Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1886-11-17
AS the captain plunged into dark

AS the captain plunged into dark
corner there was jingle, and the
string of bells suspended from q nail
hit him directly on the neck, so like
the grasp of death-cold fingers that he
could not but start.
"Oh," said the captain nervously.
"Here they are, Catch 'em, Job!
Hello! where's the trap. door," And
it took the militiaman fully sixty Sec
onds or more to realize that the trap
door was closed and fastened on the
lower side. He rushed to the window
and threw it up, only to see Job speed
ing up the hill.
"Youll find the ladder on the barn
floor, Cap'n," hooted the young rebel
sand don't be Altered of the ghost.
It's very harmless if you let it alone"
"But, Job-Job, come back-I am
| to be at Mr.. Harrington's at 7:3O."
"Don't worry hoarsely bawled
Job; "Miss Sibyl won't wait very long
atore Mr.. Max'll be on hand"
X X
"I won't wait another minute for
him." said Sihyl Harrington, coloring
UP with the tears in her blue eyes.
"Go on, girls-I shall spend the even
ing at home"
Hosea Harrington was just opening
his mouth to argue the matter with
his sister when the door opened and in
walked Max Crossley.
Sibyl jumped up radiantly; shenever
had been so glad to see honest Max in
all her life before.
"Not gone yet, sioyl? Where is the
captain?
II don't know" said sibyl, tartly,
"and [ don't care. cam / Capt.
Meredith's keeper
"Of course" said Max, 'I can't ex-
pect to make myself as agreeable as
the city captain. but"
'sThe captain the captain!" cried
Sibyl, little irritably. "I'm sick of
the sound of his name! I never want
to see him again. What nice new
cutter this is, and how cozy the wolf
robes are"
"Sibyl," whispered Max, as he
touched up the horse and felt her
nestle close to him, sis it for al
ways?"
eyes, always" she answered.
"Je-rusalem!" said Farmer Wester-
brook.
It was past 10 O'Clock at night, and
the old gentleman had come out, as he
always did the last thing before retir-
ing to rest, to see that Job had not
set the barn on fire and that the dumb
members of his family were all safe
and comfortable. ST do believe that
old Mike Westerbrook's ghosts come
to life again, poundin' like all pos
sessed on the barn chamber foorp
cts me-e-e! it's me-e-e!" bawled
the captain. "Unfasten the trap door;
let me out"
Slowly the farmer lifted the ladder
and adjusted it in it's place. With
rheumatic awkwardness he climbed
the creaking rounds and undid the
hooks from its hasp.
Chow in all creation come you
here?" he demanded. "Why, [
thought you was out a-sleighridin'
with the gals"
''It was all the doing of that villain,
job" gasped the infuriated captain,
his teeth chattering with mingled
rage and cold. 81 won't stand this
sort of thing. I'll leave the place to-
morrow"
Gas you please. I'm dreadful sorry
this should have happened, though,
and I'll talk seriously to job"
$50 will l." CRASHED the captain.
"I'll break every bone in his body"
But Job, wiser in his generation
than the children of light, had taken
particular care to go over to his
grandmother's, six miles across the
snowy fields, to spend the night, and
the only person the captain saw was
old Mrs. Westerbrook sitting by the
kitchen fire.