The Colfax chronicle., 1901-01-12
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 arm in arm from school, kick
ing the rustling leaves before them
They were greatly interested in the
subject under discussion, and the love-
ly blue sky and twitter of birds on
the mild October afternoon were lost
to 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 a word, and have a plan," sug-
gested Tom.
The conference was held that after
noon and a plan laid which the boys
were to carry out the next night.
Tom was spokesman, and he talked
earnestly between grapes.
snow, this is my plan: We all have
air guns, and there's plenty of good
shot, and if we can't climb over his
fence because of that great bulldog
we can 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
far enough to shoot, and we'll just
pepper those apples so full of shot
he won't have a tooth left il he tries
to eat one. It's good moonlight, and
we can see to aim pretty straight,
and old bully can have dose, too"
Mr.. Brown, against whom this plot
was laid, was bachelor and man
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 q
high board fence with barbed wire
along the top was built around the
orchard; and, what was worse, a surly
bulldog took up his abode at Mr..
Browns.
The trio seemed to think the plan
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 Medeville.
After tea Grandpa Winslow said:
"About nutting time, isn't it, boys?
This warm weather won't last long.
Wen have 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 1 was about
your age, there lived man by the
name of Silas Holmes, and he was as
mean as dirt we used to say. He
was honest enough and good work
er, but as stingy as people were ever
made. We boys grew to hate Silas.
and not without reason, for he
watched us day and night, for fear we
might somehow coax melon or an
apple 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 a crisis. |
One evening just at dusk I was going |
from the barn to the corncrib and ] |
saw figure in the melon patch; sup
posing it was father or Brother Jim,
/ went on, but on second thought |
turned back Just in time to see Silas |
the fence with big water
melon under his arm. / called out:
Good evening, Mr.. Holiness and he
called back: cd evenin', Tommy
II was dumfounded, but concluded
to keep my counsel until Bill, nv
younger brother, and got to bed.
Then we talked the matter over and
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 lack
o lanterns to light the barn, for we
were to have the annual corn -husking
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 50
brightly.
I'VE 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 busy getting the sup
per his daughter, Sally. would be over
.arly to help. We all liked Sally: she
xept house for her father. Yes, she
vas good girl, but she had to toe
ne mark. About eight o'clock the
'oiks began to come. and by nine
''ciock the barn was full. Supper was
~ al -