The Wadsworth dispatch. [volume] (Wadsworth, Nev.) 1892-1899, 1895-12-14

soon almost every available space was
occup ed.
"Good morning, Herr Won Schneist! %
spoke the captain.
GOOD morning to you, herr cap
tain, and to You, soldiers and fellow
Citizensl' answered the sturdy old tav-
ern keeper. "What means this arrayi
Am / accused of treason, or are you
merely come to test the malt in my
brewingf"
ut is neither of false brewing nor of
treason you are accused, Herr Won
Schneist, nor yet of anything coming
within the civil o. military law. Some
there be who say that you are in league
with the evil one. Step forward, Adam
Roelandsen, and tell your tale again, SO
that this worthy man will know our
business"
Then came stumbling forward the
pedagogue, who, with many pauses and
%apologetic utterances, spoke as follows
"You have all heard, and some few
have seen, the gray cloaked figure that
walks the Bowerie road at night time.
Some there are who say it hath a tail
like unto the evil one, and divers others
aver that it is surrounded by clouds of
rolling birthstone smoke. l spent last
evening with John Verlocht up at his
g1istmill the other side of Corleals
Hook, teaching and explaining to him
the new method of multiplication We
had scarce half a score mugs of ale and
my head was clear as u bell when | saw
a gray cloaked figure hastily enter the
door of the Wursthaus."
lyon will agree, Herr Won Schneist,
that it is my bounden duty to search
your premises?" quoth the captain.
"Assuredly, herr captain" he re-
piled, "but before You begin l will
serve you and your men with some OF
my new ale" Without giving them
time to answer he hustled toward the
big butt in the'dark corner and straight
way dispensed a generous measure of tho
beverage to them. Not having such high
opinions of the power of his satanic
majesty as the citizens, they quaffed it
down, but pronounced it stale and fiat.
Then began a scene Of turmoil and
confusion, enough to make the vrouw's
heart break with anguish. But though
the iron bound linen chest was turned
upside down and emptied of its contents
in an unseemly manner, and though
closets were upturned, beds overthrown
and the whole house pulled out at cor
ners, she never murmured Or complained.
But nothing was found, and though
the taproom was lightly passed over
there was no place in it that a maj
could hide-except possibly the big butt
in the dark corner. That, however. was
full of ale-for had they not drank some
of it?
And SO the watch marched away emp
ty handed, and left to the host and his
vrouw the task. Of putting things to
rights.
The gray cloaked demon was seen
several times thereafter. but no con-
certed attempt was made to follow it
up. About two months from the time
Of the fruitleGs search the few faithful
adherents of the Wursthaus noted that
both Hans and his wife wore very grave
faces. In a few days they announced
that q young traveller from Boston was
dangerously i'll i'll the darkened bedroom
up stairs. and the Dutch physician
who had but just arrived from Holland
was sent for. He came again and
again, and the faces of the worthy
couple showed a deep sympathy for the
youthful guest. Finally the doctor came
i'll the middle of the night and staid till
morning, but the soul of his patient fed
before the dawn.
Heavy grief o'erhung the Schneist
household, and the Wursthaus was
closed till after the funeral. Even then
old Hans showed a settled grief in his
altered demeanor.
Observant neighbors noted that the
big butt i'll the corner was never used
after the soldiers drank from it, and
when a few months had sped, and COM
PARSONS came to be made, it was found
that the gray cloaked phantom had
never been seen since the young stranger
was taken sick. 1t was also commented
upon that no one came from Boston to
inquire about him. But there wal a
many who believed till their dying day
that it was a genuine ghost that had
been seen by Jacob Twiller ct al, glid-
ing along the old Bowerie road. -Pierce
W. Hart in New York Advertiser.