pic at nightnever agreed
with me, and that mince pie never did,
! swallowed section after section, regard
lcssof consequences.
After supper looked over the local
newspaper and examined the county
map hanging on the wall, and then sat
down before the fireplace and listened to
the gossip of the oilers who are the in.
variable attaches of every village tavern,
There was much discussion concerning
"crops, and the coming election, together
with the doctrinal unsomdness Of Par.
son Wobley, and the worldly.minded-
ness of Mrs, Parson Woblcy. Then the
misdeeds of certain moOnshiners was
an absorbing theme.
By and by, a long and melancholy
featured young man made his way in
between the chairs. Hisbrow was dark,
us were his eyes, and his hair was also
dark and long. Though scarcely speak
Ing q word, ] recognized him at once as
tlievillNge genius. He did not come in
from outside, but apparently lived in the
house. Then dozen greetings went up
from tho CIRCLE, and another familiar al-
partition was framed in the doorway.
SAM Lawson, ] may as well call him,
Sam at any rate was his name, village
historian, annalist, and authority for
every local happening twenty miles
around. Without care, and without
hurry, lie slouched leisurOIy in, and
stretched his long limbs in the seat
which was promptly made for him be-
fore the blaze. 1t took him long time
to answer, in his slow, deliberate fashion,
all the questions which were put to him.
lie had been up the milk.crik way a
heIpen' Widder Baker for spell. Pull.
ing a little package from his pocket, he
said: Gentlemen, there's some articles
in this paper which many of you well
remember, though its nigh on to thirty
years sence the owner of them was
amongst us. alludu to the late Judge
JcdwoOd."
Judge Jedwood!" choruscd twenty
voices at once. What about him: Tell
us!n
"You all well know, gentleman, con.
tinued Sam, mheeding the clamor, show
the judge stopped three days at this hotel
before proceedin' on his last Journey to
the other side of Balls mountain. No
body, excepting them as hadn't ought,
knew that he carried $500 in gold sewed
up in his clothes when he set out on
hossback. Old Daddy Appleton was the
last who seen him ride into Baker's
Notch. Not a soul ever see him ride
out"
Here sunburnt farmer broke in,
"Why, that there Notch has been haunted
ever sencC. don't care us how Parson
Wobley says its onscriptural to believe
in ghosts. Don't ketch me round that
there again after dark, can tell We, he
pursued, with much energy. u knowed
! see spook the night Idruv home from
Cap'n Beasley's.'
Guess it was some of Cap. Beasley's
sperrtts then, rctorted one Of the younger
skeptics.
"Sperrits or spooks, don't want to see
no more Of EN-, Didn't Jim Stafford,
who was TUX up on suspicion, move
away from the Notch because he never
could look ont Of his window nights
without scein' n white liggcr of the
judge, swallOw.tail coat, brass buttons,
nnd all, Standin' out in the woods
Here u curious light appeared in the
eye Of the Genius, and wiR relieved to
see him almost disappear behind the
chimney jamb,
Gentleman resumed Sam, impres.
slvcIy, "allusion has been made to the
blue coat with tho brass buttons which
the judge always wore. Them ten but
tons with the American eagles on EN-
you all remember 'em, dare say.r
Everybody who was old enough did,
"Them ten buttons" Sam continued,
"were always polished up bright, and
looked like gold pieces. They don't look
so any more, for here they are, and he
unrolled the paper.
The excitement following this disclos.
ure was quite indeScribabIe, and the ten
mildewed, rusty disks of metal we're
eagerly passed from hand 10 hand amid
questions and exclamations. The faint
outlines Of IN eagle were imperiectly
traced OH each one. Everybody implorcd
Sam 10 explain, which he did, as soon rs