Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1889-06-19
THE MATCH WENT OUT.

with a QuiZzical grin, mot this time,
Harry. Walt till the next case -
Along in December of that year,
there was great rush of business at
our Office. We had fifteen detectives,
all old, experienced hands, and they
were on the Jump night and day. We
could not handle the business that was
coming IN, and the captain was wishing
We had more men. l remember as well
IS can be sitting IN my chair by the
door. and the captain calling out in fun
from his private office. ~ guess Well
have 70 let you take the next case,
Harry
Hardly had he said the words when
the door opened and a raw old country
man entered. He proved 10 be Joe
Baylis, a Montgomery County Justice
Of the Peace, and he wanted the cap
tain TO send a man down with him to
attend to = ghost who was cutting dIdoeS
at Fort Washington The captain told
him be would send a man rs soon as he
had one At his disposal The old fellow
Isft and jumped to my feet
Captain, " / s,tid, send me on that
CASE"
The Captain leaned back in his chair
and looked at me hard ''See here,
Harry" he said, suppose L were 10
send you, what would you do?"
outlined an elaborate campaign
against the ghost. He let me finish and
then said: You'd make = confOunded
ASS Of yourself, now, wouldn't you?
You'd make US the laughing stock Of
the town. Now listen. In the first
place, always bear in mind-there is no
such thing as "A ghost If 1 send you To
Fort Washington, 20 there with that
idea In your head. There Is no such
ii,
and get near enough, jump for IL. Don't
be afraid. 1t won't hurt you, just
Jump fer il. 1t viii turn out to be a
human beiug-no doubt of that. Now
I'll let you 90 and try your hand. Don't
make a fool OF yourself. If you see the
ghost and think you can't handle il, lie
down and follow It and see who it Is?
he captain gave me money and away /
/ went. l felt pretty brave, for il was !
bright daylight then, but there were /
times when I wished myself well out of /
the thing. l got to Fort Washington /
about o'clock, and inquired the way
20 the haunted house from the station /
agent. found II on a hill about ha.fa
mile from the town, and looked it over
with interest and apprehension. 1t was
al old white frame mansion standing in
psrklike grounds with plenty of out .
houses about it.
Some cOuutrymen whom l met told
me that the ghost was in the habit OF
standing on the stone wall that skirted
the roadway. There was an clubhouse
50 situated that anyone concealed in il
could overlook the whole stretch of wall
from end to end, and l made up my
mind that this was the place for me to
get INTO before the ghost made its ap-
pearance. Then l went back 10 the
hotel, took my supper and Chatted with
the walters and few loungers about
the ghost. l learned that it fist appear
ed about three weeks before my arrival. | !
A man named McTanlsh, an ignorant
farm hand, was the first person to ell
counter IL. He was coming to the
town one night from the Erist mill with :
a sack OF meal on his back, and paused
for a minute IN front of the old house to {
set the bag down on stump and rest
bis shoulder. He heard a noise behind
him, ana turning round saw standing
on the wall = figure he afterward said
Was thirteen feet high at least. He did
lOt stop to observe the figure very care q
ully, though, but ran as hard as he
Knew no down the road. Next night :
! party of men saw the ghost and they Z
lsO ran. They said the ghost made j
.fter them, breathing fire and birthstone 9
AlA dNlAAN III ltNulldIlg Wtllu ana
InhOly manner. After that the house .
was avoided at night, but several strong e
parties OF men, including the Select !
men of the town, saw the ghost from a .
distance. 1t approached them .
n each ease, and in each case they took .
10 their heels.
About dusk l stole down To the de- s.
erted house, and II was dark when
got there. 1 slid along the wall To the
)uthOuse, crepJ cautiously in and shL
.hs door again. Hardly had | shut the
toor when l knew that there was some /
lther person In that clubhouse. felt Q
sure thai there was somebody close 10y q
my elbow. / was trembling like "A leaf I
but l managed TO pun a match from S
my pocket and strike Il. l held It up. e
1t showed me big white mutiled figure $
not two feet away Then the match i
went out. ~
Was I scaredP 81
Well, now. L should say SO. There I
are some people who laugh at the idea v
)t mans hair standing on end. They v
say II is "a physical mpusSIbility, but / !
know better | could feel my hair raise J
right up and lit my hat, and my flesh 1
,rept. But 1 had no time 10 think.
Jumped. 1 had to jump. 1 shut my q
eyes aud grabbed for the ghost. l was "
80 frightened | seemed to loose con- $
sclousness for a moment, but grabbed 7
something aud held on. When the first {
shock passed l felt the ghost Juggling !.
and pulling Co get away from me. Ii I
seemed AS badly frightened rs Was and
lis hands were soft and warm.
Don { hurt me, - it said In a terrified }
voice.
1 had no voice TO reply with. l was .
,hocklng, but | pulled my captive out :
aa the lawn and looked at it IN the :
moonlight II
The sheet that had been muffled about /.
he figure fell 10 the ground-a pretty ;
yirl Of 10 was disclosed. / was i'll a .
cold prespiration and shaking as if re- :,
covering from a shock of electricity, but y
Shea l saw that l had caught a real "
genuine flesh and blood girl and no .
ghost l began to feel better and present. q
y WAS able 70 talk
Who are youT'' l asked, Il
eJennie Baylis.H
isY''
Eyes, sir" 5;
"NEat are you dong this forY''
The girl began TO cry. She said she -
lad not meant any harm. She and her i'
lister had played ghost just To have =,
ONE fun Her sister WAS usually with ! :,
Ter, but Ghd not come this night as she :
Vas too busy. She had heard from her q
ather that detective was coming to
atch the ghost, but thought he was not p
ue for day or two, and resolved 10 L
make one last appearance and then give ''
p the performance until things Gained
own ~
who are you?" she asked. u