The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-09-25

You couldn't stop a man from stalking out .
claim IL the ground was not already covered.
and so. though none OF US liked the looks of
this new chap who came In on us at Straw
berry Hill. wo couldn't gainsay his stalking out
and putting up a rude shanty. We soon dis
covered that his looks did not belle him.
You'd expect to find some bad men in tho
mines. but this man. HON We soon nick
named Satan. was worse than any dozen Of
them put together. The way he would curse
God and man was something awful to hear.
and We sometimes wondered why the wrath Of
heaven was not visited upon him. We ostra-
cised and outlawed him.. but he would not go
away. Only the fear that we would string hin
up kept him from doing murder. for he had q
temper like a wild beast.
Ono day. after dinner. and after q spell at
cursing and reviling. he went down into his
claim and fred O blast, which blinded him
forever. Then he became worse than before.
His cursing and ravinG became 80 constant
that We built him a shanty on the rocks half a
mile away and led him to 1t. Three times q
day q man was sent up with his meals. and
this continued for weeks and weeks. For q
long time there was no change in his health or
disposition. Then he began to grow thin and
wan and TO cease cursing. and one evening he
asked Of the man who brought his meal:
Jim. is thar a trail leading up here from
no was tho reply.
III anybody was comm down the trail from
Ton Notch how would they hit me"
Why. strike across about forty rods above
And tho door faces that way"
"How's the nights now. Jim?"
Full moon and bright as day"
That was about all that was said. hut I wish
Ills syslids WsSs sIS;ea last; Hs could neSsr
gers. There was an injury to the muscles
Controlling them as we'll as to his Vision. Day
night, about half an hour after midnight, a
%prowling wolf disturbed our camp and routed
Ses sHr aSa Ef ' when ~t they tnSs as ap 9 and Saw wa .
shadow OH tho Top Notch trail. 1t was as light
as day. and there WAS no question in their
shape Of a little old woman bent over with age.
and it ioatcd about in an uncertain way. The
and before long sixty or seventy Of us were
out and had our eyes fastened on the queer
Shrubs toward satan's shanty. and every man
Of us followed it to the door and beyond with
Its a woman-an old womanv" whispered
But what can a woman be doing here"
One or two suggested that somebody go up
to the shanty. but no one volunteered. There
was something so, queer and uncanny that
1t was perhaps ten minutes after the figure
entered the shanty before it reappeared. 1t
ccuiiar way. and as It reachedth the trail it halted
for "A moment as II looking back. Our eyes
followed it UP the plain. broad trail. until it
grew fainter and fainter. and finally dissolved.
What did it look like to you 2" asked one
man Of another.
IA little old woman. bent and feeble" was
the reply.
All had seen alike, You may ask why some
one didn't pursue. No man had ever seen q
living woman on that trail. or expected TO.
This was u woman. and yet it was not: Its
D Fl tSn @s Ta ls, an sws to pp pea, s snd ashsrs s sSne
cred in groups and talked in whispers until
daylight came: There were fifty msn who went
him fully dressed and seated in the door.
and he had been dead for hours. Perhaps
you expected that. but let me toll you his eyes
were wide open. his vision seemed to have re-
turned, AMI he. was looking across TO Top
Moth trail lust as u living man w~ould-Aye.
LOOK ing and looking. and his face had soft
snsd and = smile had creEt over it and been
at was tho spirit OF his mother!" whis-
percd tho men as they looked into the. face OF
the dead man. and 30 We have evor believed.