The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1888-08-17
THE DEACON'S FRIGHT.


The President himself was not so we'll
known or respected in Pear County as
".:S James Hargrave.
The deacon, for Hargrave had long held
,ha: office in the Methodist church. was a
'o!iI business man. His farm was the
sHvy OF the neighbors and the pride OF the
,ou-ty. He raised the finest cattle and
sent the best crops TO the market, while
- Tor his butter there was nothing in the
T-inio OF the State which could surpass il
n richness and delicious sweetness.
l.! the eyes OF his wife-for of course
the deacon was msrried-he had but one
fault, and that was n grievous one.
lie was n member Of the well known
sccial club which Mt certain times and
seasons flung out its banner to the breeze
"a which the name OF the Roaring BufTa-
io"s was conspicuously printed.
You ought TO he ashamed of yourself"
his wife frequently declared. "You, ut
your time of life, and a deacon, too, to 20
and march about calling yourself Buff
fllo.'
There was somethinginconsisten about
IL, perhaps, but still in palliatiou il must
be noted that HarSrave had been one OF
the founders OF the club away back, long
before he married Tabiths and Joined the
church, and the old associations were tco
strong for him.
He had given up most OF the pleasures
OF fyouth, but his club he could not for
sake. Not that there was anything wrong
in the club. No. il WAS orderly aud well
managed, and sOrne OF the hest people OF
thc town were members.
The Roaring BudsIoes had n LODI se room
Cf their own, and the slight refreshnents
necessary TO Keep up the roaring charac-
tar Of Fha
premises.
If n Buffalo wants whiskey he ought
10 have the very best, =" said the deacon
when a question as 10 the propriety of
having beer, wines and spirits kept in the
club room was first mooted.
The meetings were held onc0 n week,
and no matter whether the raj n desce nded
"A torrents. or the snow almost blinded
tho pedestrian, through summers heat
and winters cold, Deacon Hsrgrave was
rlways one of the first TO arrive and nearly
the Last To leave.
This WAS moro commendable seeing
tGs; his house WAS distant over two miles
from the town, and his way was through
= drnSe wood, the underground forming
n almost impenetTable barrier on either
s!dr OF tho narrow path.
Many time did the good Tabitha plead
with her licge lord to stay at home on
dark nights, but all her eloquence was
wasted. He would arm himself with a
good thick stick and go through thewood
laughing at dangers real and imaginary.
ltwas early in January, IS. The night
was rs dark rs any time since that phe-
uumeual darkness which came over the
Egyptians and which might have been
cut with Il knife.
II was club night, however, and the
Lullvio would not stay away.
Way, deacon, we didn't expect you,"
y-as the first greeting from his fellow
members when he entered the lodge
Why
Wasn't it dark
~ tri1e-yes, but I've gone that road
my boy, for nigh on thirty years, SO 1
cont need any light" " answered the dea-
r-a proudly.
"Gut still" and then there was
p-uso.
"5rill whats
Have yOu not heards"
Heard? What are you talking abouts"
The ghost, =" answered a young Roaring
Buffalo.
'Ha! ha! ha! Ho, hsl hel" laughed the
-3cScon, as though the very word was pro-
vocntive of nirth. His sides shook and
His ponderous form seemed to be on
.prinSs, for there was not n muscle that
lid not quivcr with merriment.
''You may laugh, but it is so.''
''Yes; fact!" Sid another.
"Ghosts-where, when, who has seen
it;" asked tho deacon, somewhat i'm
lre-sed with the solemn manner of the
members.
''In Hargrave Wood, >" answered the first
who had expressed surprise at the dea-
cons appearance.
"a ghost! Ha. ha, ha, In my wood,
la! hal hai Well, that is too goodr'
Laugh rs you like. but it's true. Why,
how is it, deacon, you have not heard
about it?''
WHO has seen itf' ~
az have" was the solemn answer of a
man whose word was rs good as many s
mans Osth.
That altered the aspect Of affairs II
was now n matter OF discussion instead of
mirth. aud Deacon Hargrave insisted on
hearing n full and complete account OF
the members interview or encounter with
the supernatural visitor.
Last ni~ht was as dark as-well, not
quite as dark as to-niGht-but still too
dark to be pleasant tho interviewer of
the Hargrave Wood ghost commenced,
"and l had TO 90 to Lsnahan's to see
about getting his plow, for mine had
broken"
Never mind the plow; tell us Of the
ghost"'
'As was saying, went to Lenahan's
house, bat he was not Mt home. His
wife, who is i comely dame, invited me
to stay awhile. and as ] wanted 10 have an
answer that night l accepted the invita-
tion and waited. To make a long story
= Il -
and / thought ! would go through the
wood home, as It cut of n tidy distance
maybe haf mile or SO, eh, deacon!"
Nearer a mile" was the deacon's re-
ply.
''Well, on I went, vhistling just for
company's sake, for 1 was rather ner-
vOus."
Here the deacon became idgety, for it
was his favOrite idea that fear was only
for children and nervousness an attribute
of women. The narrator, however, ap-
poured not TO notice the deacon's manner,
and continued:
Il had got TO the narrow bridge which
crosses the stream, when / thought that
maybe pipe would be n comfort took
out my tobacco and loaded up my old
cherrywood pipe'-the Buffalo was al
ways very exact in his descriptions-'a and
then felt for match. put my fingers
into each of my pockets, but not match
could ! find. / was mad, for wanted a
smoke worse than anything. Whatcould
do2 looked up, when right before me
saw two flames of fire"
The deacon became interested and
looked intently at the speaker, but the
careful observer would have perceived the
iucreGulous twitchinE of tile mouth.
Yes, flames of fire. l repeat. Was 1
righJenedt Not n blt / was too over
nycd for fear. / crossed the bridge. hrt
-~ere was the fir~ i-S- &C.
,s vaI-rd forward the fire receded and
had TO 70 without my smoke. spoke 10
the object. but net a sound could / get IN
reply. When left the FIRE disappeareo >
and I was alone. Now, II that WASH q
ghost, what was it'"