Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1896-10-29

Patrick O'Malley."
This last sentence was given with
toss of the head and an emphasis that
showed Paddy in something like his
usual form, and saw he was gradually
temporary forgctfulness of his ambition
was the best Indication of his intense
fear, for not once before had he left il
out of his mind since he started on his
"quest."
slipped to the door, saying soothing
~ as unlocked t:"Well, Paddy, it must
be the boys, and We'll go out and catch
them at their tricks"
Sure we will that" he said, rather
| doubtfully.
When the door shut after us, for a few
moments | could see nothing; but when
my eyes became accustomed to the dark
ness, we started across the field to the
other side of the track, where was tho
straightaway over which Paddy had
seen the spook "a-hurdlin'."
When we reached it, for II few seconds
we could see nothing unusual, but a lit
tie later we suddenly could discover at
the same time white figure near the
finish came toward us where we stood,
perhaps 80 yards from the start.
Now, l will confess was bit sur
prised and startled, for l thought that
the only ghost was probably in Paddy's
brain. When / saw the tall, white fig
IRE loom up in the darkness, did feel
q little queer, and remembered some
blood -curdling stories with which lazy
nurse once kept me in bounds when I
was little lad of seven summers.
/ could see the ghost plainly enough
as it came toward us in the gloom, fol.
lowing along the other side of the track,
walking as hurdler would when the
sticks were up and he was going to the
start. / quoted Paddy rs best could,
and kept good grip on his arm. The
moon just now coming out of the clouds,
we could see the tall, white figure plain
ly, the white robe CHASTITY in the light.
He was quiet but a few seconds, and
Paddy gave my arm grip when the
ghostly hurdler got on the mark, set
himself for the start, put out long
| spectral arm, and then suddenly, as if at
the sound of the pistol, he was off.
Three strides he took, then up he came,
| lifting in the air as over an imaginary
hurdle, and as he rose L could hear
Paddy's breath as if drawn by sue
tion-pump.
The spook landed with great flutter,
the white robe making a tremendous
tapping, and the steps sounding crunch,
n,,, L
though there was not the sign of a stick
up, he hurdled sure enough, and so
naturally that / strained my eyes to
discovered something more than the
Empty wind" AS he approached the
second imaginary hurdle the moon came
out clear, and I could see him tuck a
bare foot under him, rise clumsily. and
come down with an amazing display Of
skeleton legs. A great noise he made.
and it treasured me. was sure one Of
the boys was acting the role, and dis
covered something strangely familiar
in the peculiar gait of the ghostly hur-
dler.
AS it came close to us, Paddy began to
tremble, and was gathering himself to
DlCdh away ulit
fancy took me, and l said: Tackle the
ghost, Paddy, and the job is yours" at
the same time letting go my hold on his
| arm.
He hesitated but second, just long
enough to realize what l had said, and
then he was at the spook like flash,
and of all the "mix-ups" ever saw, that
1.ybi ob fplloyya1 ,yoo tho xynrSt
You have seen a Punch and Judy
show, and remember the wonderful
struggle between Punch and the devil?
Well, that between Paddy and the
"ghost hurdler" was just such another.
First Poddy's black coat was upper
most, and then the spook's white robe;
and which would have stayed there I
cannot tell, for pulled them apart be.
| fore either had won out. When they
got on their feet, and I gave good look
at them, I gave shout, for they were
effigies sure enough.
On one side was Paddy, a ragged piece
of white cloth in his right hand, his left
| clinched and held in front of him, in
case there should be renewal of hostil-
| l'lSS. LIS touS "tbo oPiiC oESh IL tlO
back, also one knee of his trousers, and
his cheek was scratched as if a giant
| tomcat had clawed him.
| On the other side Of me, and facing
| Paddy, with a look Of inquiry on his pale
face, was, of all men, 1.-TWO Pieces" HIM
self. His nose was bleeding freely,
where Pats big fist had got in blow,
and he was clad only in his night-shirt,
most Of which had been torn off in the
struggle.
After determinations, explanations
and apologies, l foundthat "Two Pieces"
had undoubtedly been so excited by his
dreams of success on the cinder-path
that they had brought back an
attack of sleep-walking to which
he had been addicted when a
boy. He remembered nothing be-
tween his going to bed and the waking
up in life and death struggle with
Paddy, and we got him back into his
room not much worse for wear. After
we had tucked him safely in bed, We
started back across the field to the gym
nasium, for Mrs. Dooley's door was now