The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1904-08-15
A GHOST STORY.

a GHOST STORY.
A iaborer. on his way homeward
about nightfall, was passing along the
outskirts of little village, when his
ear was assailed by repeated groans,
which seemed to issue out Of the very
ground beneath his feet. Looking
about him, and listening, he presently
discovered that they approached from
an old well which had been abandoned,
and was half filed with rubbish. Ap-
preaching the edge of it, he called
aloud. but received no answer, except
the same groans. which were uttered
at intervals, with hollow reverbera-
tion, that appeared to die away in
subterranean passages To see any
thing below The surface was impossi.
Bile; and the man set off at once to an
nouncc this strange occurrence, and
seek assistance from the nearest
houses, The alarm spread rapidly,
and in a little while busy crowd was
collected at the spot, with torches,
ropes, and other implements, for the
purpose of solving the mystery, and
releasing the unknown sufferer. A
windlass and bucket were hastily
procured, and rigeed up; and one
more adventurous than his neighbors,
volunteered to descend They let him
down about twenty-five feet. until he
reached the bottom, which he declared
TO be covered by large barrel, upon
which be found firm footing. AT this
time the noise had ceased; and the
new comers were disposed to question
the truth of What had been told them
But those who had first reached the
place stoutly aud angrily reasserted
the reality Of what they had heard
The first explorer had been drawn up
almost to the top, when the groans
we're renewed. to the discontinue Of
the sceptics, and the dismay of the
bystanders. Dark hints were conveyed
in smothered whispers from one to an
other. A few we're observed to steal
out of the circle and silently move of
towards their homes None showed
any particular inclination to repeat
the descent in their own persons But,
at last. two or three, more resolute
than the rest, determined at all haz-
ards. and to the last extremity" to
know what was beneath this barrel
A pair of shears were sent for, such
as are used for hoisting heavy pack
ages into warehouses Another de
scent was made. and, in spite of
groans that might have shaken the
nerves Of Pilgrim himself, the shears
were securely hitched on either side
OF the barrel Several pairs of strong
arms were applied to the windlass.
but all their efforts proved fruitless for
a time II seemed as if the barrel had
been anchored TO the rock-fast founda
iion OF the earth. At last. however
it yielded a little; and with a slow, in
terruptel motion. and a harsh, scrap
ing sound, an empty barrel, with no
heading, was detached from its fast
enines, and then brought up rapidly
10 the top. Once more. a daring fellow
went down, armed 10 the teeth, AFTER
giving repeated injunctions to mis- as
sistants to turn very slowly. ana hold
on hard. The encountered at the bot
tom a formidable animal. indeed. at
least, in such a situation. II was no
other than COW, iammed into the
lowest part Of the well. with her
branching horns pointing directly TO
the sky above. The poor beast. indulg
ing a natural taste, had thrust her
head into an empty salt barrel Her
horns had ftuek fast in the sides, aud
retreating hlindily. in her efforts to
escape, she had backed down the dry
well dragging the barrel after her
which lifted SO closely TO the walls Of
the pit. as 10 break the force OF her
fall. With some difficulty, the poor
creature Was extrcated from her sad
plight without injury but probably