The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1889-04-04
THE MATCH WENT OUT.

When ! was lad OF IL was once |
boy for Pinkerton's Philadelphia agency |
and was just wild, of course, to be sent
out on a case. Every time the captain
got new job 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 in December of that year there
was a 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: az 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 Joe Bay
lis, Montgomery county justice Of the
peace, and he wanted the captain to send
a man down with him to attend to
ghost who was cutting didoes at Fort
Washington. The captain told him he
would send man as soon as he had one
at his disposal. The old fellow left and
jumped to my feet.
Captain I said, "send me on that
case"
The captain leaned back in his chair
and looked at me hard. 'See here,
Harry" he said, suppose 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 COMPOUNDED ass of your
self, now, wouldn't you? You'd make
us the laughing stock of the town. Now
listen. In the. 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 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. It will turn
| out to 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
went. I felt pretty brave, for it was
bright daylight then, but there were
times when wished myself well out of
the thing. I got to Fort Washington
| about o'clock, and inquired the way to
| the haunted house from the station agent.
| 1 found it on a hill about half mile
from the town, and looked 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
any one concealed in it 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 appearance. 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 about three weeks before
my arrival.
A man named Mechanism, an ignorant
farm hand, was the first person to en-
counter it. He was coming to the towr
one night from the grist mill with sacE
of meal on his back and paused for 6
minute in front of the old house to sci
the bag down ON Il stump and rest hit
shoulder. He heard noise behind him
and turning round, saw standing on the
wall figure he afterward said was thir
teen feet high at least. He did not stoI
to observe the figure very carefully
though, but ran as hard as he knew how
down the road. Next night a party o.
men saw the ghost and they also ran
They said the ghost made after them
breathing fire and birthstone and acting
in a peculiarly weird and unholy man
ner After that the house was avoided
at night, but several strong parties O.
men, including the selectmen of tn,
town, saw the ghost from respectful
distance. It approached them i'll eacl
case and in each case they took to thei
heels.
About dusk l stole down to the de
serted house and it was dark when go
there. slid along the wall to the out
house, crept cautiously in and shut tn
door again. Hardly had shut the doc
when knew that there was some othe
person in that outhouse. felt sur
: there was somebody close by my elbow
I was trembling like leaf, but man
aged to pull match from my pocket am
strike it. I held it up. 1t showed me
big white muf1led figure not two fee
away. Then the match went out.
Was scared?
, Well, now, should say SO. There ar
: some people who laugh at the idea of
mans hair standing on end. They sa
2 it is physical impossibility, but know
better. 1 could feel my hair rise RICH
up and lift my hat and my flesh crept
But had no time to think. I jumped
had to jump. I shut my eyes an
grabbed for the ghost. was SO fright
ened I seemed to lose consciousness for
moment, but grabbed something an
held ON. When the first shock passed
= felt the ghost Juggling and pulling to sc
away from me. It seemed as bail
frightened as l was and its hands wer
D soft and warm.
9 Don't hurt me-" it said in a terrific
l voice.
1 had no voice to reply with. wa
choking, but pulled my captive out o
the lawn and looked at it in the moor
light. The sheet that had been muffie
J about the figure fell to the ground
!. pretty girl of Is was disclosed. l was
{ cold persplratlon and shaking as II n
covering from shock of electricity, bI
r when / saw that / had caught re;
genuine flesh and blood girl and n
ghost began to feel better and present.
was able to talk.
''Who are you?" asked.
Jennie Baylis."
, what? The daughter of Joe Baylisi
/ Eyes, SIR"
- |
n "What are you doing this forS"
The girl began tc cry. She said sh
> had not meant any harm. She and he
> sister had played ghost just to hay
some fun. Her sister was usually wit
a her, but did not come this night, as sL
= was too busy. She had heard from he
j, father that detective was coming
: catch the ghost, but thought he was M
9 due for day or two, and resolved