The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1891-12-12

stories OF buried treasure were con-
nected with the deserted premises, and
silly persons had even searched there
for IL, digging holes in the cellar bot
tom. and turning up the stones of an
old drain which led thence TO the
swamp close at hand. But tins idle
search was now abandoned, so that the
ghosts, If there were any, had things
quite 60 themselves
People securing the region for
huckleberries. as we now were, might
sometimes halt upon the spot from
curiosity, but its appearance was too
desolate TO invite long tarry
"All right" we said, in answer 10
Oscar proposition.
And, pushing on through the bushes,
we presently came upon the bit of
open ground which old BOY had
once cultivated, and where there were
still traces OF corn-hills that had been
swarded over for years.
How silent and lonesome o erything
was, The well-sweep was broken and
the bucket gone; the house-r0of was
covered with a green moss. and "A por-
tion of the cellar wall mad fallen
down.
We pecred into the cellar itself
which. in such n wet, springy place
had been made very shallow. and
could plainly see where the foolish
treasure-seelIers must have worked.
The drain, too, remained unco cred, as
they had left IL.
Entering the ruin, we 'rampcd about
and shouted In boy fashion, our voices
and footsteps sounding very strange
ana hollow through the deserted
rooms. We even venturcd into the
garnet, but u was with something OF
the feeling which one has in a dream,
when he seems TO explore some dim,
ghostly chamber, such as sleep SO often
pictures.
After this, we continued our rRmble.
talking meanwhile of the old house,
and wondering how IL would seem to
pass n night there.
"Anybody may stay there that
wants to, said Chess Hall, but you
won't catch me doing IL. should
rather sleep right out doors under
tree IL wouldn't be half so lonesome.
That's true" assented VIII Ashley.
'Gihosts-p pooh shouldn't be afraid
OF any ghost for | don't believe In
them; but then, you know, in house
we are used 20 seeing folks, and SO an
empty one seems sort OF awful TO us
Outdoors it Is different"
"When you lie down 20 sleep under
a tree, said Chess, you don't expect
anything 20 put cold hand on you, 10
is where the old doors and the closets
and cupboards are that n fellow gets
to thinking lonesome thoughts. lie
feels creepy in such places becaufe he
keeps imagining things.
So we chatted and disputed as boys
will. but always in good nature, while
the berries accumulated in our tin
pals and baskets
Toward evening a back cloud rose
in the west, and as thunder shower
was imminent, we hastily gathered up
our things" for departure. But rs
the cloud came on rapidly, we soon
perceived that the tempest would over
lake ms before we could get far. The
Boyce house offered he nearest shelter.
Lets stop there, said Oscar. mo
nee trying 90 get home. II Is going TO
rain eats and dogs in few minutes.
No one offered any objection, and so
we all made for the p ace as fast as the
bushes and bricrs and our loads OF ber-
ries would permit
just as we reached ~. the ram came
down in a prodigious sheet, but we es-
capped with dry skins How II roared
on the roof and poured through innu-
merable leaks The thunder and light
ming were incessant, and, altogether,
there was such n clamor that we could
scarcely hear each other speak.
Soon the dusk had so deepened that
we could not see anything with DIS
tin tness across the room. IL was
sort Of weird atmosphere, giving all
things an unnatural look. iresently,
close TO Chess Halls elbow. an old,
crealsy door swung slowly open
Ugh" he exclaimed, starting aside.
what did that? | didn't touch it,
Certainly, IL did impress ms with
feeling of awe To see II move In such
solemn manner from no visible cause.