St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-02-23
LOVE AND LAW.
His First Detective Case, Which
Ended in a Wedding.


Ended in a Wedding.
When l was lad of fifteen was
Office boy for Cayan's Private Detective
agency, in Boston. and was just wild,
of course, to be sent out on case.
Every time the captain got new JOB l
would slide up to him and say: ''Cap'n.
you'd better let me go out OH that"
and he would answer, with qpiZzical
grin: mot this time, Harry. Wait 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
OH the jump night and day. We could
not handle the business that was COM
ing in, and the captain was wishing we
had some more men. i remember. as
well as can be, sitting in my chair by
the door, and the captain calling out in
fun from bis private office: II guess
We'll have to let you take the next case,
Harry"
Hardly had he said the words when
the door opened and raw old country
man entered. He proved to be Jabe
BayiiS, a Seiectman of Swansea, near
Boston, and he wanted the captain to
send a man down with him to attend to
The captain told him he would send a
man TO Swansea as soon as he had one
at his disposal. The old fellow left and
jumped to my feet.
captain" said, 'Send me on that
case"
The captain leaned back in his chair
and looked at me hard, 'tSee here,
Harry" he said. suppose Twas TO send
you, what would you do?"
| answered him the best knew how,
and outlined an elaborate plan of CAM
paign against the ghost. He let me
finish, and then said: You'd make a
confounded ass of yourself, now,
wouldn't you? You'd make us the laugh
ing stock of the town. Now. listen. In
the first place always bear this in
mind-there is no such thing as ghost.
If send you to Swansea 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 wont hurt you, just
jump for it. 1t will turn out 10 be a
human being-nO doubt of that. Now
I'll let you go and try your hand. Don't
make fool of yourself. If you see the
ghost and think you can't handle it, lie
low and follow it and see who it is
The captain gave me money and away
Invent to Swansea forthwith. L felt
pretty brave, for it was bright daylight
then, but there were times w sen /
wished myself we'll out of the hing. |
got to the town about 8 o'clock, and in
CURED the way to the haunted house
from the station agent. l found it ON
hill about half mile from town.
and locked it over with interest and
apprehension. 1t was an old white
frame mansion, standing in park
like grounds, with plenty of out
houses about it. Some countrymen
whom 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 a person concealed in it
could overlook the whole stretch of wall
from end to end, and made upmy
mind that this was the place for me to
get into before the ghost made its APP
pearance. Then | went back to the
hotel. took my supper and chatted with
the walters and few loungers about the
ghost. learned that it first appeared
II
man named Mechanism. an ignorant farm
hand. was the first person to encounter
it. He was coming to the town one
night from the grist mill with sack of
meal on his back. and paused for min
ute in front of the old house to SET the
bag down on stump and rest his
shoulder. He heard a noice behind
him, and, turning round. saw, standing
on the wall, figure he afterwards said
was thirteen feet high, at least.
He did not stop to observe the fig
ure very carefully, though, but ran as
hard as he knew how down the road.
Next night party of men saw the
ghost, and they also ran. They said
the ghost made after them, breathing
fire and birthstone and acting in a pc
culiarly weird and unholy manner.
After that the house was avoided at
night, but several strong parties of
men. including the selectmen of the
town, saw the ghost from a respectful
distance. 1t approached them in each
case, and in each case they took to their
heels.
About dusk I stole down to the de-
serted house. and it was dark when
got there. l slid along the wall to the
clubhouse, crept cautiously in and shut
the door again. Hardly had | shut the
door when ! knew there was some
other presence in that clubhouse. felt
sure there was somebody close by my
elbow. was trembling like leaf, but
| managed to pull a match from my
pocket and strike it. | held it up. 1t
showed me big white-muff1ed figure.
not two feet away. Then the match
went out.
Was scared?
Well, now, should say so. There
are some people who laugh at the idea
OF mans hair standing on end. They
say it is physical impossibility. but
know better. l could feel my hair rise
right up and lift my hat and my flesh
crept. But l had no time to think. |
jumped. | had to jump. l shut my
eyes and grabbed for the ghost. l was
so frightened seemed to lose conscious
thing and held on. When the first
shock passed | felt the ghost Juggling
aud pulling to get away from me. 1t
seemed as badly frighted as [ was, and
its hands were soft and warm.
Don't hurt me-" it said, in terri
fed girls voice.
l had no voice to reply with. l was
choking. but pulled my captive out on
the lawn and looked at it 10 the moon
light. The sheet that had been muffled
about the figure fell to the ground-a
pretty girl of fifteen was disclosed. |
was in cod perspiration and shaking
as if recovering from shock of cleo
tricity: but when saw that l had
caught a real genuine fesh-and- blood
girl and no ghost. and that could lick
her with one hand, began to feel bet
ter and presently was able to talk.
WHO are you?' l asked.
"Jennie Bayiis."
"Whatl the daughter of Jabe Baylis?"
eyes, Sir"
s'What are you doing this for?"
The girl began to cry. She said she
had not meant any harm. She and her
sister had PLAYED ghost lust to have