St. Paul daily globe., 1892-07-03
"A POLICEMAN's GHOST,

"A y
X Midnight Marauder Who Terri
fled the Peace Guardian.
Colorado Sun.
The big policeman came in, borrowed
chew, and. after drawing up cuspi-
dor within convenient distance.
squared himself in the chair, and l
thought he was about to divulge hor-
rible murder. at least.
''DO you believe that policeman is
always asleep, young man"
lreplied that / thought there were
occasional instances of insomOnia, even
OH the police force, which seemed to re-
assure him, and he began to narrate.
''Well, sir, there have been funny
things happening for the past few
nights. My beat takes me IN very re-
spectacle part of the city. around Evans
street, and tell you l have been pretty
'Wideawake.
NEARLY every night l have met
young girl within block or two of the
same place. She was dressed in long,
circular cloak and neat little hat. She
is about nineteen or twenty, and, If l
am any judge, she is tearing beauty.
Of course. it seems strange that this
girl should always be going somewhere
at O'Clock in the morning. and when [
catch sight OF her always keep her in
sight until she disappears, Lord knows
where, so that some man may not insult
her.
zone night last week l saw her come
around the corner with big paper
bundle. l followed her, and when she
saw me coming she began to run Until
she came to a large hole where they
were digging for water pipe. She threw
her bundle into the hole, and, grabbing
up one of the red lanterns, she ran like
the wind.
Il din't know what deviltry she had
been up to, so took after her, and as
neared her she swung the lantern
around over her head and let it, fly.
plumb at me. lodged it, and when I.
looked for her again, so help me, she
was gone.
1.-THE goose pimples came out all oyer,
me. The lantern was real enough, and
l picked that up and went back to the
hole to look Tor the bundle. There it
was in the bottom, and climbed down.
The hole was about six feet deep.t
felt pretty shaky. but got up grit
enough to open the bundle, which L
thought perhaps contained a baby. I
well. it wasn't. 1t was whole suit
of mems clothes. They were. of iiiceE
dud luC1O was q WdtCu Ill 1uc
pocket of the vest and number, of
other things in the other. pockets. L.
heard noise above me, and, looking
up, saw that girl watching ME like a.
cat. her eyes as big as saucers. She
yelled:
"'My God! He's got themv
Although am big man. L Shivered
all over, for she glared at me like
lioneSs. AS | pulled myself together
and started to climb out, she broke and
ran like deer, and lost her again.
Il carefully wrapped up the clothes
again and put them in the end of the
waterpipe which was lying in the gut
ter. intending to take them down to the
central office when l was relieved. |
would have taken them to my patrol
box, but wanted to catch the girl, so |
foOliShly left them there. ISearched all
around several blocks, and when | re-
turned | found the bundle gone.
THAT was a sumner. didn't know
what to do. was afraid the boys would
give me the laugh if l told them, so
said nothing. That was all that hap
pened that night.
night or two. Then was standing at
the corner, looking across the street,
when some one said behind me:
"'4ou cOwardH just like that.
II looked around, and she diSap-
peared again. Say, do you know, was
getting pretty ticklish about that girl,
and was glad when got day shift.
For two weeks | was on days, and when
1t came my turn to go on again in the
night, still was shiyery every time l
thought about that girl.
''One night as l was coming down
Evans | saw a man climbing over
veranda up into the second-story win
dow OF house. l won't name who
lived there because they don't want it
to get out. | shouted to him to come
down or would shoot, but he had the
window up, and before could draw nv
gun he had gone inside.
Il heard a terrible scream, and knew
that he had awakened the young ladv
who sleeps there. Pretty soon the front
door opened, and the young lady came
rushing out OF the house. closely pur-
sued by the man. The man had a stair
rod, and was waving it as if to smash
the poor girl.
81 grabbed him and he fell all limp
into my arms. What do you think? 1t
wasn't man; it was my ghostI l saws:
Miss, this amt no man; it's a grip
The poor, frightened lady came back.
and, showing the hat back on the other
girls head, says:
Iherese! You poor child, what are
you doing?'
The girl was holding opened her
eyes slowly and said: ~
Let me go. What do you mean .by
holding me, sir? Eva. what is all the
troubIe?'
1.-The Eva girl came to me and said
You can 60 now: Pll take care of her,
She ought to be run in,' says l. II
8 1 tell you to go. know her. She
is my best friend, and has been walk
ing in her Sleep
THAT settles me. 4
81 saw her brother next night, and he
told me to shut up about it. 1t seems
7 that it was his clothes that she nabbed
to go prowling around in. l never5re-
ported it, but thought it would be a
| good story for you fellows. IA
Her brother told me that they lock
her in now at night, and told me all
sorts of pranks which she had been up
to. But l saw this one. l don't feel
scared any more, but Pm glad they've
got her locked up. She might have
Killed her best friend ii 1 hadn't been
there"