Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1891-05-12
Piloted by a Ghost.

stralniDg look around ownsd to myself that
1 was lost. l had suspected the fact some
TINA since, but had subboroly fought down
the suspicion, though my horse evidently
realzad L. With patient endurance be
pIodded along, resignation plainly express
ed In the droop Of his tail and ears. Ia
place of the ranch, the hearty vel come.
pleasant words, bad, aupper and fire bad
expected TO reach by sunset, there was moth.
Ing to be seen before, behind. on either hand
tut the dead level cf the plain. There
were paths in plenty in fact the trouble
was there we're too maoy-all narrow and
winding, for ~boee meaudering there ee' med
not the sllghteet excuse, except the general
tendency to croCkedness most thugs ami
mate and insnimate, alike poaae's Bot i;
8ould have taken the instinct Of e blood
hound or trailing InGiau to bsve ssid
which paths hsd been made by horees' feet
or these OF cattle.
Now thst no sun Ssa gene, I fopGd ny
know EGGS of he pein5 OF the Compass gone
vlh IL. a. sei perpiexed and wa!ried tie
sloan OK tHhghE gathered fat, BDd the
chill Of coming rain smote me through nLd
through, While 10 The distance there was The
roll Of thunder.
Il was now quite dsrk, very dark at that,
though at short intervals close to the bot!Znp
faint cam o. ghl lnipg showed too dis'sn
20 cast hti2htness Of MP path and only sut-
fioseas to inienaifg hs blaekness sbont me.
kii al once I say mgn Wnkire ehoul
fjn-an feet 10 ircnt Of ne Yes. | kcow /
s4.li 1t 9as a.eresly Gsrk, tus eli she same
.epest it. naW { E1an waking iD f!onl
OF pa, and, iu.th .thsrmore, could ses thai he
waa u lar2s msu. drtsssd in rough be, well
dttiog ciohe= hat he wore heavy red
beard, aud hat he locked back ct NE from
time 10 tine with an expression of keen
az nxiety on his otherwise relaxed features.
"HalIo |" l crisd, but as he did not halt
concluded he did not hear me-. As second
hsil produced DO result spurred my weary
horse up 30 over'ske the stren2er. But
though the gray responded with an slsorty
most commeodsbie under the circumstances.
coon found that this strange pedestrian
did uot iotend 10 let me catch up with him.
Not that be buried himself. He seemed
without an exersion to keep good fttee n
feet between ls.
Then T began to wonder how. With the
intspee darkness shutting me 10 RS four
black walls, gss yet able to see my strange
companion so clearly, to take in the detsiis
OF his drees, a"d tven the expression OF his
;ace, and that g. 8 distance more than twice
my horse's length, Whsn l could hardly see
bis head before me. I am not given to gu
perstiioua faucics, and my only feeling wac
of curiosity.
We went on in silence for nearly half aO
hcur, woen as suddenly ss he bad appeared
be was gone. looked around for him,
hslf afraid, from his instant and complete
Disappearance, that / had been dreaming.
when l perceived that l was close to
small, low building Of some sort. reined
in and shouted several times, but not the
slightest response could hear, and at last
| rode boldly up and tapped on the wall
with the butt of my riding whip. Then. as
this elioited no sign OF life. / concluded thRt
bad stumbled on some deserted house or
that it was the abode Of my eccentric fliend;
60. dismoun'iog tying the gray. re
solved TO spend the rest OF the rieht uLdsr
roof or TO find come good reason for con-
,inuipe my j urney,
l felt my way along the wall iii reached
the door, and trying this end fading that 1t
yielded to me, stepped inside, striking
match ss did &C.. Fortunately, carried
my ma ches In an air-;ight casa, aad as 1t vas
dry the one struck gave me light at once.
found myeelf In large room ctse to
fireplace, over which rude shef was placed,
and On this mantel I saw an Gil lamp to
which applied my match.
Ga the hearth was heaped quantity OF
ashes, aud over tie crouobed child, o
girl OF or 6. At the end Of the room
which YVES pisinly and scantilv fnrnished,
| lay msn eeross bed, and as l raised the
| lamp ga q tia! be wRs be same l had beer
| following, bur theEe wss netting In a.
| t!iuts and face that struck me as peculiar,
ard was about to 90 forward and look ct
h;m when the child, who bad at first seemed
dsz4d et the light, fairly threw herself upon
~.
Have you anything for Nelly to eat ?"
she said, and then, "Oh, Nelly 60 hungry !"
ran my hand into my pocket and drew
'otth what had been paper bag of chtoc-
lste candy, but was DOW PUPPY, uuappetiz-
ing maes. mHst confess to a childish
foBdness for sweets, which / usually csrry
10 scme form about me. l handed tie re-
mains OF mg days supply to the caiid ano
then walked over to the bed. Yes, 1t was
the same man, red beard, rough clothes. but
setting of the magnificent frame to periec.
;iop the some man, but dead, long desd.
.uok his hand only to 6nd 1t stiff ano
cold. while hie face bad the dull gray aspect
never seen In the newly dead. As l stood
esz,Dg dcWo on him little hand touched
mine.
"Nelly so huogrs |" said the child.
"Have you eaten all the candy p asked
her.
"Yes, yes But me hungry, for me had
no dinner, no brekkns, no supper, and papa
wont get up."
The house, which consisted OF the large
room. smaller kitchen aud shed, wh ere
found quantity of hay ard fodder, seemed
! quite bare of food, but by dat of search in
the hay discovered nest. which Nelly
informed me was there. and in it two fresh
eggs. These boiled for her. When che
had finished soothed her to sleep on bed
l mad for her before the fire. Then, after
had put my horse In the shed room and fed
him. performed as we'll as I could serVice