The Arkansaw traveler., 1886-04-24
4 REAL GHOST.
By J. C. Joy.

ness trips to the west that l had occa- sion to stop over few hours at Lodcr- vile, where two or three small customers needed attention. My business with them was somewhat delayed so that l had few minutes to reach the station. only to learn that the train had just gone The last car, in fact was disap- bearing around the curve, and winked a red eye at me from the rear platform, while from the distant hills the locomo- tive shrieked back its derision at my discontinue. 1 was out of breath and out of temper, and there was no train until ten o clock the next morning. So picked up my yalise, and got into d shabby stage inscribed with tarnishcd gilt letters Lodcryillc House
 This hostlery-the only one in the place-was of about the regulation viii lage pattern. It was a low and rambling structure, with stale and stably odor pervading its narrow, dark passagcways Nevertheless, the main sittingroom or office was large and comfortable, with a bar at one end, whose glstening glasses gave forth numberlrss reflections of the blazing logs which crackled and glowed in the great open fireplace at the other The landlord was atfable and communi- cative, the supper was good, and, as the short April afternoon darkened gloomily into night l had very comfortable feeling that, in spite of my suspicious of country taverns and musty bed-clothing the Eodervillc House was not the worst place in the state of Ohio to spend a night
 said the supper was good, and said 4l, :, ,,l plying well enough to the main body of the repast, does but seant justice to the dessert This crown and glory of the meal was a pie mince pie, com pounded hy the landlady herself. When think of the worse than worthless inn itations of this noble American dish that Haunt at every railroad restaurant and appear unabashcd at tirst-class hotel tables invading even the sacred domain of home, to impose upon the digestion of the very elect, and then recall the memory of this magnificent pie with its delicious depths and delicately blended ilavOrs, do not wonder that my prll- dence forsook me. Forgetting how pie at night never agreed with me and that mince pie never did, swallowed see ton after section regardless of conse quenceS
 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 idlers who are the invarnhln attaches of every village tav- ern. There was much discussion con corning "crops,' and the coming cleo tion, together with the doctrinal un- soundness of Parson Wobley, and the worldly-mindedness of Mrs. Parson Wohloy. Then the misslccds of certain moonshiners was an absorbing theme
 By and by a long and melancholy featured young man made his way in between the chairs His brow was dark as were his eyes, and his hair also was dark and long. Though scarcely speak ing a word, l recognized him at once as the village genius He did not come in from the outside but apparently lived in the house Then dozen greet ings went up from the circle, and am other familiar apparltion 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 he slouched leisurely in, and stretched his long limbs in the seat which was promptly made for him before the blaze. It took him a long time to answer, in his slow, deliberate fashion, all the questions which were put to him lie had been up the mill erik way, a helpin Widder Baker for a spell. Pulling little package from his pocket, he said: Gentlemen, there $ some articles in this paper which many of you we'll remember, though it's nigh on to thirty years sence the owner of them was amongst us. allude to the late Judge lockwood"
 Judge Jedwood," chorused twenty voices at once. What about him? Tell us!
 You all we'll know, gentlemen con- tinued Sam, unheeding the clamor, how the judge stopped three days at this hotel before proceedin' on his last journey to the other side of Ball noun tain. Nobody, excepting them as hadn t ought, knew that he carried five hun dred dollars in gold sewed up in his clothes when he set out on hossback. Old Daddy Appleton was the last who seen him ride into Bakers Notch. Not soul ever seen him ride out"
 Here a sunburnt farmer broke in. Why that there Notch has been haunted ever sence. l don't care as how Parson Wobley says it's onscriptural to believe in ghosts, Don't ketch me round that there again after dark, I can tell ye," he pursued, with much energy. knowed see a spook the night druv home from Capn Beasley's"
 Guess it was some of Cap. Beasley sperrits then" retorted one of the younger skeptics
 'Sperrits or spooks, don't want to see no more of em. Didn't Jim Stafford,