River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1892-04-28
PLAYING GHOST.
a Practical Joke and It's Serious
Consequences.

Il GTdCb1CdA BOkG tlflA ALo sOtlAONS
Consequences.
Little Charlie Bird was LEFT an orphan
in the village of silva at very tender
age Plying the poor boys homeless,
friendless condition, bluH hi, '., MIR
Hall took him home and care. - him
in his kind, though somewhat r,slgh,
way, until he had reached his fifteenth
year.
Unlike most of the Silva boys, Charlie
was gentle. timid and trusting. and
implicitly believed almost everything
he was told. Naturally superstitious.
his sensitive nature was often imposed
upon by thoughtlcss people, who de-
lighted To tell him bIOOd-curdling ghost
stories until he trembled To be left by
himself. ZEN in the daytime. As for
going ont alone in the evening, % him
il was like facing a certain and horrible
desth.
Rough Mr. HAN. although kind to
Charlie in his way, had no patience
with such fooli~hness. as he called it.
So il sometimes happened that he sent
him 10 the neighb,s's' on errands after
night had fallen. little thinking Of the
terrOrs that the timid child conjurcd up
on these evening miss uuS-
Bright and early one morning Mr..
Hall, being in want of household sup
plies and thinking he could purchase To
better advantage somewhere besides at
the little corner grocery. harnesSed his
horse and set out for hillside. a large
town some twenty miles away lie ar
rived there safely. bought the needed
articles. and then set out on his return.
But the way was long, the load heavy
and the horse slow; and it was quite
dark before he got through the seven
Mile woods which lay between the
two villages. When nearly through
them. a sudden snap and lurching Of
the wagon told him that a spring had
broken; and quite number of pack
ages were thrown of into the ditch by
the side of the road
Mr. Hall aIighted. a,si after hunting
for some time sue ecdcd in finding a
stout stake. this he laid across the ak
les under the wagDn-body 10 support It
Then he loaded up the scattered bundles
again and once more set out for home.
where he arrived in due season without
further mishap.
After caring for his horse and eating
his supper. Mr. Hale proceeded 10 bring
in his purchases. with Charles assist
auce \ large bundle of calico was
found To be missing
Il must have lost il where ! broke
down said Mr. Hall --tiO look after
it Charlie. am ton tired and i may
not be- there in the marIing- think
YOU will find IL i'm the ditch 10y the big
rock in the edge of the woods
Charlie began 70 make some excuse,
but Mr. Hall interrupted him somewhat
impatientiy.
..tio along at once. 1t Is time this
fooIishuess and fright were done with.
The moon Is up and shining brightly
now. 81 YOU can easily find H. or
with you,
Thus commanded. Charlie set off on
his mission but the timid lads heart
was beating like a triphammer. lie
had not got ont Of the .illage when he
heard a voice b,hin, calling him-
aHeIlo. Charlie. Where are you going
this fine cvruine2N
Looking around he saw Cfts Flint. a
boy about his own age ana one who
had always taken great delight in
frightening hiEl, coming along the
street a short distance away.
..I-p to the biz rock in the woods
after a bundle which MIR Hall lost" re-
Piled Charlie. a. he stopped and waited
for him 70 come mp. Go with me,
won't yuu3'
.Tll 20 part '~ly, but I don't dare
pass the old graveyard on the cliff. =
said Chcs. lowering his voice, and glanc-
ing mystcriou>ly around him.
The cliff was steep. rugged preci-
pice that ovcrhung the sea at high wa
ter and narrow strip of bowlder-
streNvn beach when the tide WAS low.
The hillside road ran along 1t dis
tancc from its edge, and the old grave
yard was just opposite The seven
mile woods began a quarter Of a mile
further on
why note'' asked Charlie, quickly.
'.Oh. there was a murdered man
buried there a good many years ago.
and he cant rest easy in his grave be
cause his murderer was never pun
ishcd lie often comes ont nights.
dressed in a long. white shroud. and
stands by the side Of the road and
groans. Lots Of people have seen him,
but they don't like Ia tell of il for fear
Of being laughed At. I wouldn't go 10y
that graveyard al night for all the
money in silva.
Charlie was almost overcome by ter
ror this ghostlv tale, but, coax as he
wouIL Ches could not be persuaded %
Z. 4
last he agreed 10 90 nearly TO the old
cemetery and wait there until Charlie
got safely by IL
They soon came in sight of the white
and ghostly tombstones. and then he
stopped and would 60 no farther.
Charlie begged and prayed him 10 go
on. for he dared not return 10 Mr.. Hall
without the bundle. but Ches was inn
movable.
Finally. mastering all his courage.
Charlie darted off toward the haunted
spot. Fear lent wings 20 his feet and
BE soon passed the graveyard in safety
anS disappeared around a bend in the
road.
AS soon as he was ont Of sight. Ches
turned and ran for home as fast rs his
feet would carry him. knowing his
parents would not approve OF the
scheme he had formed, he crept softly
around the house into the backyard
where the weeks washing still hung
Hastily snatching n sheet from the line
he again darted off toward the cliff
Arrived there. he quickly wrapped
himself mp from head 70 foot. Then he
croucheJ down behind one Of the near
est t1mbstones and waited.
Soon lie heard the sound Of quick foot
steps approaching, and saw Charlie
coming on the run When he got Just
abreast u tie graveyard, .all, white,