The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1895-04-26
rHE HAUNTED STORE

lHE HAUNTED STORE
rsoclronic loafer cautiously open
,nc door and pecred out into the
,,cE night 4 binding fash of
Ginning n, gagged across the heav-
!. and descended to earth in the
,,by whcatticld, disclosing TO his
.sr,lrd view the clear outlines of
4. NEAT oak, whose limbs We're
Sr,.hns wildly i'll the wind. There
.,.a sound Of splintering wood, n
~,.h If thunder overhead and then
,rtue,> again. The door swung
Snt with a startled bang, the rain
,at Violently against the windows.
eTbr ole trees hit agin, " the loaf.
eriM when lie Ind recovered his
oanimity Did yer see that flash?
NJ .i.ht>. what night! wisht I'd
npr home fore ct hcgin ter come
lorn 50 heavy, fer l amt no nm
m.ly, an tho missus nd never hear
se,r,llm in Scch II storm"
The,torc was gloomy place, light
ia, ii wa bya solitary oil lamp,
shch east weird shadows in the
Him rrcr-ses of the dusty ceiling and
rr the shelves laden with their
Dotlv collection of crockery and
Glassware, boxes and cans. There
rs NJ fire in the stove, for it was
ate in the spring, so the atmosphere
Eas decidedly damp and chilly.
ThcG \. Il. man arose from the
rs upon which he had been sitting
bud joined the chronic loafer at the
loor
Bad amt it," he said. Guess /
lont 90 home be tho way of the
Methods buryin groun ternight. /"
Theother laughed and cried: My
bights! 'Frlid of tho buryin grounl'
The storckceper leaned the back of
Bis chair against the counter, fixed
bis feet firmly on the rung, clasped
both knees tightly in his hands, and
when the pair had sauntered back to
their places about the oheerless stove
aid; You kin laugh an say they
bin't no sech things as spooks, but /
police tibet you ms an most other
tolks when You walks by the buryin
rumatnight cuts through the tiel's
y fur away from ct as you kin git. .
Theloafcr Redeemed and GRANVILLE
beat his feet slowly against the side
Df the counter, upon which lie had
eatcl himself between the shoe.
nakcrmdtinsmith. Then lie return.
elhotly, 4 hahn say'd they was no
srh things us spooks.
Maybe they is, mn maybe they
aInt the tinsmith venttued in u
low Zone hut il they amt, why
ha>n I Abe Scissors hen able ter git
htrnant fer tibet little place of his
back along tho ridge? They says ct
lie 4 liant, I'M though I've never
|>een e, | Knows folks tibet says they
A'>, an ! 'vrno reason ter doubt their
word,
Thc q a Il, man nodded his head
|lna>>cut II don't bclievo in them
sho> mr>clf, hut when ct comes ter
Com home be way the Methods
onryn srnm at night allus goes
'11 back road, even if ct is furder.
Ih"rwaS silence for time. Out
so" Inc rain beat furiously against
e. windows, III the garnet overhead
tae wind WhlStlcd mournfully, and
ron Tue cellar below came the faint
ca'ler of loose boards us the rats
Sampered tonnd fro. Thestorckeep-
eFrearh"a overland turned the lamp
upa 'lt'lr higher.
The shoemaker left his place ON
ne counter and seated himself on a
NN beside tho q. A. r. man. He
c'reiUlIy filled his clay pipe, lighted
y and h"san; My grandpopused to
% ., nov night after night lie heard
.ac rnun splnshin solemnlike down
~ us >mmshouSc, an how he step
l'd eUi "ncrt ter fin out what done
~ ir stem hrSpcritof his frs wife
an churnin, an she tol him
%" 4 she'd hey ter keep on tell the
m''cr come, less some un'd break
'iie Spcll, an
), y" chronic loafer lad slipped off
w. '2iin'cr and was rolling a key up
vs. Z" III" speaker. He fixed him
~ "1nionahly upon it and then
~ nu''ind ''l,nmup tibet thcrelight.
IN, a.ok tires my eyes.
lNrtin>mith glanced furtively be-
a'''' iim INTO the blackness beneath
4" '".n'"r and then quietly clam
,S' aown from his perch, intend
~ :. l9m the little knot about the
CO scarcely had he taken one
w "in he stopped.
j What's thet?"
i, =" shoemaker dropped his pipe,
!. y >'o,eE"rper paled and nervously
!, o,a'l"d the back of his chair, the
~, loafcr rose to his feet, his
Np'''>r' arms trembling visibly; the
9 4 3 man, with eyes and mouth
la ,n' 'pen' sat up rigidly upon the
s.. from the cellar beneath low,
:, gN' = distinct as to be heard above