Wichita eagle., 1888-11-29

thar couple O. minits skeersly-I sec
so'thin' like man with hat on come
flynn long the road Eastern ole Hick'ry
ever cut up. When he got past the bars
l he'd a view O him all over-an' sures
I'm Twin woman thar warn't sign O.
bis tetchin' the yearth, but jes walkin' an
| a-clawin' along in the air, this Always, an
strange sort O light sparklin' round
him. he never turned his head, but jes
whipped by like streak O. Eghtnin' An
now issen to me-" holding up the cook
| ing fork in her hand and speaking with
| solemn earnestness. "Thet were Tuesday
day afore yistiddy, mind. Well, las
| night ez we'uns wuz all a-settin' here, an
| the doc an winder wide open, an pine
| knot burnin' bright in the chimbly back,
that same shadder of man come skimmin'
| right by tibet winder. We'uns all seen
it, fer the pine light was a-blazin' on his
| face, an he was a-lookin' in ez he skum
| past. And befo' we could SO much. as
boiler out, he had shot round the house
an past the doc thar. which was standin'
open, an not q SCUM did he make but
jes' slicked right by like sperit An it's
my belief" with sort of suppressed sob
in her throat, ''it's my belief tibet thing,
whatsoever 1t be, hez come to warn us O.
somethin' unlucky bout to happen" And
here she cast an anxious glance at her
husband, and then around on the group
of white headed little ones who lowered
| about her
Though more than ever puzzled by this
account did what could to cheer up the
| family, who were ell evidently in state
of great nervous excitement. Having
| partaken with a hearty appetite Of my
meal. l stepped outside for fresh air, and
/ AFTER walking slowly around the house,
stepped up to the bars and stood looking
down the road. The moon had risen and
already shed a clear light on the white
sandy track and the open space around
the cabin. Nothing moved, until as
stared down the dim vista I became
aware of an unnaturally tall and phantom
like apparition visible in the patches of
moonlight that ficked the road, now ap-
pearing, now vanishing and all the time
rapidly approaching to where stood.
/ At the first glance Of this apparition I
unconsciously held my breath in a kind of
expectant suspense. The next moment
CLEAN of recognition flashed upon me-the
whole mystery of the haunting "spook"
was explained-and in the excitement and
amusement of the discovery gave hilar-
ious shout. The figure as it neared me
slackened its speed, and with an easy
sweep slowly and gracefully glided to my
side.
"Hellor he cried cheerily, whats upf"
So soon as | could recover from an ire
sistible fit of laughter explained to him
the state Of affairs with the family in the
cabin. He expressed much concern for
tho mischief he had unintentionally
caused. He and friend were making a
bicycling tour through tine state, and hav-
ing been for some days delayed at Gala
ghan's by the indisposltion Of his COM
panion, he had each evening amused him
self by taking a run" in the cool Of the
twilight along this level pine forest road.
He had not noticed the man and the horse
at the ferry, and regretted that he had on
the succeeding evening been tempted by
the open bars and the level clearing to
make circuit around the house, deening
himself unnoticed, no one having hailed
him. And he was now willing and anA
ious to make an explanation and apology
to the disquieted family.
went before in order to prepare the
way, and with some difficulty persuaded
them to have an interview with the
''spook." He came gently wheeling up to
OOOI, uuQ lulllh L EcNtT odW u ulOTO
relieved as well as wondering group Of
faces than those which looked on while the
stranger explained the nature and quail
tiles Of his marvellous vehicle. Mr.. Cay
ney listened with great interest, his wifi,
laughed Historically and the children were
as delighted as though they had been at a
circus-especially when the ''spook" dis
tributed among them handful Of nickels
before taking his deDartrre
Next morning, when called to an carly
breakfast, | found Mr.. Carney up and
looking quite unlike the man l had seen
on the previous evening. His wife ex-
planned that the shakes" seldom lasted
in her family beyond three days; but
had my own impression that in this in
stance the attack had been owing as much
to the fright Us to the ducking which her
husband had received.
l write this as warning to all bicyclists
who are fond of exercising in the mystic
rious shadows of eve before the eyes of
the uninitiated in rural and out of the
way districts.-S. A. Weiss in Detroit
Free Press.