Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1892-04-09

die beam by the windy was the place
where
"Blockheadl / mean the string of
bells"
look for 'em yourself" said Sam,
sulkily. II don't know where they be,
and, what's more, / don't care"
"I1l settle with you, my fine fellow,
when / come down." said the captain,
threateningly, as he CROPPED about in
the dim light which came through a
cobweb-draped window at either end
Of the barn chamber.
Don't hurry yourself, cap'n," re-
Joined Sam, in a jeering tone.
AS the captain plunged into a dark
corner there was a jingle, and the
string Of bells, suspended from a nail,
hit him directly on the neck, so like
the grasp Of death-cold fingers that he
could not but start.
"Oh!" said the captain, nervously.
"Here they are. Catch 'em, Sam!
Halo! Where's the trap door,"
And it took the worthy captain fully
sixty seconds or more to realize that
On the lower side. He rushed to the
window and threw it up only to see
Sam speeding up the hill.
"Hal-lo-o-a!" yelled Capt. Logan.
"Come back, you scoundrel! You ILL
conditioned lout! You imp of evil"
Sam turned around and executed
that peculiar gyration of the fingers in
connection with the nasal organ which
is supposed to express the extremity
of scorn.
You'll find the ladder on the barn
floor, cap'n," hooted this young rebel,
IAN don't be afraid o. the ghost; it's
very harmless il you let it alone"
but, Sam-Sam, come back! I'm
to be at Mr.. Browns at 1870"
"Don't worry" bawled Sam. "Miss
Carrie won't wait long afore Mr..
FredTl be on hand"
The captain danced up and down on
the floor in an ecstasy Of rage as Sam
disappeared over the crest of the hill.
He knew very well if he possessed the
lungs of Boreas he could make no one
hear.
He sat shivering down on the hay.
starting ~nervously at the sound Of
horses feet below, and thinking how
disagreeably a bar OF moonlight, which
streamed down from a crack in the
roof, resembled a tall. white figure
standing under the center beam. He
could almost fancy the rope round its
neck. Pshaw! And the captain jumped
up again, with starting dew on his
temples, even in the freezing atmos-
phere of the barn chamber.
"Wha. is 10 be done?" he asked him.
self. And echo, IL echo had had any
common sense, would have answered:
Just nothing at all"
Sam had outwitted him. And pretty
Carrie, and Fred Jones, with his red
cutter and great chestnut-colored
horse! The captain was wild at the
thought; surely he vas vanquished.
81 won't wait another minute for
him." said Carrie Brown, coloring up,
with the tears in her blue eyes. SO
on, girls, l shall spend the evening at
home"
There's plenty of room for you in
our sleigh, Carrie" coaxed her brother.
Bessie Andrews will be glad to have
you along"
mo, she won't, either" pouted Car
rie. "As il / would spoil all her fun!
No; if | can't have an escort of my
own I'll stay at home and mend stock
ings; and | never, never will speak to
Capt. Logan again"
Charlie Brown was on the point Of
arguing the matter with his sister,
when the door opened and in walked
Fred Jones.
Not gone yet, Carrie? Where is
the captain?"
IL don't know" said Carrie, tartly,
sand don't care. AMI Capt. Logan's
Keeper"
"Will you 90 with me?'
"Yes, l will" said Carrie, her eyes
lighting and shy smiles dimpling her
face.
"Of course" said Fred, II can't ex-
J pect to make myself as agreeable as
the city captain, but"
The captain, the captain!" cried
| Carrie, a little irritably. I'm sick of
| the sound of his name. never want
to see him again. What a nice new
cutter this is, and how easy the wolf
robes are!"
Carrie" whispered Fred, as he
touched up the horse and felt her nest
ling close to him, "is it for ~always?"
Yes, always" she answered.
"J~erusalem!" said Farmer Kendrick.
1t was past 10 o'clock at might, and the
| old gentleman had come out as usual
before retiring to rest, to see that the
dumb members of his family were all
safe and comfortable. Il do believe
that's old John Hendricks ghost come
to life again, poundin' like all pos
sessed on the barn chamber floor!"
"It's NEE! It's NEE" bawled the
captain. "Unfasten the trap door and
let me out"
Slowly the farmer lifted the ladder
to its place. With rheumatic awk-
wardness he climbed the creaking
rounds and undid the hook from its
hasp.
"How i'm all creation came you here?"
he demanded. "Why, / thought you
was out a-sleighcidin' with the gals"
ut was all the doing of that villain,
Sam" gasped the infuriated captain,
his teeth chattering with mingled rage
and cold. II won't stand this sort OF
thing. I'll leave the place tomorrow"
"As you please" said the farmer. to
whom the prospect of losing his guest
was not unpleasant. "Tm dreadful
sorry this should have happened,
though, and I'll talk seriously TO Sam"
$50 will J." CRASHED the captain.
1I1l break every bone in his body"
But Sam had taken particular care
to 90 over to his grandmother's. six
miles across the snowy fields, to spend
the night. and the only person the cap
tain saw was old Mrs. Kendrick sitting
by the kitchen fire.
you've lost your chance, captain"
said she, good-humoredly. "Dorcas
Smith has just gone by or her way
home from the sleighing party, and
she says Fred Jones brought Carrie
Brown in his new cutter, and they're
engaged"
The captain left next day, and Mrs.
Fred Jones has never seen him since.
And when the affair came off Sam got
q piece of wedding cake big enough to
give him the dyspepsia for q week.