The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1905-11-21
: The
: Double Scare
BY j. r. Hammond.

v ~ Y ed astraddle of a log, at
@ " q the end of which was a
q hollow, out of which he
SgGlS had just taken a gallon
jug. Extracting corn
cob from the mouth of the jug, he APP
piled his lips to the orifice from which
the cob had been taken, elevated the
jug, threw his head back, and, with
his gaze directed heavenward and his
thoughts fixed on the crossroads gro
Gerry store where the nectar had been
obtained, allowed portion Of the pre-
cious contents of the jug to gurgle
down his throat. Having tested the
utmost capacity Of his interior for re-
ceiying and containing liquids, with
out, however, in the least appeasng
his appetite therefor, ne lowered his
Jug, and, inserting the cob in the
mouth, replaced it in the hollow stump,
and, covering it with leves, resumed
his seat on the log, and soIiloquized
thus:
EFF Jim Peters thinks I'm gwine to
les him and Sue marry, he's mighty
mistaken. I'd like to know how Bets
and me and the children would git
along without old Brindle. Wed
starve, that's what-we'd don
Old Brindle, as Shobe called her,
though she was only six years old, had
been given to his daughter Susan when
calf by one of her uncles, with the
express understanding that it was to
be hers, and hers only, to do with as
she pleased. The calf had grown to be
a fine cow, whose milk and butter
formed about half the living of Shobe's
family.
Jim Peters was a one-horse school
teacher, who divided his time about
equally between teaching school, loaf
ing around Bill Stickney's grocery, and
hunting and fishing
1.-THE ornery cuss," continued Shobe,
she's ashamed to show his face in day
light and so he comes sneakin'
around in the night. Feard NV ghosts,
too Wish | had lookin' glass here
to see what sort Nv ghost I'd makes"
and, picking UP sheet that he had
brought with him, he wrapped it
around him in the most approved
ghost style.
Il guess I'll make bully old chest
in the dark" said he; and, resuming
his seat on the log in his ghostly at
tire, he awaited the approach of dark
ness, which was now at hand.
The earth having at length donned
its mantle Of darkness, Shobe came to
a perpendicular, remarking at the
same time:
Il guess it's about time Jim wuz
navigatin' along this way"
Starting for the road along which
he expected Jim to navigate" on
reaching the stump in which his jug
was hid, the temptation was too strong
to resist; so reaching down, he drew
it forth once more, remarking as he
did so: Il guess I'll have to give
Sweet Lips another buss before go;''
and, turning it up, took another hearty
swig. Returning the jug to its place
of concealment. he resumed his ghost
4 ~ march in the direction Of the road.
y Leaning his back against tree that
grew near the road, or, rather, path.
way, along which rhe expected his
prospective, though undesired, son-in.
law to pass, he waited with most ex-
emplary patience the arrival of that
interesting individual for the space OF
perhaps two minutes and a half.
At the end of that time his pa.
thence being exhausted, he eased him
self down to a sitting posture, his
back being still against the tree, II
which position he remained for an
other two minutes and a half, when
his patience and backbone being boil
exhausted, his head dropped over t.
one side, his body in state of limp
ness followed in the direction of the
head, and the next moment Gabrie
Shobe was reclining on the ground
from which, and Immediately under
him, some half-dozen short stubs pro
jected.
Scarcely had he struck the ground
when he was asleep, and snoring will
an energy in striking contrast to thai
usually displayed by him in the ordl
nary avocations Of life, the SOUND
whereof could only be compared to thu
combined efforts Of half a dozen hanC
saws ripping their way crosswist
through as many dry boards. This
music was not allowed to waste its
sweetness ON the desert air, for, many
minutes before, the footsteps of al
approaching auditor were arrested by
the sound
What's that whispered Jim Pc
tiers to himself, as he came to sud
den halt, while creeping sensation
peryaded his cutlcIe. Peering in til,
darkness, he discovered a white-look
ing object lying at the root of d trel
some twenty yards in front OF him
from which the sounds evidently ema
mated. spellbound, he stood rooted t