The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1903-04-22
: Ghost of Red Oak Creek. :
BY MILFIN.

/ asked him II he knew of any man
who was not afraid Of ghosts. He
scratched his head and said he
would recommend Jim Spaulding.
I don't know why / had not thought
of Jim before, for he is my best
friend.
l went to bis house, the door was
, wide open, and I walked right in.
Jim was sitting by the fire and said
he was thinking of me. / says,
,"Jim, they say there are spirits
down here at this bridge and up and
down this creek and l want you to
go with me to hunt for them" Now
Jim was raised in the same baliwick
as myself in the "Pennyrilen dis
trict in old Kentucky and when 1t
comes to spirits, why, you are just
simply getting close to our living.
Jim says, alright, and if we
don't find them we will know the
reason why"
1t was then after dark and so we
walked down toward the bridge, talk
ing of the good old times we used
to have back at home; how we used
TO go up and down Puncheon creek
and kill snakes and make pawpaw
whips. l asked him II he remem-
bered the time he and Joe Clark had
that fight at the barbecue because
Joe winked at his girl. He said
yes" and asked me IL had forgot
ten the time Bill Gaskin and | stole
all old man ElliOt's June apples and
what a licking" my daddy gave
me-for the old gentleman caught
us in the very trees. OF course /
had to own up that | had faint
recollection of that little episode in
my juvenility.
BY this time we had arrived at
the gate which opens into the big
road and had stopped and were both
looking into space. Jim looked at
me and says, Say, how much Of
this stun do you think is down here,
a Jug full or barrel full? II there
is barrel full won't we have
mint julep?' / wish l bad a neck
as long as a giraffe so / could taste
for a week-for you know mint
julep' is the nectar OF the very
gods / just couldn't fool the fell
low any longer SO / says, Jim,
the spirits / told you of isn't Ken
lucky legal tender, but 1t is ghosts
and know you are not afraid. |
want you TO help me make an inyes-
Jim gave me look of disappoint-
ment that would have melted "a mar
bic statue. He says, II know III do
something's, hut I'll not 90 ghost
hunting, and il it was not for the
sake OF old times ia whale the
stuffing out of YOU, YOU prince Of
humbugs Just think how you have
hurt my feelings And he disap-
peared in the gloom.
| went home and that night !
dreamed ! owned "a steam yacht and
was touring the Mediterranean with
Uncle Snort.
Bus the morning opened bright
and fair and like Banquo's way YOU
jusG can't down me. | went over t.
see Charley Graves. Now, Charley
is man peculiar To himself. He il
clever and he is fair, fat and
forty" He has game chickens,
Jersey COWS, and be has money too.
He loves his church. sticks up TO
his school and Is loyal TO all that is
good and right. told him nay plans
to LOOK into this ghost business aud
asked him IL he was afraid. He
looked me square in the eye and
says, You bet your sox ] am not
am not afraid Of any ghost that
ever lived, or ghOstess either for
that matter" why" says he. II
used to sleep with ghost. Shall
we 20 tonIght2' / told him yes"
and We went,
We arriv ed at the bridge little
before midnight, but did not stand
there only for "A few minutes and
walked over and sat down under
some pecan trees on the bank of the
creek opposite the little town. The
moon was shining brightly, bat ali
was still as death. There was
nothing TO break the solemnity of
the hour save the shooting of star
that reminded us that there mt 81
be- an ending OF all things.
We had been there, | suppose,
/ half an hour when we saw too per
| sons crossing the bridge, coming
toward US. We walked out into the
road and met them at the foot OF the
bridge. They were the ghosts.
Their light, shadowy, sylph like
forms showed that they were not of
this material earth. One WAS an
Indian maiden, gorgeously dressed
in crimson and AT her throat there
glittered In the moonlight diamond
three times as large as the African
kohinoor. The other was "A man
head.
) Charley spoke first aud said, We
are friends, please explain The
woman raised her hand aud replied
in Spanish, HUSH Peace be 10
you and yours. We bring you good
fortune. Hear my story and III
walk these places no more" She
stood leaning against her companion
who held her hand. She told her
life's story while we stood entranced
and neither spoke. She spoke ia
Spanish while j translated. This is
what she said:
I'm the year 1908 / lived with my
, father who was chief of the Cahauta
tribe of Indians. Our home was on
, the banks Of the Sabine river where
/ the town OF Orange now is. Ny
, mother died when | was one year
, old and my father never married
, again but gave his life TO me. He
. employed Spanish teachers for me
/ who taught me music and their Ian
! guage. / had every opportunity
, possible that money could buy. Al