Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1900-11-17
AN ARIZONA GHOST STORY.

us fan"ied, something which he
meant 20 say after the music, Sud
denly felt him start. and glanced ut
his face, His eyes were bent on some
object, hui he turned NJ once.
''l'on't look" h. whispered 10 me-, II
hay" seen That ghost. 1t is outside,
looking IN ut the oppoSit" window,
Wait Il bit, then east your eye IN that
direction"
did 50, ana saw MS distinctly rs !
ever saw anything, II long, white aw'
ful face looking In, Much to my con.
stcrnation, it moved. and appeared to
nod several times
Don't seem to notice H." Mr..
Reeves whispered, "St quiet II mo-
mrnt. When the people move back
from the organ, we will steal ont and
see what we can discover
Recovering myself IN Il moment. |
stepped quietly to the door, and II few
moments later was joined 10y Mr.
Reeves in the dark entry.
We took our hats. and then. without
waiting 10 put ON our ovcrronts orrn'd
the door carefully. Snow was failing
fast and drove in our faces: several
inches had fallen: but we dashed out.
doubled the corner of the house and
hurried toward the window.
\ great, dim, indistinrt object was
standing there which appeared to melt
away suddenly, WIN nut INV -or,r.
possible sound. 1t disappeared round
the other corner Of III" house. With
out speaking, we ran after il.
We could hardly see anything on nc.
count of the driving snow and dark
ness. vet we again diScrrncd. dmiy.
the great, indiStinrt object moving to-
ward The highway.
! confess felt II Shivrry sensation.
for the spectral appearance made
hardly an audible sound; but dashed
on, side by side with Mr.. Reeves.
We were good runners. and made II
dash to catch The thing. In the road.
Il few hundred feet from the church.
we came so near ut one time that
reached out my hand in hope to lay
hold of the apparition. but ii glidrd
away only the faster and did not sue
coed.
And now we both heard kind of
regular mutllcd noise, as of great feet
falling softly; and these audible evil
dcnccS of physical substance Stmulat-
ed us to continue the chase.
"Run it down" Mr.. Reeves said. in
Il low voice. and settled myself to
keep pace with him.
The snow hindcred MS little. hut not
understanding our efforts the ptiigy
drew away from us. We had lost sight
of it when we ran past the house of
Mr.. Mulhnll the Storpkpeprr but in
the very moment of passing. we heard
the large door of the stable creaking.
This. at that hour of the night. seemed
50 strange that W" both stopped short
and turned back.
Entering the yard. we approached
the stable door. but found it closed.
There were slight noises inside. how
ever. and soon II match CLEANED
the crack of the door. and Il
lantern WAS lighted.
TO our establishment. we now per-
crivrd that the person inside was
Dives Trancharil. clad in Il white gar
mrnt and white cap, and that he was
untying what looked like SNOWY bags
from the feet of Mulhnlr< old whit"
mare. Having taken off these mutlierS
Dives next proceeded to withdraw IL
large. white, honnct-likc structure
from the mares head
When these singular trappingS were
he put the beast in her stall.
off his own white garment
and cap. and made the whole outfit
into Il bundle Then he rxtinguShrd
the lantern, left the stable by Il side
door. and went to the house. which he
entered cautiously by n door in the
rear.
My first impulse had been to seize
him when he came out and compel him
to confess to the prank: but as he
from the stable. Mr.. Reeves
Wait. Don't say any
thing to him. Don't let him know vet
We have caught him"
We therefore stood aside in the dark
ness and allowed him to go to the
house unmolrsted, and then Fastening
back to the meeting house, joined the
people there. Our absence had been
hardly noticed.
At 8 o'clock the next morning,
after Dives had gone to the school,
house we called at Mulhalrs store and
told the aStonishpd Storrkeeptr what !
we had seen. He did not ut first be-
ievc us. and was inclined to resent
lie charge against his fOStcr-Son.
At last. when Mr.. Reeves said that
he might perhaps he convinced by be-
ng allowed to examine the room
where Dives slept. Mulhall led the way
upstairs.
1t was large. open room. with many |
Dld chests. boxes and cuddies. and Il
very brief search disclosed the bundle |
which we had seen Dives bring from
he stable the previous evening 1t
not only his white shirt and
'ap and the gunny bags. with which
~ mulilcd the mares hoofs. but Il
curious padded contrivnnce of white
10th and wire to tie ON her head.
The front of it was drawn to repre-
sent II human face. with holes for the
lorSes eyes 1t was this nodding
white face which we had seen at the
Farther search in the chamber re-
;calcd other things: plumber of many
Kinds; goods and trinkptS from the
tore: not less than - letters. appar-
'ntly stolen from the post office: four
'rdlcs: II silver spoons: II bunch Of
irtirles which Dives could not have
'ome by honestly.
by this time Mulhall. n rather simple
nan. was abusing his foster-son Wig
,rouSly as Il thief. and wished to go at
,ncc with us to the schoOlhOuSe and
1,