The herald., 1895-09-01
A Party of Los Angeles
Artists and Writers
Visit 1t
REAL ESTATE WENT UP, BUT
Only in CIonds..-0ne Of the Party
Had a Thrilling Experience, But
lie Got Aronnd in Time
for Breakfast
BY F. R. MINER

little valley was flooded with golden sun
shine and the purple mountains rose
range on range completely encircling 1t.
The fresh pure air was most refreshing
after the ride in the stuffy cars and the
passage through the mile long tunnel
shortly before. There were nine of us in
the party, and we had come for the eX-
press purpose of carrying back with us the
principal portion of the scenery of the
valley-on canvas. There was the pro-
fessor, an artist of renown, his wife,
also an artist and seven suckers after
artistic wisdom and future fame. 1t took
but a short time to scramble into the con-
veyance which was waiting to carry us to
the ranch house where we were to live
during orr stay. The springs of the car
riage,a as we found later, were conspicuous
by their absence, and the wagon itself
was originally intended to carry hay
rather than human beings. However, We
had a careful driver, who did not miss
any of the stones in the road, as those on
the rear end of the wagon can testify. We
had no intention of creating boom in
real estate by our arrival, but certainly it
went up--in clouds we carried sew
tIdl VI IL dlOllS WIN US We oooh
arrived at the ranch which lay at the foot
OF the mountains on the north side OF the
canyon. The house stood in the midst
of a small grove of trees and was not
small, as ranch houses go. but as some
one has remarked there was plenty of
room put too much company, so two OF
the male mem bers of the party were
obliged to sleep in the barn, which was
new and we'll ventilated, the boards be-
ing placed one inch apart. [ was one of
the barn -stormers, and during the first
night my ro om- late and myself received
enough drafts to have made us indepen-
IDENTIFY rich could we have found a bari
to cash that kind of a draft.
The sun rose the next morning in a
confagration of color and the mountains
blushed to the north south and west; the
pearly tints in the river bed were beauti-
full to behold. and it was sight we'll
worth getting up TO see-under the cir
cumstances.
i All that day we painted various parts
of the valley, and as the sun was sinking
behind the western mountains, purpling
u hundred peaks and lengthening the
! shadows in the valley, we made final
| sketch of along g-deserted cabin which we
| called the haunted house. Quickly the
twilight faded, and wandering home
| across the dry river bed few belated rab-
| bits scurried away at our approach, and
us on the still air. The conversation of
the party turned to ghosts haunts and
such uDsubstantial beings, and thus con-
versing we arrived at the ranch and soon
retired ot rest.
In the foothills behind the barn the
hot +la;r
wierd yelping tioated down the valley and
set the dogs TO barking as warning t.
| the coward of the hills not TO meddl ,
| with any of the hundreds of chickens and
| turkeys with which the ranch was
| stocked. Soon the coyotes retired further
into the hills, their yelps ceased. the
| dogs were still, and all became as quiet
| a $ if no living thing existed within the
| valley. The ladder with which We reach
| ed our beds had been pushed out and
| stood against the side of the barn; the
| barn door was closed and fastened. but as
| ! lay gazing upon it, 1t slowly opened,
| and there in the aperture stoud a figure
| clad in gray. ! thought | must be mis-
| taken. and rubbed my eyes; but no, still
| the figure stood in the doorway. | had
| been prepared for some strange sights in
| the canyon, such as might be created
| with paint and brush. but this appari.
| ton was entiely unexpected. Whe' hel
| could not tell, for the garment it wore
| enveloped it from head to foot, and as
| looked upon it / noticed something that
had escaped me before, and that made m
| hair rise up and my neaIt stand still.
! Through the figure | could distinctly sef
the stars shining as if nothing blocked
| the doorway to hide them, and then
realized that [ was in the presence O.
one of those mysterious beings about
which / had often joked and in the exist
ence OF which | had no belief. | did no
wait for it to slowly advance as they
| do in ghost stories, nor was L 'chalneC
| to the spot in horror" but getting to my
feet as quickly as possible | made boldly
| for it.
| Whether l was urged by superstition.
| fear to thus boldly attack this etherea
| being, | do not know, nor do L know
what my intention was had been ablt
| to grapple with it, but at any rate as
closed my arms they passed diretclJ
| through it and were clasped about my
own BODY, and l myself fell from thu
| door to the ground below. Just as ] wa:
about to strike the ground head fore
most something graspsd me from above
| and with great strength arrested my fal
| and stood me to my feet. Beside MI
| stood the specter a sarcastic smile crack
ing its parchment-l!ke face. Strangely
| enough, | was now more angry thar
| frightened.
''Who are you who thus toys witt
| human life?" l exclaimed. hardly expect
| ing an answer. But assuming serious
air, the specter replied in a high cracked
| voice:
| MY friend, nothing compels me t.
reveal to you my identity, but as | hav
| come here tonight not to harm, nor t.
frighten, but to entertain you, | have M
| objection to telling You who L am
| Listen then and do not forget. for it i
| my pleasure to entertain but few o
those who tarry near my abode. l an
the specter of Soledad canyon, and al
who are within its gates are governed
by me bewteen the setting and the rising
| OF the sum-"
Never in my life had l heard of ghos
who was suffering from insanity, but
thought |, this one must surely be crazy
As it spoke l had ooked directly upol
it, but now as | looked | could again Sc
| objects beyond and through it as one ma,
sometimes look upon dirty glass ant
then again through it.
what is. your pleasure?'' | asked In
voice none too steady, for with this sec
Ond proof of the ethereal character of m,
ghostly acquaintance my courage begal
to ooze.
my pleasure tonight replied tn
specter. lis your pleasure. If you care &
accompany me to my retrsat l will en-
deavor to entertain you as you were prot
ably never entertained before. Have n
fear; no harm shall como to you, an
when you wish it l will conduct yo
safely back.