The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1904-12-14
A G HO ST TOR

friend living in the neighborhood.
Parson A., he was called, though he
was never member of any church
reconcile to his views was his absolute
belief that there had been cases, and
were even then, when the dead came
/ back upon earth and manifested their
presence to those whom they loved.
/ Well, the parson-I speak of him in
| this way reverently and respectfully
some years before the war moved
away from here into the northwestern
| part of the state. He was fairly well
to do, owned a number of blacks
treated them like the Virginia gentle
man he was and had their warm affec-
ton He owned some fine horses and
prided himself upon them, lis nice
wagons and his excellent gravel roads.
My friend began to decline in health
after he went away. l visited him
often and attended to considerable
business for him, and at the different
| times | was with him l noticed anent
us raining nodIIH.
He knew it was failing and that
rapidly and one evening he said to
me suddenly, without any reference
to his condition joe if / die before
you and l can-mind you, if | can-I
will come back from the shadowy
bourne and reveal to you my presence
on earth Ten days after that he was
/ 1oid IN nd in ho
village near where he lived. That was
In the month of March, two years be-
| fore the war.
"In the following September l had
business in that part of the state and
stopped at the house Of my old friend
to pass the night, having advised the
family Of my intention to do SO. I ar
| rived about o'clock in the evening,
and not for one second during my
journey-and / was two days making
| it, going on horseback-could l get out
of my mind my old friends declaration
| that if he could he would after death
make known to me his presence on
| earth. 1t did not exactly make me I'M
comfortable, but remembered it, that
| was all. When | arrived / was met
by old Parker, one of the servants,
who was glad to see me and took
charge of my horse. He seemed I'M
easy and said he wanted to talk to me.
So after had greeted the family and
taken supper l went out and found
the old fellow waiting near the stable.
1.-THE first thing he said was. Mars
Joe, does you believe in shaddersY
"'What do you mean by shadows,
Parker? said l.
Chooses he pumped out, and the
brought back all the thoughts of what
the parson had said and that had en-
comprised me on my journey.
II ridiculed Parker, even though he
had made me feel uncomfortable l
| told him not to be a fool and that he
was old enough to knowethere never
was a ghost But Parker was not to
be convinced. He had never seen one
himself, but nearly every other darby
on the place had imagined that he had
seen the spirit of the parson at mid
night wandering among his wagons
about the barn. After my interview
with Parker | returned to the house.
There was company there taking up
| the spare rooms, and l, not being a
stranger, was to rest for the night on a
lounge in the sitting room 1t was
nearly midnight when l was hidden
! good night and laid myself down. |
had hardly become composed when l
heard the faint tinkle Of clock chime
IL 1t seemed the saddest striking
Of clock l ever listened to. l kept
perfectly quiet and was getting sleepy
when | heard a strange sound. 1t
was like the turning Of wheel on the
even gravel paths that the parson al
ways had kept in such good order. 1t
stopped and turned again and then be-
gan revolving very rapidly. l jumped
up, and the noise stopped instantly.
81 had eaten a hearty supper and
thought 1 must have fallen asleep and
had the nightmare, so / lay down
again. I had just quoted my nerves
when that wheel turned around again.
/ could hear the wagon coming along
like lightning on the gravel road and
thought it must have been just in
front Of the house, so rapidly did it
seem to run. l at once jumped to the
window Before / could open the
shutter the sound ceased, and the
place. was again as quiet as a tomb.
In a cold perspiration / pushed open
the window shutter. 1 expected to see
my dead friend driving one of his
wagons over, though l felt he would
| NOT how dA6 1frp1,4 fA1,
the luster of the September harvest
moon rivaled in it's brightness the
MONDAY sun. 1 went out to the barn.
There were the wagons standing on
the gravel walk as l had seen them
early in the evening, and the scene was
one grand picture Of peace and quiet
ness, an apotheosis Of calmness.
didn't know but what was losing my
senses, but 1 went back to rest, If l
| eould and tn NV horror again inst