Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1901-08-13
A BERKSHIRE GHOST STORY
. IMOTHY DOLE, or "Old Tim

EGlN-ledfIeQ uldU, anu Il great LdN VI ItC
with all the country people for miles
around. in spite of his being mOrbidly
auperstltious and a firm believer in spir-
St rapping, haunted houses and ghosts.
Tins dearest friend, farmer John
Davis, or Honest john" as he was
everywhere known, was always Gliding
Timothy about his belief, or, as John
would put it, his ''foolishness."
Still, whenever they had an hour to
spare. they were sure to get together
and the talk always turned to GHOSTS"
and spirit rappings."
Al through the winter months they
were much together. 1t was Tins de-
Igiit to close his shop early and drive
10 lis friends house and spend the long
wiafry evenings by the fire in the farm
Bpase kitchen, expOunding his fayorite
riEws on spiritualism.
Although John Davis prOfessed to be
III unbeliever in spiritualism, and was
Known as Honest John" he could
rOuch Cor more bloOdcurdling ghost
stgCies and thrilling adventures than
zay other man about the country; and
Tim was an earnest listener.
One of their most horrible tales, hOr-
rtbIe for true story" was about Il
haunted house, of course, haunted by
4 headless ghost. The old house still
stood inythe ncighborhood, but no living
3rEnS could occupy it. for whenever the
housewife attempted to prepare the
maruiug meal there always appeared
BESIDE the Litchen stove Il man without
q head. but with a SCARED and bloody
heck II was most horrible! There was
.saly one cause for such n ghost-mur-
Ger.
Years ago. the story ran. terrible
rrime had been committed there; a most
brutal murder it was, too. \ simple,
honest peddler, who merely sought a
nights reEOse beneath that humble
rOof. had been beheaded with an AK
while awaiting his breakfast Then the
send who did the awful deed escaped
ny stealing a horse from the barn be-
hind the house,
die years had come and gone. and
ne murderer had not been found, and
70 this very day no one had yet been
able to live in that house. or even use
1BP barn. The horses stabbed in that
barn. 10 matter how securely fastened,
would become united during the night
by some mysterious hand, and scamper
wildly away, even when strong ropes or
fror, oh IEarn 11SaH
1ahn Davis had never fastened a
Aorse there himself. but his father. who
aad been a very religious and just man,
mad often tried to do so. in years gone
by. without avail.
Even Johns own mother, who had
been noble Christian woman, had
actually seen the headless man sitting
beside the fire in that old haunted
aouse upon two different occasions. and
although John said he did not believe
The tale himself, he always added, when
ceiling it
And fathers word was as good as
Bible TRUTH" and Everybody knew
ahat mother could not lie,'
And Tim believed 1t all, and would
hardly have ventured home at night if
he had not had his horse with him to
keep him company.
Now il happened that rs these two old
men would often meet and tell their
taEes. they sometimes had Il listener. 4
young man who loved humor. and occa-
siouauy dropped in To- hear their stories.
His name was George Cowee. He was
a slender youth with much learning and
refinement. He was 4 nephew of Dea.
con Cowce. a wealthy farmer living q
short distance from the Davis place
He always agreed with Tim. but he
had no more faith in Tins views
than John himself but he liked Tim
and he liked TO hear him talk. 1t was
rcry amusing.
The night before Christmas he hap
peued into Johns kitchen. and there he
found T:m who. as usual. was telling
about ''the dead coming back" and
Communicating with their friends by
tapping on tin pans" and as usual Joh1
loudly declared it was all "bosh" ant
~uuUsCuSe.
Tim had just been down 10 the city
where he had attended Il full-hedget
spiritual meeting. and he was Stronge,
in his belief than ever. and had many
wonderful things 10 relate.
When George Cowee arose to go tina
alshJ he said TO them:
y am going away tO-morrow-ou
West. Then he added mischievpuSly
slyly winkiug ut John, Tim, IL I M.
Killed before l return I will let yol
Know il through the spirit. l wiz raj
en- the hcadboard of your bed nj night
Spirits are always around III night ant
shall rap very softly N first. thel
BOULDER th0n a bass drum. Sc that yot
will know that il IS I. George Cowee
and no matter what it Is. You mus
hasten here 10 Johns house and tel
him. / am sure that il he believes
he VIII 1T once be converted 10 you
views
Just then an old clock upon the kitch
en- shelf struck ten. and the young maj
added:
All. John. that You may also know
that l have passed away, / VIII rim
that clock. I viii ring it for an hour
and wake you and your wife up an
keep you awake the whole time,
GeoTge Cowee was only testing. and h
smiled aS he babe the old men good-by
The next day he went West
Weeks and months Went by. an
nothing VS. heard from him.
Is was now the beginning Of May.
AS there was much hOrSeShOeing
Se done In the springtime. Tim wa
sept very busy. John Davis was ais
hard st work. on Tuesday. May
John hs.l plOwed all day. and whe
2lEht came he was unusually tired, an
went early 10 bed