Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1888-03-29
aAm a very 5000, !,

ton l could stay with Won q daw ~
TWO as well as not for my board. I
nain't forgotten the Jackets as Willie
outgrew that you sent to NV Rohh;a.
ana had feeling for young girl with
need" n"ur
"oh." moaned theyoung girl. 1'm
not sick, Pm worn out Oh. this
dreadful housed | have not silent
soundly all winter"
why, dearief'
"Oh, Mrs. Hodgdcn, there IL soma.
Dody IN this house beside ourselves
Beside me and the boys, mean.
somebody creeps about and / am al.
ways listening for that stem. n is
killing me! Oh, don't tell anyoneI I
aid not mean to cell you, but l am so
weak Don't, don't say word to
Dr' Leighton. j must bear it, because
its all the home We have, and tie bows
never had such pretty, nice home
before, and they are doing so we'll.
and are so good. was not afraid at
nrst. l am not afraid now, only for
them. There may be some evil about
though nothing has ever harmed us.
Bnt as soon as | fall asleep start up
Cara was begging the old woman not
TO betray her confidence, when DIR,
Leighton came into the room.
You must tell me the whole story,
Cara! he said. "You shall not lose
anything by it," he added.
But Cara broke out, crying, in her
weakness giving way to her emotions,
and Tor a time the tumult would have
It's way. She was brought to listen to
reason at last.
1T was two months after we came
mere" she said, that | first heard
those creeping, creeping steps. tried
TO think it was the trees, or the wind.
or 1.-THE cat. but ] heard them when
there was no wind at all, and the cat
was asleep on the foot OF my bed, and
the things were moved from their
places about the house, and lately |
have missed food. That's since /
would not allow myself to believe that
spirit haunted the place. / have
searched every spot and nook in this
house. There is only the space above
the scuttis in the roof, and there are
no stairs"
"0h, DR.. Leightonl" groaned Mrs.
Hodgdon, "then, of course, it's
spirits"
Nonsense"
DIR. Leighton contented himself with
prescribing for the sick and over
wearied girl. and after few days oil
care arranged a drive for her In his
new buggy, with her brother Jack as
attendant.
you are to take u nice long drive,
and not be back under two hours"
he said, smiling.
The kindness and care surrounding
Cara was new and very pleasant to
her. As the wheels rolled away from
the door in the brightness of the
spring day, her trouble fell away
from her like nightmare, and the
color came back to the pretty cheek.
Five minutes after her departure
from Thistle Cottage two men were
in the house with DIR. Leighton. They
went rapidly through it, beginning with
the cellar. Every wall was tried, with
the idea OF discovering any unknown
space or passage. Nothing unknown
was developed. At length short
ladder was brought, and the men as
cended to the attic.
1t was only a hollow space beneath
the center OF the roof, quite unlighted.
But enough light penetrated the place
to show an unkempt figure rising from
its liar of straw and rags in one cor
ner
What's this? Are you after me7'
he said, IN hollow tones.
The men silently gazed on this object
with astonishment, repulsion and
pity. 1t was man, but so thick the
mask OF dirt and grim, SO ragged the
beard and hair, grotesque the costume
of tatters from which fell feathers and
straw, it seemed some unknown crea-
ture instead of a human being.
"Great heavens! it is Simon Leland!'
cried DR.. Leighton.
This only added to the consterna-
ton of the other men. for Simon
Leland was the half crazed boy who
murdered his father at Thistle Cottage
five years before. But want and
misery had given him the appearance
OF an old man.
II don't care what you do with
mel" cried the hollow voice. "Only
give me something to eat"
all you want" said DR.. Leighton, not
unkindly.
"Where2 Down there, where the
fire and the light and the girl is?" ask
ed the wretched being, and when they
nodded, he caught up rou2h ladder
of rope, quickly adjusted it and swung
himself down before them. But he
was so weak he staggered, and they
were obliged to help him down the
stairs to the kitchen, where Mrs. Hodg.
don, shaking with excitement and
CONSERVATION, placed food upon the
table from which he snatched it. with
out any pretence OF eating from a
plate, devourlng it like half-famished
animal. When he had filed himself,
he would have laid down on the
floor and gone to sleep, but that the
plenty sickeDed him,
and he began to groan and roll about.
In short time, the sheriff, who had
been sent for, arrived, and he was
taken away. No one believed that
the poor, unidentified, half.dying
creature was fit subject for punish
ment, but the county jail was clean
and comfortable refuge for him IN his
restitution. Here he remained until
consigned to the almshouse. No re-
liable account al his career could be
obtained from him, but it is probable
that he had sought refuge at Thistle
Cottage in its desertion, and existed
miserably there a great while before
discovered. He had prowled about
at night searching for food, OF which
he found scanty supply, stealingfrom
corn bins, pigs and poultry. and rob
bing hen roosts, eating the. flesh OF the
fowls raw. 1t was the occasional dis
coverysof his miserable figure which
had called into existence the story oil
the rlace being haunted by his ghost.
But 50 reduced had he become be
would probably have died in his lair
but for DIR. Leighton's discovery OF
him.
DR.. Leighton kindly saved Carafrom
witnessing so much misery. She new
er saw Simon Leland. Her nerves
had already borne much, and that
she had been willing still to suffer IN
secret for the sake OF preserving a
good home for her young brothers was
a fact which became known and en-
deared her TO many hearts: der
friends multiplied, and, when she ac-
cepted as lie companion, DIR. Leigh
ton, the Oldest friend OF all, hearty
kindness surrounded her and warm
wishers for her happiness danced
merrily at the wedding.
What is a striker"
In an injunction case in Nebraska,
in which it was sought to compel GER
!. q MOI l. IL, nrnrnsit ion