The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-06-17
TIE EVENING STORY
The sDook Town In Meade County.


successful in the history Of the famous
crook L ranch which nestles between
the brakes of the lower end of the val
icy OF the Crooked creek in Meade
county, Kansas.
Major C. p. F'u1Iington stood nicking
the dust from his long top boots and
gazing rehectfvely at the great herd.
I reckon this is about the last big
ar 9flVe We shall have. Tony he said to
MS ranch manager.
II hope not, sir" replied Tony. .sIf
couIdnt have at least Is sections
from which to get my fresh air think
I'd choke sir
''Me, too, Tony, but the Rock Island
road has made a survey through here
within five miles of the ranch, and the
teller they call the diversified farmer
grass country and raisin' crops. It's
the cattlemen to the tall timber and
the farmer to the front, Tony
Soon after their conversation the
rude breakfast was over, camp was
broken and the long drive to the rail-
road was resumed. Whistling and
singing and shouting to the cattle, the
cowboys rode with the herd, glad that
the green plains still stretched scarce
~ broken as far as the eye could
reach. Suddenly straight ahead Of
the herd there appeared a village, ap-
parently i've or six miles distant One
would have sworn that It was a city
built in the clear atmosphere above a
looking habitation, which stood boldly
outlined against the cloudIess sky
while the water beneath it glistened
and swayed ceaselessly in the bright
sunlight.
To Nose, the coIored cook. who had
| recently come to Major FuIlington
from his fathers southern plantation
| 1t seemed to be a section of fairyland,
Nose gazed at the apparition for some
time, and the cowboys. noting his evil
dent uneasiness, began to talk in low
tones and cast mysterious glances IN
| the direction of the mess wagon driven
by the negro Finally Nose could
stand it no longer, and, driving close
as he could get to Major F'ullington's
wagon, he asked: "Massa Fullington,
toy"
THAT town. Nose? why, that is
spook town. that's all"
"A spook town, Massa FulIington
You all don mean to tell me dat dat
am not a real, sure 'nough town %
That's just what l mean, Nose, -
| replied the major unconcernedIy.
/ Nose rode along for a time in silence
looking occasionally at the mirage out
of the corners of his eyes. Finally he
asked: How cum dat am a spook
town, Massa Fullington?"
why, you see, it was this way,
Nose. Ages and ages ago all this
country was inhabited by a strange
and unknown race of people. All over
western Kansas they built beautiful
/ cities and they were very rich and
I prosperous. Hundreds of years ago,
no man knows when. there came upon
! the land q terrible deluge It rained
! for days and earthquake followed
earthquake and tornado chased tor
nado When it was all over there was
not living thing in all this great
country. The people thus destroyed
| loved their country so well that ever
since their death their spirits return
and rebuild their towns and cities in
the air and hold high jinks until
driven back to spirit land"
Good Lord exclaimed Nose. lam
dat what dey am dom right now in
dat spook town ?"
You're on. Nose
What am it dat drives dem away,
11aSsa Fullington? ~
They cause their cities and towns
to suddenly disappear as soon as hu-
man folks come near them"
"Massa Fullington, you am jokin'
me. Dat certainly am a real town.
Now look here. Nose. That town
is on yonder hill, is it not? Well, you
know very we'll that we cant see over
the hill, and therefore the town must
be on top of it. Now we are going to
drive the cattle right over that hill,
and you keep your eyes on that spOok
town and see if it don't fade away be-
fore we get there"
Several of the cowboys had entered
into the spirit of the fun and began
telling Nose of the wonderful spool1s
there were in the plains country.
| when we get within sixty miles of
town. declared one of them, eve will
snowy you a spook railroad train
coming after you in the air" Nose
shivered, but said nothing. His eyes
were riveted on the spook town, which
semeed to him to have already begun
DO you see. Mose?" asked Major
Fulington, 1.-The spooks are cleaning
house,
The colored mans jaw dropped. his
flesh went creepy and goose pinply all
over. he could feel his hair rising, and
he grew cold as ice. With chattering
teeth he asked: Am we all goin' 10
drive over dat place. Massa Pulling
| ton?"
That's what"
.sI-m-a-a-y-b-e dam spoolzs be
mighty mad if we do dat. Use powerful
| opposed to maxim dem angry, Massa
Fullington"
one but colored people, and there are
too many of US white folks for them
to try to hurt you"
AS the party drew near the hill the
fairy city grew DINNER and DINNER
until the bare outlines remained, and,
pickering for moment in the intense
light, suddenly disappeared from view
When they had reached the top OF the
hill Nose was in q pitiabIe state OF
fright being unable to stand or to
speak' During the remainder of the
day he remained silent, preparing the
"grub" and serving it without comment,
but furtively scanning the horizon for
more spook towns. Late in the after
noon Major Burlington heard piere-
ing scream, and. turning, he saw Nose
st5nding up in his wagon, his body rig
i'd, his right arm extended heavenward
Gazing in the direction of the extended
arm Inc men saw a railroad train with
smoke from the stack and apparently
doing 50 miles an hour in midair. Not
a sound could be heard, but there It
was. and the "blowon' Of the huge no4
noon'sfer could be as plainly discerned
as though it were standing right before
.grhere,s the gpook train. Nose" de-