Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1901-01-31
Farmer TaylOr's Ghost !
By Rose L. Colby. /
n AZ q ~ AZ a "a a "a a. S.S a.


each, however, carrying different line
OF goods. Jim was well fixed and owne
a good farm adjoining Cheyenne, Il
cality conveniently situated for him a
regarded his field of work, but after tn
death of his father, who in fit of de
spondency caused by continued il
health had committed suicide, he lief
the farm and moved to Chicago.
IL don't know what TO do with th'
old place" he said one day, as we sa
in hotel rotunda enjoying an after
dinner chat and some good cigars.
John Brownson, whose land adioini
it, wants to buy it, but he is not will
ing to pay even half its actual value
He has been persistent in his efforts 10
get me to sell, but hate to give the
place away, which / would be virtually
doing, if l let him have it at the figure
being rather a schemer, and l think
he wants to take the two pieces of
ground and lay off new addition to
Cheyenne, by dividing the land into
town lots"
IF were you, should go and live
on it, or rent it," / suggested.
"The fact is" he replied, 81 could
not get my wife TO live in the house,
even though / hired a man and woman
TO stay with her, and it is impossible
TO get anyone else to live there, or rent
it, at any price
"Why, what's the matter with it?'
asked.
Jim shifted himself around uneasily
in his chair, and looking somewhat
sheepish, answered.:
"They say the house is haunted" !
threw myself back in my chair and
laughed aloud, fairly shouting, the idea
seemed TO me so preposterous-a haunt
ed house in a Wyoming town, at the
dawn of the twentieth century.
"Why, Jim, you certainly don't be-
lieve such rot as that" | exclaimed,
when / recovered myself.
II don't know" he replied, shaking |
his head, obviously, Strange things |
have been seen and heard there, ac-
cording to the testimony Of persons
whose truthfulness has never been |
questioned | believe there is an ele-
ment Of superstition in all human ma
ture, which only requires certain en-
vironments and conditions TO bring it
out. While / don't really believe in
ghosts, yet | would not stay alone in
the old house all night for any amount
OF money"
~ assure you, jim" ! broke in, that
superstition is simply relic of bar
barism, and no one but a very ignorant
chump would confess TO belief IN
ghosts nowadays. ! am glad to be able
TO assert that there is not grain OF
superstition in my composition. and to
prove II TO you, III agree to sleep in
your house instead Of the hotel the next
time make Cheyenne"
Jim eagerly took me up on my propo-
sition, and pledged cigars in profusion
Il succeeded in making good my prom
ses. /, enthused over the prospect Of
demonstrating the absurdity of the ru-
mors in circulation, not only pledged
myself 20 stay in the house alone. but
70 sleep in the very room that had been
Inns fathers, and which had not been
disturbed since his tragic death.
When / next arrived in Cheyenne gave
lane, the chambermaid of the hotel.
iollar and asked her TO go over to the
Taylor place and get the front room
Upstairs ready for me TO sleep in that
light.
Law sakesl You don't ever mean 10
leep there alone" exclaimed Jane.
They do say that ole man Taylor's
es' tramPin' round de house de whole
light long"
DO you believe that, Jane?" asked
eriouslv.
WALL" she answered, timorously, "a
reap o folks has seen i'm, an dat dere ,
cry front room was his'n. I'm most
ifeerd 20 60 deere alone by myself in
lie day time"
well, Jane" said, "you can take
OF Of your friends over there with you.
when you go, for company. promised
lin Taylor I'd sleep there; and, be-
ides, / would not be afraid OF old man ,
Taylor II he were alive. and I'm sure
have no cause TO fear him now that
ie's dead"
The Taylor house, two-story white
'ottage, stood off bv itself lust al the
'dge OF the town limits. On one side ,
vas an uneven looking hedge fence.
orming the boundary line between the
Taylor and the Brownson lands. 4 few
al willow trees grew so close 10 the
louse that their branches touched and
,craped upon the roof as they swayed
pack and forth by the breeze from
he prairie.
II was about ten o'clock when /
'pened the front door and found my
way through the hall by the aid OF
ighted match. There were no curtains 4
N the windows, and as l assembled the .
tairs ! could see through, into the Z
mpty rooms, where the moonlight
ormed fantastic figures on the bare
ioors as il flickered in through the
ranches OF the trees outside.