Waterbury Democrat., 1900-12-21
A Chestnutting Ghost
By Margaret Barringer.

 what we think of him. Well, we can show him there are more ways than one to make him care"
 Tom Winslow was the leader among his friends, and what he said usually carried weight. The three boys were walking Grm in arm from school, kick | ing the rustling leaves before them, They were greatly interested in the subject under discussion. and the love Iy blue sky and tNvitter of birds on the mild October afternoon were lost 70 them.
 "I'll tell you, boys. Let's go over to the house. out by the grape arbor, and talk this thing over. No one will catch word, and I have plan,' sug- gested Tom.
 The conference was held that after noon and plan laid which the boys were to carry out the next night. Tom was spokesman. and he talked earnestly between grapes.
 Now, this is my plan: We all have air guns, and there's plenty of good shot. and if we can't climb over hls fence because of that great bulldog we can spoil his apples for him. We'll get Jim. Harry and Lou. and with ours there will be six guns. We can take some short ladders and climb up far enough to shoot, and we'll just pepper those apples so full of shot he won't have a tooth left if he tries to eat one. It's good moonlight. and we can see to aim pretty straight, and old bully can have dose. too.'
 Mir. Brown against whom this plot J-- T. T of means. but was very close-fisted, and he showed his penurious spirit by never offering an apple to anyone, al though the trees were loaded. The boys had even asked for little fruit, but were refused. and soon after a high board fence with a barbed wire along the top was built around the orchard: and. what was worse. a surlv bulldog took up his abode at Mir. Browns.
 The trio seemed to think the plan a fine one, and all ate another bunch of grapes to seal the compact. Mrs. Winslow called supper, and Bert and Ernest were invited to stay. This was an unexpected pleasure and al- ways treat, as the Winslow home was full of good cheer and welcome. especially to the boys of Medeville.
 After tea Grandpa Winslow said:
 About nutting time, isn't it, boysi This warm weather won't last long. We'll have a frost one of these nights and then hurrah for the hickories! That reminds me- the boys nudged one another and winked sly winks, and grandpa had merry twinkle in his blue eyes.
 "Next to my fathers farm" re. sumed the old man. "when l was about your age. there lived man by the name of Siias Holmes, and he was az mean as dirt We used 10 say. He was honest enough and a good work. Ter. but as stingy as people were ever made. We boys grew to hate Silas. land not without reason, for he watched us day and night, for fear we imight somehow coax a melon or ar lapple over the fence.
 He seemed to gloat over the idea 'that he alone raised and ate chestnuts We boys got more angry each year. and finally things came to d crisis rOne evening just at dusk l was going from the barn to the corncrib and l
 
 tpoSing it was father or Brother Jim | went on. but on second thought turned back just in time to see Silas climbing the fence with big water. melon under his arm. I called out: rGood evening. Mr. Hol:nes' and he called back: Cd erenin', Tommy q was dumfounded, but concluded to keep my counsel until Bill. my Younger brother, and I got to bed. Then we talked the mat ter over anG decided to wait until chestnuts were ripe and have our revenge in some way. October days soon came with the dropping leaves and the yellow corn. and we were busy making jack to' lanterns to light the barn. fer we were to have the annual corn-huskinc bee at our place. All hands were set to work that day: the old barn was swept and great boughs hung about 1 the sides and from the rafters, and the pumpkin men never shone SC brightly.
 | We had laid our plans. Bill Jack Hardy, who lived the other side of \Silas. and myself. Of course Silas would be at the husking and as the women were all pussy getting the sup. Ipc1' his daughter. Sally. would be over early to help. We all liked Sally; she kept house for her father Yes, she was q good girl. but she had to toe the mark. About eight o'clock the folks began to come. and by nine o'clock the barn was full. Supper was .,announeed about II o'clock. and then came our chance.
 We stole away to the corncrib where we had hidden our bags. and ! then crept back of the barn, through the melon patch, across Silas' garden ! to the other side of the house. over !he fence and away across field to | where six big chestnuts stood, with I the moonlight streaming over their heads. We decided that Jack should climb the tree and shake, while we filed our bags, and then one of us Nwould take his place and the other help him fill his. We were getting on | finely, when we were startled by a noise. not an unusual one, but a sound resembling 8 moan, then all was !quiet.
 l ss(,iya us another shake J,ol-