The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1892-02-16

white it was always in some lonely place near
Walahee and he invariably evaded in the
most mysterious way any Would-De pur-
suer. Finally it began to be observed "a
up, he never failed to run toward a certai n
area of swamp land which was covered with
wisps of canes and tangled clumps of moss
hung oak trees He seemed to like tho night
better than the day, especially when the moon
shone. Many good people affirmed that they
had seen him looking wistfully in through
their windows, and that before they could get
out of doors he was gone.
So tho matter went on until nearly every
body had seen the Wild Boy of Wa!ahee, and
those who hadn't seen him were expecting to
do so every moment. More than once party
of men organized themselves and went on a
systematic hunt, determined to capture this
mysterious little fellow; but every trial ended
in failure.
'It's er SPORT, that's what it air." declared
old Andy Davis GLOW dye s'pose ye're
gon' ter ketch er ghost?'
Andy was the oldest inhabitant. His NOM
DRY went back to 1929, when the Verplanks
first came to Walahee.
"They wus a loetle boy livn' thar at Tom
Verplanll war guariin of-Tom had no chil'n
of lis own--an' tibet lcetle Teller disappeared
mighty s'pioionable like 1 member it very
well. They wus some talk of foul play, but
nothin war done erbout it. Ye see the leetle
boy war heir to all the money, niggers an land
at Tom Norplank war q usin'-don't We see ?''
Andy winked knowingly, but nobody else
could be found who had heard of q missing
heir to Walahee.
A great many people came TO accept this
hint however, as the true solution. The Nlld
Boy was, they were sure, the ghost of Little
Tuns Nerpiank, who had disappeared SO myS-
teriouslv in 1881. No sooner had Andy DaylsS
theory become current ghborhood talk than
the little specter appeared twice rs often as be-
fore. He was to be seen both day and night.
Children and nervous women were AFRAID to go
out alone for fear OF meeting what they now
named the "Haunt of Wallahee."
1t was William Raglan, or Billy Raglan, as
the people called him, who at last reused and
organized the men and boys of all the country
round about to make comprehensive, syste-
matte drive" as he termed it, to capture the
thing, be it ghost or boy.
Billy Raglan was youth of sixteen. reck-
less and yet good enough fellow in his way.
When he set out to do something everybody
knew that he would succeed if success were
possible. His plan in this case was for all OF
the men and boys III the Wallahee settle
ment-some two hundred or more
to form great circle around the woods
haunted by the Wild Boy, then gradually draw
in to center by closing up the line ana
marching abreast from all directions in to-
ward the little swamp. The plan was ac-
ceptod to be acted upon, to Bllly's great de,
light and he felt like general in command
of an army when he saw the line forming.
"We'l ketch that AR boy" he said, FER
run i'm inter his hole an stop up the hole
VII er pine knot-that's what we'll do!'
1t was a lovely night, with the full moon
climbing up a soft sky in the east. DIM ana
strange were tho outlines of the trees in the
thick dusky southern wood. light breeze
made wide rustic and q solemn moan IN the
tall pines. The shadows waved Enthusiastically
Wallahee, with its tangled woods, was en-
crcled by the men and boys They blew horns
and shouted as they closed in toward the little
swampy spot in the center.
Billy Raglan was the most eager one OF all.
He tried to be everywhere at the same time.
81 air ies' or achin' ter git er holt er that
FAR boy' lie kept saying, as he ran this way
and that just inside of the line.
Many wild animals, mostly small things IKE
hares raccoons and opossums, were seen; but
the Wild Boy did not show himself.
At last the little swamp was reached by the
noisy and now clOsely-drawn Gordon.
''There he isl Wander he goes! Look out,
don't let i'm through" suddenly chorus OF
voices yelled out. "Grab i'm if he tries to.
Wen git i'm now!"
Billy Raglan rushed forward and many de-
clared they saw him in full chase of wild,
ragged, haggard, tangle-hared boy.
Plash plash plash tho feet OF the pur-
suer and pursued flung up the water OF
the coffee coorcd pools as they tore along.
The line pressed in with a surge and a
tumultuous yelling that made the forest ring
for miles.
Those who could distinguish them said that
tho Wild Boy was not as large as Billy Rag
LAM indeed he did not appear to be more than
twelve years old. and that he ran like deer