Wichita eagle., 1888-11-29
A HAUNTED FAMILY.

1 had ridden all day through an appa-
rently interminable pine forest of north
Georgia, and as evening closed In both
myself and my horse, tired and hungry,
began to look out for some place at which
we could obtain rest ard refreshment for
the night. My objective point was Gala
ghan's stage road station where ex-
pected to meet my friend Whipple, with
whom had promised to stop for q day or
two. should have reached his place be-
fore sunset, but as twilight descended
became conscious that l must have taken
wrong branch road. and SO missed my
way. In this dilemma | was glad to per-
ceiye at some distance before me faint
and uncertain light. toward which urged
my tired horse.
few moments brought US to sub
stantial log house standing little back
from the road, in the midst of clear
ing" The bars were down, in the care
less fashion of this thinly settled part of
the country, SO, riding directly up to the
house, l raped smartly upon the door
with my whip handle. It struck me as
rather strange that on a warm September
evening such as this both doors and win
dows should be closed, and, as bright
pine knot blaze was visible through the
chinks, was still more surprised at re-
celVlng no answer to my summons. Rap
ping again. was conscious of q stir with
in; woman's voice broke out in half
suppressed exclamation, and two children
began to cry.
Surmising that these might be timid
people left alone in the cabin called out
cheerily, and at the same moment my
horse whinnied in a friendly manner.
Upon this the door was partially opened
by woman whose half eager, half fright
ened face was made visible by the light of
pine torch which she held above her
head. l briefly explained the situation,
and the woman at once opened the door
wide.
Come right inl" she said almost eagerly.
"You'uns hes follered the wrong road an
ief' Calaghan's morn FIVE miles back.
Thar amt place roun' here whar you
kin git bed an supper less you be kin
tent to stay here tonight. Thar's nice
bed IN Jenny's room, seem Jenny's away
to her gran TIERS; an for vittles we kin
give you fried chicken. ON bac'n an eggs,
IL thatu kintent you. Here, Joe, take
the boss an see he's tended to-"
But Joe. q boy of some IL or IS years,
held back. He peered apprehensively out
into the darkness, and at length proposed
that should accompany him to the sta
bic, as be said, to see that the horse was
properly attended to. With this request
complied, and on my return to the cabin
felt considerably enlivened by the well
come odor of boiling coffee and other
viands which my hostess was preparing
for my supper. 1now observed that there
was man lying on a bed in q corner of
the neat and comfortable room-a pale,
anxious looking man, who, his wife
told me, was down with spell O. the
the shakes" meaning chills and fever,
complaint not uncommon in this part of
the country.
1T amt took how'll on me for many
years back, he said, raising himself on his
pillow, NOR wouldn't this time eff twarn't
for considerable shake up and duckin
got two nights ago. Did you'ns come by
the ford four mile below here? An did
yer happen to view anything anyway out
o the common"
/ had come by the ford, replied. but
had seen nothing at all unusual; and then
noticed that the husband and wife looked
at each other and then glanced nervously
toward the curtained windows.
Tell him bout it, Dick" the woman
chicken in the frying pan. ''Mebbe he'll
know more bout the nature of it than
we'uns."
At this the man abruptly commenced.
Eye see | was down to Woods mill
with ole Hick'ry an two bags O. corn to be
ground an twas purity late when | come
TO start home. Their moon was jes' risin'
outer the big pine tree atop O Breen's
hill when we crossed the ford and come
nigh ter the landin' The warter was
pretty deep thar an the bank high, and
jes ez we was a-wadin' through happens
to look up, an "-pausing and regarding
me keenly-"you'u ns won't skeercely be-
heve it, but see a misty shadder Of a
creeter-a mans shape it was-come
skimmin' long in an out behind the
bushes thout techin' O. the groun', an all
of a student melt out o sight, like
nothin' on airth could melt but a-spook."
The woman rocked herself uneasily in
her chair and her husband put up his
hand and wiped his damp brow.
''Look-a-hyar. stranger" he resumed,
impressively, nara body kin say tibet
Dick Carney's one to blieve in spooks an
sperits an setch like, but what l seen
tibet night seen. nor carn't make 1t other
ways. l seen tibet critter fly like a bird
in the air thout fetching anything. nor
maxim one bit o noise, but jes clawin his
way long like he was swimInin'. An
what IS more, Ole Hick'ry seen it likeways
fur he gin q snort an backed inter the
river, an afore could git grip outer
the bride over he went, ALL had swim
fur dear life sfore / got on t'other side.
Wal, / tramped up to the ferry nigh three
mile above here. drippin' wet, an three
mile back this side, an was all shook up
with the chills when got home bout day
break. Ole Hick'ry como homo safe an
SCUM leetle later, but faint likely him
nor neil forgit what we seen tibet night"
i hardly knew what to say to this singu.
lar story. my own idea was that Mr..
Carney had probably taken drop too
much at 1.-The miu"-but not daring to
hint at this | contented myself with suc-
costing en optical Illusion, and explaining
the nature of some ordinary nearly similar
cases Of which had heard. But here nv
hostess interrupted
Tibet mought be, mister, eff 'twany
nobody but husband an ole Hick'ry as
seen this thing the very night, an cen
mo'sS thet very mint when they'uns seen
1t, you see, was stan'in st the doc look
In down the road en- listenin' eff | could
beer Dick a-comin', an I noticed the moon
Ies risin' atop O. the big pine on Breen's
bill. Jes them couldn't ben a-stsudin'