Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1893-02-06

he spoke to her Finally he content
ed himself with brief call of inquiry
every morning. He was a very un-
happy man, more unhappy than in his
bachelor days.
Old Phoebe began to tell strange
stories to her friend, the housekeeper
at the hotel
"Marsy Jack mighty nigh done
broke his heart" she would say, "I'ze
mighty sorry for Jack, but we all jes'
depises de madam. She sick in bed
all day, but in de night reckon she
mighty well-yes'm, she mighty. we'll
den, and she get up and dress herself
and eat a big supper and go out OBJ the
de do. Yes'm she do. And dat lit
tie chipmunk of maid she go along
wild her, and dey done come back jes'
befo' sun up. Yes'm, we all knows
dat be liben truff.''
"Why don't you tell your Marse
Jack?" the housekeeper asked.
'Dere amt nobody dast tell dat var
to Marse Jack McKin," said Phoebe;
'fnobody.''
And nobony did dare. But soon it
was whispered everywhere that Mrs.
McKin had lover whom she went to
meet in the pine woods at midnight.
But there was something else that
Mr.. McKin was to hear shortly. There
was trouble at his mill, and the trouble
was of supernatural sort-the mil
l.; oh
One by one the men had been fright
ened away, and the miller was alone
at his post. At last he came up to the
McKin mansion one day and resigned
his millership. He was reluctant to
give his reasons, but finally did SO.
The ghosts-there were two of them
manifested themselves every night.
They were not to be frightened away,
and did mischief to the grain and set
fire to the mill in various places, though
he had always found the flames in
time to put them out. Now they
threatened to kill him if he was not
out in three days.
81 am amazed to hear such story
from white man of intelligence"
was Jack McKin's comment on the
tale. "Some one is evidently trying
to frighten you away. Remain, and
on the night they threaten to take
your life the sheriff and his men shall
be with you"
Finally the miller returned to the
mill and at dusk on the third day was
seen alive and we'll by people who
came with grist. When the sheriff
and his men came steathily through
the woods an hour later the mill was
perfectly dark. They lighted their
lanterns and went through it calling
the miller by name, but receiving no
answer, until they found him in his
own room lying on his face, pistol
in his hand, an overturned lamp be-
side him, dead. He had been shot
through the heart. There was no
living human being in the old mill,
and for a long while nobody went
near it. At last people began to say
that the miller had shot himself by
accident and that the negroes had
frightened him. Another miller ap-
piled for the place and remained |
three days. In fact, to cut long
story short, the only other miller who
dared to brave the warning that the
ghost gave them all was found dead,
as the first one had been.
The mill was soon spoken of as
haunted by every one. No one would
work there, and finally Mr.. Mckin
closed it, and it was left to itself and
to the ghost.
All this while Nine. Mckin remain
ed an alleged invalid, shut in her
room all day watched by her maid
and talked Of in whispers by her SER
wants.
No one believed Mckin's mill would
ever run again, but one day tall,
strong, broad shouldered young fell
ow walked up the steps of the McKin
asked to see the master, and
begged to be allowed to take charge
Of the grist mill.
"I've heard the story" he said, as
Mr.. McKin began to explain. 81
lon't believe in ghosts, and they can't
scare me anyway. I'm in hard luck,
md Pm a good miller. Trust me and
7our mill shall work better than ever
You'll do me service, and I'll do
you one"
In vain Mr.. McKin set before him
he fact that two millers had been al
eady killed there in the haunted mill.
The young giant declared that he
hould not be, and finally the gentle
nan engaged him.
The mill was opened and the miller