The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-02-12


and are gone. their faces as white as that
snow You're the only man I've had a
chance 10 talk 20 IN nine years
4 tramp came here about nine years
ago. intending % sleep In the grayeya ard
where ne wouldn't he disturbed. ] got
0gf - sight q soon as ne came over the
fence. He had been given some food al a
farmhouse and sat down on 7 grave 20
eat u / crept Up close 20 him and aid
behind "A s5mbztone. ! thought I would
wait Until he had finished eating and thsa
speak 10 him After waiting a while /
decided that * would he better 10 speak
To him while ne was taking his supper. az
he would not be 20 likely 10 run away.
I spoke TO him. and what do you suppose
that tramp did, RE dropped everything
and stood up. As soon as he caught sight
~ me be vent like a ragged streak out OF
this place. and leapsd the fence at one
bound.
!" lie felF on the other side with brok.
o. leg and lay there in great agony, CREAM
inE 50 ioud that h could be heard a quar-
ter ~ mile away. ] ran to the fence.
and whom ne saw again his eyes stuck
our and he screamed ike a wildcat. As
soon as 7 could make him hear me j told
him 80 &c aulet. After a while. wnen he
had beer assured that ! would not hurt
him. | climbed over the fence and placed
y
him write a note. and carried X 20 the
nearest house thrc king IL in al the door.
. I suppose he people In that house are
still wondering how that letter got there.
They were frightened NJ frs. but when
saw them making preparations 10 80 To
the graveyard / went on ahead Of them.
They gathered up number OF the neigh
bors among them a doctor, and came to
see y the tramp were really there.
EssAs. I ha.l nd
talked 10 tiaa tramp. He shivered every
time be looked al me. and admitted that
II was all se could do TO refrain from
screaming. Once caught him trying -
crawl away into the brush, and II was
ali could DO TO restrain him.
When the s4rmers arrived ] slipped
away out u sight, and heard the tramp
telling them about lhe ghost no had aecn.
The farmers pretended 10 laugh n his
fears. but | Noticed that they looked back
over their shoulders as they were carry
ing him away. If had started after
them | suppose they would have dropped
that tramp and run. That settled the
business with me. and have never tried
20 strike w conversation with any
other visitors.
Another man comes here sometimes
at night. continued the ghost. He IS an
old man now. and his hair Is white.
think he lives a long way off FOR ne comes
with 4 bundle on bis back His wife and
children are bun led down there under the
trees. They must have died a long time
ago. for the graves were here when l
came The old man ~ always weary
when he comes. and the last time he was
here he totteFed as he walked He kneels
down under the trees ana prays silently.
have been close enough to him 10 see
the tears coursing down his old wrinkled
checks.
In summer he always brings a few
wild fo>-ers and puts them on the mounds
II IS a sad sight 10 watch him He remem-
beers his dead. THAT cannot be said of all
the people nov living. There are graves
here that have rot tcen seen by the friends
81 those who sleep in them since the day
the earth was heaped upon them and
they We're covered from human sight.
They are neglected and forgotten. II is
the way of the world