Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1890-11-12
The OLD QUARRY.
HOW A young GIRL SUCCEEDED IN
HUNTING OUT "A MYSTERY.

HUNTING OUE "A MYSTERY.
For some time strange things had been
happening about the quarry. Nobody
could make cut what they mean or who
was responsible for them. They were SO
very mysterious, and so very odd, that it
seemed as though crazy ghost must be
haunting the neighborhood.
Oae night the dogs made furious uproar.
That was not altogether unusual; for plenty
Of wild animals still wander among the
Georgia mountains, and frequently make
night visits to the marble quarries.
But this time the dogs did not behave as
if a wild beast had disturbed them. After
the first out burst of fierce barking they be-
gan to whine and whmper. Apparently
they were surprised, and a little doubtful
,sbout whatever surprised them. The next
moment they were ye1ping eagerly; and it
needed only very slight knowledge of dog
language to make out that the creatures
were in state of wild delight about s0me-
thing.
The next morning the two dogs were "
ing asleep at the foot of a neighboring tree.
Evidently they had been unable to pursue
whatever creature had disturbed them for
they were tied fast to he tree by means of
two strong pieces of rope. This was very
erty the men in the quarry camp would
have had better breakfast. AS it was,
the hungry workers made painful dis
cosery. All the fresh meat provided for
them had been carried off in the night! Joe
Quimby, the cook and man. of all-wofk in
the camp, was the first to find out this dis
NAL fact
''Man or woman, beast or human" he
rroTled, "whoever done it wasn't SO power
full cute. Anybody kin steal meat when
the dogs is left tied fast. It's a mighty
keerless thing, Miss Sue, ter go ter bed
without ontytn' the dogs.
"You and will have to attend to that
ourselves after this, Joe, as we do most oth-
er things in the camp. There's 10 use in
having watch. dogs and keeping them tied
up a tree
Sue Leslie went back into her father's
shanty to tell him what had happened, but
she did not tell either him or Joe that she
had heard those two dogs 60 racing past her
window, as free as The mountain wind,
when they first began their barking in the
night. Somebody had tied them up after
thati
This was the beginning of tho queer
transactions, bnt it was by no means the
erd of them. Night after night strange
things happened. One morning lot Of
'pone'' bread lefG over from the previous
Gay, was missing. The very next day the
meat was gone again. A few minutes later
Joe missed half his days allowance of sweet
potatoes. A night or two afterward a
all. And to add to the mystery, the empty
kettle was brought back in broad daylight,
when everybody happened to be absent
from the camp for just five minutes.
Aud it. was evident that night visits were
made when nothing atall was carried away.
More than once Joe found his stock of fire.
wood greatly reduced in the morning; and
at those times a smouldering heap OF hot
ashes on the ground gave token that the
mysterious visitor had made himself COM
| Portable beside blazing FIRE at the very
| doors OF the sleeping quarTymen.
| All this TINS the dogs were at liberty ev-
cry night Joe took care of that, and Sue
noticed that after the fist visit the intruder
never found it necessary to tic the animals
again. Once or twice they were heard to
yelp in the night, but beyo ond that they new
er seemed 10 take any notice Of anything.
The dogs wers Of no more use in this queer
emergency th N two old hens would have
been.
"When it was the meat l allowed it wal
q varmint," said Joe 10 confidence to Sue
one morning, ''and when it war the pone
| allowed it war varmint, though what
any eritter aearn' fur would want with
cold c5'n bread l warn't able to make out.
| But when it comes to raw sweet pertaters,
you hear me, it amt no varmint whatever.
Nor yit when it Genes to kiitle O. coffee
ard biinein' the kittle back empty, nor vii
still rsoie when it comes to buildin' fires
with my fat pine, you hear me, Miss Sue
that ar varmint aie man! l tried settin
up for him ore night, but tharl 'los
hai't bnl5 for that. l jest slept righi
through, with the smell O. the buenip' fai
pine tcklin my poseH
Captsin Leslie, the manager Of the mar
be quarries, had brought his daughter III
frorn the city homs to trough it'' nontl
with lin in the mountain camp. HI
thought she ueeiled the mountains, and hs
was sure be needed her. At The beginning
of her visit joe Quimby's wife wss matroi
of the camp, and Sue had the advantage o.
her nothefly guardianship. But JUST bs
fore the mysterious visitations began Mrs
Quimby was called away to attend some
sick relative, and the girl of fifteen was lef
without any female companionship.
Her father rather ruefully suggested thel
that he supposed she had better go home
toe. But Miss Sue was having delightful
time and she saw no reason for bringing i
to an end. With her father and Joe Quim