Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1900-12-15
A CheStnutting Ghost
By Margaret Barringer.

Sh16 10 NV uIl u ub mean, boys.
so do /, so do 1. but what's
chat to him. He don't care a snap
what we think of him. Well, we can
show him there are more ways than
one To make harm care"
Tom Winslo<v was the leader among
his friends, and what he said usually
carried weight. The, three boys were
walking arm in arm from school, kick
ing the rusEling leaves before them
They were greatly fBterested in the
suhject under discussion, and the love
ay blue SKY and twitter of birds on
the mild @Stober afternoon were lost
20 them.
It'll tell you, boys. Let's go over
90 the hsuse, out by the grape arbor,
and tain 'tkis thing over. No one will
catch n word. and 4 have a plan," sug-
gested Tom. 1890 --a1
The conferences was held that after
noon gud q plan laid which the boys
were to carry out the next night
Tom WIS spokesman, and he -talkee
earnestly between grapes.
Vow, this In my plan: We NIL have
air guns, and there's plenty of good
shot, sbd X ~ can't climb over his
fence because of that great bulldog
wssan spoil his apples for him. Wen
get Jim, Harry and Lou, and with
ours there will be six guns. We can
take some short ladders and climb up
faT enough TO shoot, and we'll rust
pepper those apples so full Of shot
he won't have tooth left IL he tries
60 eat one. It's good moonlight, and
we can sec 60 aim pretty straight,
and old bully can have a dose, too
Mr.. Brown, against whom this plot
eas laid, was bachelor and a man
Of means. but was very close-Hsted.
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 o little fruit,
but were refused, and soon after n
high board fence with q barbed wire
along the top was built around the
orchard; and, what was y%rrse. a surly
bulldog took up his abode at aIr.
Browns.
The trio seemed to think the plan
n 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 a treat, as the Winslow home
was full of good cheer and welcome,
especially TO the boys of Medeviile.
After tea Grandpa Winslow said:
About 'nutting time, isn't il, boys?
This warm weather won't last long.
Wen have q frost one OF these nights,
md Az, Axnr-,A IN
That reminds me-" the boys nudped
one another and winked sly winks,
and grandpa had a merry twinkle in
his blue eyes.
Next TO my fathers farm" re-
sumed the old man, when was about
your age, there lived a man by the
name OF Siias Holmes, and he was as
mean a. dirt we used TO say. He
was honest enough and good work
er, but as stinEy as people were ever
made. We boys grew TO hate Sil7s.
and not without reason, for he
watched Us day and night, for fear we
might somehow coax a melon or an
apple over the fence.
He seemed TO gloat over the idea
that he alone raised and ate chestnuts.
We boys got mere angry each year,
and finally things came to a crisis.
One evening Just at dusk j was going
from the barn to the corncrib and i
saw figure IN the melon patch: sup
posing it was father or Brother Jim.
went on, but on second thought
turned back j1st in time to see Silas
climbing the fence with big water
melon under his arm. I called out:
Good evening, Mr.. Holiness and he
called back: 'G'd evenin', Tommy
'T was dumfounded, but concluded
TO keep my counsel until Bill, my
younger brother, and 1 got to bed.
Then we talked the matter over ana
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
o. lanterns to light the barn, for we
were TO have the annual corn-huskinp
bee at our place. All hands were set
TO work that day; the old barn was
swept and great boughs hung about
the sides and from the rafters. and
the pumpkin men never shone so
brightly.
I'VE had laid our plans, Bill, Jack
Hardy, who lived the other side of
Silas, and myself OF course SiIas
would be at the husking. and as the
women were all busy getting the sup
per his daughter, Sally, would be over
eaily TO help. We all liked Sally; she
kept house for her father. Yes. she
was 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
announced about II O'Clock, and then
came our chance.
I'VE stole away to the eorncrib.
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
the fence and away across a field to
where six big chestnuts stood with |