Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1904-09-03

and Santa Maria mines, near
Final Mexico. we brought down from
the States our various goods and
ohattsls. md began tho attempt to
make ourselves ~ comfortable az pos
sfbls In tho huge. Spanish-built house
which was tho only thing In the way Of
IN abode that could be secured. for
svs % money, in tho very inconven-
hsat Hsw-old town of Pinal.
Al nrst / liked the queer, rambling
I'D house, with its wide, heavily pill
hred corridors, thick wallis. high
barred windows and enormous carved
leerS 1t had been built. according to
. half-enaced date. in the year 1908.
and had been the habitat OF mol than
enc famous man In Its time. But, even
Gfter our modern furnishings were put
Ia. flowers and vines arranged about,
and everything possible done to bright
a IT. the house still had a dreary,
Ghostly air about II, and one always
had tho sensation that some one else
was about-soms one unseen, but felt
and altogether there was an indie
chat did not tend to make one very
cheerful However, l consoled myself
by remembering that big, old houses
generally make one nervous at irst;
also, the rent was surprisingly low for
% largo an establishment, with Its fif-
teen rooms, corridors, and corral. And,
as ono can get used to very nearly any
thing In this world. by trying hard. l
gradually got over the uneasy feeling
which had mostly felt, when entirely
alone, and put 1t down to nerves"
There was the slight drawback. how
sver, that we could not keep servants
In spite Of good wages, light work and
short hours. our servants would inva-
rtAbly leave after two to Ave days
service. refusing. under any circum
stances. to stop longer. They gave no
reason for this beyond the fact that
the situation was not to their liking
10 I could only pay them. and, with
indignant sorrow. view their departing
backs, then fare forth In search of fur
ther criadas. inwardly consigning Mex
kan servants to a future which II
would be unladylike to put into bald
words.
In the midst of these turmoils, $50
DEFY with big. big 81 began. slowly
und 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 me. Az I have before
yaid. abe lied" Pinal society (for her
husband was the principal grocer of
the place.. and therefore sho could not.
a. she sweetly explained to me. be too
areful about boobies she CALLED
abon-~
Waving. however. discussion of this
excellent lady. for indeed she is IAN
ether 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 a servant
In it was somewhat dispiriting. In
yain did inquire particulars. No, she
knew nothing beyond the fact that SER
wants and "tradespeople" gave the
place 4 bad name; that 1t was certainly
troubled By something, and that no one
ever lived long in it.
Here was pretty mess And, In
feed, as II In confirmation of the WON
ans prediction, the very next day both
servants left, after they had been with
me four days, and 1 was on the point
Of beginning to expect better things of
them. sat down and wept. Then,
fisgusted with native servants, HE'D
me forth and wired to the Border
for a 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-
hal, rejoicing In the name OF Ching,
was to act as porter. caretaker and
general watchdog-the ghost would
have to be lively that could got ahead
Of Ching. Charley, his cousin, was Of
the same ilk. being besides q splendid
cook. But I explained matters duly
10 the two, and could have warbled for
10Y over their derisivs smiles and
rrunts when I timidly alluded to
ghosts" and limited that they might
be disturbed By mysterious sights or
uounds-
And INV did I be1fu 10 be scuuairt-