The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-08-20

mere WAS nOl a HOAuan al
the house except the maids. and we
had the run of the place. There were
six of us in the party. and I'll bet six
men-grown men, l mean, with grown
mems appetites-never made less
rough house than we did.
1T was after the clock struck mid
hight on Sunday that the CONVERSE
ton turned on superstition. We all
began telling what we were ready to
do to show that we weren't supersti-
tious. The last man won out Of
course.
I'm so little afraid of ghosts he
said, that I'd as soon sleep in a grave
yard if there was one around here
I'VE pricked up our ears and &C
knowledged that he'd the best of us.
Sleeping in a graveyard seemed the
hmit-what?
III bet you $780, came from a
man on the other side of the room,
that you wouldn't sleep in a grave
yard for great deal more than that.
I'LL make the bet, anyhow
Whether he thought there was no
graveyard around, don't know.
Anyhow, the brave man took the bet
and began to ask the way to the near
est graveyard.
"'Oh, it's not far said the host.
Don't let that worry you. There's a
graveyard less than an eighth of a
mile from here that has stood there
ever since the days the Indians used
to help fill it up every once in awhile
by descending on the whites and mas
sacring a few of them. Never you
mind about the graveyard
THE terms of the bet were formally
made The brave man was to pay
$500 if he was afraid to sleep in a
graveyard.
And alone said his antagonist.
It's to be alone, remember
Sure, was the answer of the
other
After a short interval he started
out to find the resting place of many
generations of Long Islanders who
never expected it to be used for such
a purpose. We had one lantern, but
our host, who knew the way, led us
along without difficulty. We followed
him down the path Of the little coun-
try churchyard between the tomb
stones. white in the moonlight, until
he stopped between two inconspicuous
monuments.
That's a good place for YOU said
our guide. That fellow on the left
there was supposed to have murdered
six wives. but he was never con-
victed. The woman on the other side
was a pioneer who escaped the gal
lows only on account of the laxity of
the criminal courts of her day. You
ought to be able to sleep well there
It's all right for me- answered
the brave man, who was still game
might as well sleep among the top
lners, so long as I'm doing it at all
Then he stretched himself on the
deep grass after folding his coat IN
derneath his head for a pillow, and
before the party had said good-by to
him the sound of his breathing indi-
Gated that he was getting to sleep.
1T was a beautifully clear night,
very hot, but dry. We went back to
the house, but not to bed. We
stopped in the dining-room, intending
to stay there one minute, and re-
manned there for several. In fact more
than an hour passed while we waited
for the sleeper in the cemetery to put
in an appearance. Another hour
passed, and still there was no sign of
him.
Let's go up to bed the host sug-
gested in husky voice that plainly
showed the need of sleep. He's fool
enough 10 stay here all night
Then what in the world will be-
come of my $780,? asked the man who
made the bet. If he's Indian enough
to sleep there, I lose my bet
There was no sympathy with him.
He'd started the discussion, kept us
all out of bed for three hours, and no.
body cared whether he got his money
or not"
There's one way of saving it
yet, suggested a forgiving man in the
party. you told him he had to sleep
there alone. Now. if you should go
there and sleep with him, why
He needed no more. Snatching up
q pillow from sofa in the hall, he
started down to the graveyard. BY
this time it was almost four o'clock.
and there was only short time before
daybrsak
He won the bet, at all events he
kept the other man from getting the
money.
1T was seven o'clock before any
body was called in the house. Only
the host got up. and as there were no
signs of the two sleepers then, he sent
one Of the men down to the grave
yard to find them. They were resting
peacefully in the thick grass protected
by the heavy shade OF the tree that
branched over the two graves. The
servant, as inexpensive as a we'll
trained servant should be under even
such trying circumstances. imper-
turbably awoke the two and told them
1t was after seven o'clock