The Cooperstown courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., N.D.) 1902-1913, 1904-04-28
BY ELIZABETH GILBERT.

Z BY ELIZABETH GILBERT. q
IITHEN my husband took over the
wv direction of the Gertrudis and
Santa Maria mines, near Pinal, we
brought down from "the states our
various goods and chattels, and be-
gan an attempt to make ourselves as
comfortable as possible in the huge,
Spanish-built house, which was the
only thing in the way of an abode
that could be secured, for love or
money, in the very inconvenient new
old town of Pinal.
At first, liked the queer, rambling
old house, with it's wide, heavily pill
Jared corridors. thick walls, high
barred windows and enormous carved
doors. It had been built, according to
a half-effaced date, in the year 1903,
and had been the habitat of more than
one famous man in its time. But, even
after our modern furnishings were put
in, flowers and vines arranged about,
and everything possible done to bright
en- It, the house still had a dreary,
ghostly air about it. and one always
had the sensation that some one else
was about-some one unseen, but felt
and altogether there was an inde-
scribable eerie feeling about the place
that did not tend to make one very
cheerful. However, consoled myself
by remembering that big, old houses
generally make one nervous at first;
also, the rent was surprisingly low for
SO large an establishment, with it's Is
rooms, corridors and corral. And, as
one can get used to very nearly any,
thing in this world, by trying hard,
gradually got over the uneasy feel
ing which had mostly felt when en-
tirely alone and put it down to
nerves"
There was the slight drawback,
however, that we could not keep serv-
ants. In spite of good wages, light
work and short hours. our servants
would invariably leave after two to
five days service, refusing, under any
circumstances, to stop longer. They
gave no reason for this, beyond the
fact that the situation was not to their
liking. So could only pay them and.
with indignant sorrow, view their de-
parting backs, then fare forth in
search of further criadas, inwardly
consigning Mexican servants to fu-
ture which it would be unladylike to
put into bald words.
In the midst of these turmoils, $50
ciety" with big, big 50 began, slow
ly and carefully, to call. and pleasantly
limited, in divers ways, that there was
something wrong about our house.
The leader of Pinal society, Mrs
Isaacstein. was the last to CALL She
had at first been somewhat dubious
about visiting u.s. AS I have before
said, she 'led' Pinal society (for her
husband was the principal grocer Of
the place., and therefore she could
not, as she sweetly explained to me,
be too careful about "beobles she
CALLED ubon."
Waving, however, discussion of this
excellent lady, for indeed she is ian
other story" her statement during her
call that our house was said to be
haunted by evil spirits, and that we
would never be able to keep servant
in it. was somewhat dispiriting. In
vain did I inquire particulars. No,
she knew nothing beyond the fact
that servants and "tradespeople" gave
the place bad name; that it was GER
tainly troubled by something and that
no one ever lived long in it.
Here was pretty mess! And, in
deed, as if in confirmation of the wom-
ans prediction, the very next day both
servants left, after they had been with
me four days. and I was on the point
of beginning to expect better things of
them. sat down and wept. Then,
disguised with native servants, l hied
me forth and wired to the border"
for couple of old and well-tried Chi
nese servants, determined that would
not abandon my house and live in ho-
tells to please ghosts, Mexican servants
or any one else.
In due course the new servants ar
rived. One. sturdy. taciturn Celes-
tial, rejoicing in the name of Ching,
was to act as porter, caretaker and
general watch dog-the ghost would
have to be lively that could get ahead
of Ching. Charley, his cousin, was of
the same ilk, being besides splendid
cook. But I explained matters duly to
the two. and could have warbled for
Joy over their derisive smiles and
grunts when l timidly alluded to
GHOSTS" and limited that they might
be disturbed by mysterious sights OF
sounds.