Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1888-02-22
No one seemed

ready to venture any thing, pro or con, in
answer to the above remark, for Harry
was glib arguer, and of course not man
of them desired to come out second best in
discussion of the mysterious.
But presently the old landlord, who was
a firm believer in spiritual vlsitants, broke
the silence by saying, timidly: There's
some mighty queer 'currences, then, 'nless
we're not to blieve anybody. I'll low"
The voluble Harry hesitated in replying
to this, for some unaccountable reason; but
stranger, who had stopped for the night
in this country inn, and who, up to this
time, had not spoken word, but had sat
in the corner with his hat pulled down
over his eyes, now sighed audibly. The
deep-drawu inspiration arrested the
attention Of the mysterious-loving host in
stantly, and he drew his chair nearer to the
strange guest, and scented ghost story.
"Mout we hev any 'speriences to relate in
this line, Mrl If ye hev I'll back ye in 'em
by b'lievin' 'em, for I've q great leanin'
to'ard the sperits meself."
Thus invited, the man in the corner
pushed up his hat and looked around the
circle of expectant faces. Harry Ludwig
became strangely attentive for an unbe-
lever, and taking the cigar from his mouth,
knocked off the ashes against his thumb
ing: " Yes, we're all quite ready for a
story"
"Well," said the stranger, signing again,
"Tve only one such story to relate, and
that, permit me to say, is true. l can vouch
for its truthfulness, because it happened to
be an experience of my own"
Here Harry Ludwig glanced furtively
around the group, and the landlord braced
up triumphantly, and resorted to the cuspi-
dor as safety valve.
81 was travelling in the South" began the
guest again, after an impressive pause,
"and was domiciled for a few weeks with
friends, not far from Atlanta. 1t was my
custom while there to ride out each day into
the country on horseback, accompanied by
some member of the family.
"On one of these occasions the eldest son,
bright youth of perhaps twenty, bore me
company. After riding farther than usual,
and returning, as l thought, by round
about way, suggested that we turn into a
by-road to our right and shorten our route,
as it was getting late. AT my mention of
the change of route, the young fellow grew
visibly agitated, and objected strongly.
"'Why notp 1 asked, my curiosity
aroused. Because he answered, re-
luctantly, I'D rather not; you may laugh at
me, Mr.. Nixon, but 1 have not the courage
to ride through Harlem road, especially at
this time of night
"My look of incredulous questioning
rasher dashed him, but seeing an explana-
ton was expected, he lowered his voice to a
very confidential key and said: There's a
strange, mysterious story connected with
the road, Mr.. Nixon, which keeps most of
us from crossing here, after sundown.'
"'AhP calculated /, as he hesitated. Then
he continued with shiver: There was a
young lady killed, a half mile down this
road; and her lover found her and became
so frantic with grief over his loss, that it
was the death of him, you know
"'No; don't know / answered, growing
strangely fascinated by his tone and man
| ner.
"'No, of course not; how dull of me to
forget, he replied, gazing down the by-way,
half hidden already in the shadows of the
| gathering dusk. Then, as if recollecting
that was waiting for the rest of the trag-
ical narrative, he went on with the entire
story.
"'Allie Wentworth used to live up here
a ways and he pointed the way we had
come, 'and she had a lover, very much de-
| jected to the marriage because of his con-
tinued ill-health, so the lovers were obliged
to wait Meantime Howard Keith, the
lover, kept visiting Allie, and they were
| passably happy.
"' One evening he called, as usual, but she
had gone for a ride and had not returned !;
he sat talking with the family, waiting her
| coming, and never had seemed so well, or