Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1888-01-11
In Piney Hollow.

if you harness that"
"Serve him right if there was -
grumbled Bill, "if Fetch Gusts
broke his neck goin' through Piney
Hollow tonight, reckon l wouldn't
be the only one to say good riddance!'
Whats the matter o. you now !?
Seems to mo he amt such bad lot
he gimme dollar just now"
"Oh yes" Bill returned, viciously.
Nobody never said he warn't free
enough with his money when he's a
mind to-but he amt often mind to
use it the way he orter."
"What do you mean?" asked
Tom, drawing the girth little tight
err, and examining the buckle by the
faint light that the smoky stable-lan-
tern afforded.
"Mean said Bill. look a-heer,
youngster, if you'd been in these
parts last year instead o hanging
round seine-reel down't the fish,
factory, you wouldn't needed to ask
no questions. But I'll tell ye if we
want to know"
"Fire ahead !" remarked Tom, brief.
ly.
"Well, if you ever saw pretty girl
in your life, il was Joe Majors darter
Virginny. She was just an out-an'-
out sumner, an all the boys round
the country was a.goin' to see her
when this Teller from Baltimore come
down an cut 'em all out. Well they
was married, you know, an they liv.
ed up t Baltimore for spell but
Fletch Gusts is a.drummin' for some
house or ruther, an s out on the road
considerable, an / reckon Glnny used
ter get sorter lonesome. Anyhow, il
warn't many months before she come
back to the farm. An there she is
now, an here's he! Been in the
country most week, an staying first
here an then there, but ! lay he aim
ben near Joe Majors farm"
"Isn't that horse ready yet ?" shout
ed Fletcher Gusts from the hote
Piazza
"Comin' sir !" the two men shout.
ed, half guiltily and then fastened tc
lead the horse up to the step.
Fletcher Gusts knew there was 4
long dark, uncomfortable ride ahead
Of him, and he lost no time in start
ing. Truth to say, he was rather
repenting the act of bravadn which
had made him choose this route.
"Confound it all" he was saying
to himself, "I've been out on the roac
this road, too--too many times t.
mind a night ride"
II was not the ride, however though
he knew it would be long past midnigh
before he could reach Belhaven, nor
the lonely woods, nor even Pine,
Hollow with its reputation Of being
haunted, which disturbed him. He wa
a brave man as ordinary bravery goes
and would not have feared to encoun
ter man or ghost; but Piney Hollow
had its disturbing associations and
memories nevertheless.
Poor little Ginnyl' he said undo
his breath. II wonder why | feel 81
out Of sorts to night? l ought to b.
used to the state Of affairs by thi
time" But the half-bitter laugl
which accompanied the thought, prov
ed that custom had not altogethe
hardened his heart after all.
"Poor Ginny y he said, again
"We used to have happy times her
in these old woods. She was brave
little woman aud had about as mucl
fear of ghostly intruders as | had
She did love me, too"
The man had no other companion
than his thoughts, and there was n,
escape from them now. Memoir.
plays one miserable tricks sometimes
and Piney Hollow held too man,
suggestions of the past for him to b,
able to pass through it with careless
indifference, He remembered
against his will, almost, how Virgins
Major had been wooed and won b,
him. He remembered, too, the blissfu
honeymoon month In baltimore
Ginny had been such bonny little
bride, and had worn her matronly
hopors with such happy pride.