The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-01-01
PARTrII.
THE GHOSTS AND 9th ER Spirits

- 49, ONAA ~ Ok A4sAAos
About the. time that Will was enjoy
ing Miss Patty COMPANY and -wine IN
Allentown. the, store at the Corners
was crowded with people trading, COS
siping, and having a good time gen
orally. Among the merriest of these
was a group which occupied a warn,
place by the fire in the back part of the
store these were men of all ages, and
all We're intent, apparently, liste ming 10
story being told by 3 man, past the
Reridianso OF life, who sat in a position
facing the group.
Old Benson. as he was Familiarity
known, was the proverbial 'old settIer,'
OF the Corners. His one great weakness
was for old rye, when disguised with 8
thin mixture of hot water and brown
sugar or molasses. And to Judge from
his appearance and utteraucs, he haa
been giving more than usual amount
of attention to his old friend this night
aad was, in fact, holding q goodiy mug
OF him In his hand at the momeat of
which we write.
L remember the night 8 if twas
yest'day. The old man was a.comin'
long bout IL O'Clock New Years Eve,
nigh forty years ago, n jIst Is he gifts
alongside . the tree, out jumps the two
robbers an knocks him often his hoss ;.
taxes the money out O. his pocket an >
burles it under the tree. Mex mornin,
we ands their tracks in the snow, an
one smart ysung Teller he sees the snew
by the foot o the tree don't LOOK right.
Au he gives it Kick, aud thar be Gnds
the hole whar they'd buried the wallet
Wall, We took the wallet out an covered
the place all right, an packed the old
man home deadsr'n door naa. Then,
eight or tea o. as waits fur 'em nv the
tree TIE mex night, an sure 'nough
they came, an We nabbed 'em. An
they was triSa an convicted and hang
on limb o that very tree till they was
aead-dead-deadl An,eYer siace then
on New Years night, boat R O'CLOCK,
the ghost o NE old nao rides past thar.
aH' the ghosts O. the robbers comes out
an kills him, an then all melt away."
a short SILENCE greeted the old mans
yarns then one OF the younger iraeu in
he party said 1: k11sFFF
DO you besisve the ghost part of that
yarn. Benson ?"
Wall" he replied. 81 never seen 'am.
But do yeu believe ia ghsstsf" per
sisted his interlooator.
40, ns answered, mot them kiad
II bet you gallon Of rye that you re
afraid to so there tonight at IL
D o'clock. said another. q,
Nov look ahere, Young nam" said |
Did Benson, Il don't like to bet on a
,ure shing, bat ii you're goin' to in.
'iAuase as I'm afraid to 90. go"
''All rig5t," was the reply. You
tart freAn hare at III O'CLOCK and I put
Up tho rye.I Yoh take this pencil and
make cross on the tree, AMI in the
norning well go there, and if We 6nd
yeur mark then you get rhe stuff"
The bet was made anA-Old b nson
vas the here of the hour. Now. Ben
on, when he made the wager, had not
he least idea of going near the tree
ike many orher peosle OF the Corners
lie believed a great DIAL more in the
hosts of the haunted tree" than he
7as willing to own. And like many of h
lis ncighbors. would goa n,ile out of
lis way any time, rather than go past
here at night.
But by the time the clock pointed TO
L, the cid mans mug had been nlIed
nd emptied so many times that he was
ehdy to face ghosts or anything else,
nd go. after n parting cup, he left the
tore and started over the road to the
hostly rendezvous.
Old Benson was In the habit of being
three shests," but this time he. was
1ided to the thwarts, and several
mes on the way. when the ground
sW up suddenly in hfs face. he 'scjnrtd {
imselt TO brace up. cid mari and 4
toe the mark. etc., and SO he was h
early one hoHr getHxA there. 6
But whes be got in sight OF do tres; ID
II out his hanakeschisf baeW BIZ ross II
Iplentiy, and dida, { TAXA ne hnnakar.. ID
ai6 away from hjsss eyessur21 he IVES ii
cry sure, be was past tie tTse. El