Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1889-09-13
THE MATCH WENT OUT.

and was Just wild, Of course, to be sent
out on a case. Every time the captain
got a new job l would slide up to him
and say: "Cap'n, you'd better let me go
out on that" and he would answer with
a quizzical grin: mot this time, Harry.
Wait till the next case"
Along ia December Of that year there
was n great rush Of business at our Office.
We had fifteen detectives. all old, expert.
enced 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 some more
men. remember as well as can be sit
ting In my chair by the door and the
captain calling out in fun from his pri-
vate office: ~ guess we'll have TO 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 to be Joe Bay
lis, a montgomery county justice of the
peace, ald he wanted the captain to send
n man down with him to attend to n
ghost who was cutting didoes at Fort
Washington. The captain told him he
would send a man as soon as no had ono
al his disposal. The old fellow left and
] jumped to my feet.
Captain" l said, "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 to send
you, what would you dor
/ outlined an elaborate plan of cam
paign against the ghost. He let me
finish and then said:
You'd make a COMPOUNDED ass Of your
self, now, wouldn't your You'd make
us the laughing stock of the town. Now
listen. In tho first place, always bear
this in ~mind-there is no such thing as a
ghost. If / send you to Fort Washing
ton, go there with that idea in your
head. There is no such thing as a ghost.
If you see the ghost and get near enough,
jump for it. Don't be afraid, it won't
hurt you; just jump for it. 1t will turn
out to be a human being-no doubt of
that. Now, I'll let you go and try your
hand. Don't mako a fool of yourself. If
you see the ghost and think you can
handle it, lie low and follow it and see
who it Is"
~ E0lNaAh So ~ LOAAN AAAhN CIV -
went. l felt pretty brave, for it wal
bright daylight then, but there wert
times when l wished myself well out o
the thing. l got to Fort Washington
nbout o o'clock, and inquired the way t.
the haunted house from the station agent
/ found it on a hill about half a milt
from the town, and looked it over with
interest and apprehension. It was al
old white frame mansion standing il
park like grounds with plenty of out
houses about it. Somec ountrymen whom
I met told me that the ghost was in the
habit of standing ON the top Of the broad
stone wall that skirted the roadway.
There was an clubhouse so situated that
any one concealed in it could overlook
tho whole stretch of wall from end tc
end, and / made up my mind that this
was the place for me to get into before
tho ghost made its appearance. Then
went back to the hotel, took my supper
and chatted with the walters and a few
~loungers about tho ghost. / learned thai
it first appeared about three weeks befor,
my arrival.
a man named Mechanism. an ignoran
farm hand, WIS the first person to an
counter it. He vas coming to the tow
nj night from the grist mill with q sacl
of meal on his back and paused for
minute in front of the old house to Sc
the bag down on a stump and rest hi
shoulder. He heard a noise behind him
and turning round. saw standing on tn
wall n figure he afterward said was thi;
teen feet high at least. He did not sto
to observe the figure very carefully
though, but ran as hard as he knew hoy
down che road. Next night a party @
men saw the ghost and they also ran
They said the ghost made after them
breathing fire and birthstone and actin.
in a peculiarly weird and unholy man
ner. After that the house was avoideI
at night. but several strong parties o
men, including the selectmen Of tn
town, saw the ghost from a respectful
distance. 1t approached than in eacI
case and in each case they took to thei
heels.
About dusk l stole down to the dc
serted house and it was dark when / so
there. 1 slid along the wall to tho out
house, crept cautiously in and shut ID
door again. Hardly had ! shut the doc
when knew that there was some othe
person in that clubhouse. l felt sur
there was somebody close by my elbow
was trembling like a leaf, but / man
aged 10 pull a match from my pocket an
strike it. Iheld it up. 1t showed me
big white mufied figure not two fee
away. Then the match went out.
Was l scared?
Well, now, l should say 80. There ar
some people who laugh at the idea Of
mans hair standing on end. They sa
It is a physical impossibility, but l knO'
better. l could feel my hair rise rigl
up and lift my hat and my flesh crepI
But had no time to think. jumped
] had to jump. ] shut my eyes an
grabbed for the ghost. / was 50 fright
ened / seeHned to lose consciousness for
moment, but grabbed something an
held on. When the first shock passed
felt tho ghost tugging and pulling 70 g
away nom me. Il seemed - badl