Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1894-08-11

meath q bridge-archway, or in some
tumble-down howell in a City SUM; and
despite the difficulty of accounting sat
isfactorily to outsiders for this obvious
change In Carlisle's Christmas pro-
gramme, this course would probably
have been carried into effect ave for
unforeseen complications which pres
emily arose.
These, albeit OF a somewhat puerile
nature, were calculated tn occasion the
baronet both annoyance and disgui-
etude, especially as a messenger had al
ready ridden over from the vicarage,
charged with a letter for Dick from his
irate sire, who proifered grievous COM
plants on the same score.
The story of the mysterious interfer-
enc Of that popular celebrity, various
" dubbed the ''Burnham WRATH"
The Cross Roads Spectre" and the
BARNES Common Ghost" a second
time on young CarlisIe's behalf. had cir
culated more widely within twenty-four
hours of the original rescue, than
dwellers in cities and towns, unac-
quainted with the ignorance and gross
superstition still prevalent among rus
tics in small villages. will readily be-
lieve. The carriers had told their story
over a friendly glass on Christmas Eve,
and ere Don of the following day it
had been freely discussed at the bar Of
of the Pig and Whistle, whence, in due
course, it was waited abroad right and
left, by the very birds Of the air. Jack,
the gardener, had already listened,
open-mouthed, to a circumstantial re-
cital-at secondhand, with the conse-
quent and inevitable embellishments
attending an &c pdrte s~tatement-of the
mysterious occurrence" before he, too,
in turn was called upon 20 play . lead
ing part in the second rescue of MATS
ter Carlisle's charmed leifen on the
evening of Christmas Day; in fact, as
upon reflection later he did not hesitate
to declare. he should have been some
what chary Of disturbing himself at sis
bit soupper"-for 5 70 shadowy and Wis
ionary was the appearance of the spec
ire on the threshold, according to the
testimony of this witness that a non
might well be REUSED for dooting tn
evidence o. hissen own 'een''-save for
the recollection of the carriers story,
and the dire results which must have
accrued from any hesitation on their
part TO yield compliance to the kindly
message from the shadow-land.
SO, as we know. with this bright eX-
~ample-and possibly the consequent
somewhat too liberal reward Of disin-
terested virtue reaped by Tom and Bill
-uppermost in his thoughts, Jack had
sailed forth with results already famil-
lar to the reader; but let none do the
sturdy gardener the injustice of suppos-
ing that he deprived his ~neighbors OF
that need of information upon the SUBJ
ject which was without doubt their le-
ultimate portion.
Neither was it likely he would refrain
from tanning to a bright and lambert
flame the glowing spark of notoriety
which had descended upon his mantle
a spark which had already spread to so
considerable an extent, that Jack felt
much as though he were henceforth
destined to tread an illuminated path
through life, wi.h a positive nimbus
round his head. For all of a sudden he
found himself an authority to be con
suited, a perfect oracle at the Pig, a
man TO be buttonholed and interviewed
at the very foot of the Market Cross.
He was determined TO bowl out forth
with those minor canOns, those lesser
lights. the uncertain. hesitating Tom
and Bill; so he told his story boldly,
plainly, calling a spade n spade, or to
be accurate, a ghost "a ghaist.'
Further, he described his W sensa-
tons. and the awe-stricken expression
upon the features of his wife. when 9TH
appirition all on q sudding' appeared
upon the narrow threshold of his home:
he analyZed the very ''%twitchin' in his
limbs" the while ''he harken'd t tn
voice, which seem'd strange an distant
loike, SO TO say. as tho from lIeavingl"
lie dwelt no less forcibly on the disap-
pearance from this %sublunary sphere Of
9Th heavingly being cloth'd i white,
all in a giifey loike, presumably unbe-
guiled ever by the aroma of fried ba-
con, which, without doubt, just then
filled the little kitchen; for the descrip-
ton of the succulent "moisel viii hap
pend t. be oplifted" at the critical mo
ment upon Jacks fork played in due
course no mean role in this thrilling
narrative of startling facts.
No wonder folks listened spell-bound,
9Th very blood runnin' cold i ones
v%eins!" as Mrs. TOPPING, the washer
woman, observed to her friend and
neighbor, Widder Smith, over a dish
o. early teal" In the belief of these
worthless, it would be no longer safe
fur tn BARNS { be letten rim loose
alter foour o'clock" for as soon az twi-
light shadows began To deepen who
W w SdN ON SOOtl III LIllltl ullkIl SEQ
lit { air itsen?"
Why, even Ned and Jonathan, the
sexton and grave-digger-local celebri-
ties popularity supposed to be proof
against mortal fear, or belief "by natur
Other calm" in sundry w~ell-authen-
ticated lingering relics of village super
stition-had been heard to declare that
Jack Dawkins certainly had a way o.
spinnin' n yarn as made ones finger
ends cold, an tn hair o. ones head
turn creepy like" In short, before
noon of the day succeeding Dicks m
mersion in the squire's lake, a belief in
the supernatural was spreading with
alarming rapidity throughout the
length and breadth of decorous Burn
ham. which boosted it's chapel and its
Westinghouse, tn independent" fac
to the iyy-grown Established Church,
over the spiritual welfare uf whose con-
~gregation Vicar Carlisle was privileged
to preside.
The reverend gentleman was justifia-
bly, irate, particularly when it trans
pired that not only did Dicks name
figure prominently in this ridiculous
local gossip. but rumor likewise whis-
pered that this most audaciouS of all
known wraiths had actually ventured
within the sacred precincts OF the vicar
age grounds-''th' young leddies they
selves havin' Omitted as much Z Mary
Jane" the miller's daughter, home fol
dinner on Christmas Day.
Upon investigation, report, in this In
stance, proved to have something very
like a leg to stand upon, which is al
most more than can usually be ad'
yanced i'm favor of that very shaky indi'
vidual, Report in General. For veraci
ty compelled Eide to confess, under thu
severe cross-examination OF the able
counsel for the prosecution, the vlcal
himself. that she had indeed Jus
asked Mary Jane whether she or cool
had happened TO see a strange girl Turk
ing about the premisesy" supplement
ing the query by divers condolences
anent that white wan face peering il
at the window" which, 1t will be re
membered, had been distinctly visible
To one and all of the inmates of the par
lor late on Christmas Eve.
Now. the worthy and God-fearinI
vicar was justly indignant and disgust
ed. not only with the villagers and hi
own daughters. but to a far greater ex
tent with Dick himself, whom. indeed
he persisted in regarding as the chic
delinquent in an affair which threat
ened to prove Of serious moment.
He wrote, therefore, suggesting tina
! Dick should forthwith adopt measure
!, to contradict and effectually counter
act the ridiculous belief coupled wit
his name, which was hourly gainin
> ground: and although the Young ma