Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-07
THEK|TTY-CAT GROWEO
The Mayor Tells of Ike's Ghost
Race
ALONG THE SOUTH TRAIL
The Trained Spirits of the Lady
Medium.
PERFORMED FOR FIFTY CENTS
Jim Hicks Was a Disbeliever, but He
Lost His Nerve-The
Sheriff Talks.
LONG THE SOUTH TRAIL
ERFORMED FOR FIFTY CENTS

"Ghosts" remarked the Hon. Bill Sanger
sheriff of Arnim, with a reminiscent
chuckle, sis plumb absorbing. l never
knoYn a ghost casual and intimate. but l
amt protesting noticeable and pronounced
There is some that has.
"A considerable time ago me and the
Mayor and some of the boys was standing
in Sans place, cutting the dust and dis
coursing. when we got to talking about
ghosts. And the Mayor he says he's be-
lever. 1t stands to reason there's ghosts,
he says, arguing and persuading, because
they has been seen
Then Jim Hicks of the Bar Circle, which
don't get along with the Mayor smooth and
continuous he sluices down his red-eye
some swift and undignifed and he remarks
some loud and emphatic:
Shucks.' he says, you take it from me
there amt any ghosts wandering around
aimless and unsettled. l amt going to dis
cuss this here spirit question, and what
happens after you pass out and all that
m just sticking to the trail and insisting,
general and informed, that there am any
ghosts with nothing better to do than snoop
around soaring people TO death. 1t STANDS
to reason there amt no such doings, anu
that ghosts of people nor animals don
come around where they lived when they
was alive If that's so then Old Man Sand
erson, which went over the range last
week, has got n ghost hanging around in
Sans place right now, the same being
plumb thirsty. And whoever heard of
thirsty ghost with a hankering for red-eye
and cigarettes. ShGcks-
The Mayor a Believer.
Gentlemen. the Mayor was irritated. He
was peevish Says he, There is a whole
lot of general conversation being heard in
these parts but l amt seen any real knowl-
edge exposed as yet. I'm mentioning that
I've seen a couple of ghosts plumb near
and examining. l was there at the time
and l looked 'em over
Gentlemen. this Hicks person was dis
turbed. Gentlemen. he was puzzled. And
I'm asking, he says, pumb dignifed and
elevated. what these here mentioned ghosts
was doing whilst you was eyeing them?
q" One of them says the Mayor, quick
and unsmiling, was playing the banjo and
the other. which was female, was writing
a letter They belonged to a woman which
| knew in Frisco, the same being called
medium. These ghosts was plumb trained.
Gentlemen. the boys was interested!
Gentlemen, but they took noticei
E" Yes, sir says the Mayor, resuminS,
These here two ghosts which I'm mention
ing, they was sure trained. You could slap
couple of states together and rore' EN-
tight, and one of these ghosts would crawl
inside and write you letter from some
body which was dead but not in those parts
And If you pushed EN- hard they could
write you from somebody which you never
heard of They never told you anything
you wanted to know, but they sure could
write swift and continuous. Anybody
could go there and for 80 cents they would
perform as requested
Hicks Was Downcast.
Gentlemen, this Hicks person was down.
cast. Gentlemen, he was sore And final
" after we'd liquored friendly and agree
able, he mentions. stubborn and emphatic,
that he was from Missouri and that he'd
have to be shown.
Not doubling what the mayor says is
true he remarks friendly and explaining,
1 am still some dubious about these here
visitations. There amt any ghosts loahng
around me idle and annoying, and /
wouldn't have it. I'd make them hit the
tran plumb speedy and increasing or Id
know why. That's me-
Hicks says the mayor after we'd
llquored again, simultaneous and enthusl-
astlc, you amt by chance relation to Ike
Powers. over across the river, are you? Be
cause you sure do remind me of Ike in
your discourse, which is some positive and
uncurbed- lke's been dead-lets see-about
eleven year now, but every time | hear
anybody which talks like him I'm plumb
reminded about the time him and me con-
versed on ghosts.
Amble right along, mayor says one
OF the boys. We're listening some inter
ested and acute
Well says the mayor. rolling a cigar
cite plumb dexterous, Ike and me ana
some of the boys was standing just as we
are now. only 1t wasn't here, when Ike he
got to airing views some similar to which
Hicks just displayed And l called him.
Ike l says. you amt believing IN
ghosts none noticeable. Consequent and
logical, you amt afraid Of nothing YOU
cont believe in
Ike Was Amused.
" Sure not, lie says friskly and amused,
being plumb flushed and elevated by the
red eye which he had absorbed.
Then 1 says. slow and explaining,
you know that house about four mile out
or the south trailY
Plumb says Ike shedding some of his
high spirits quick and marked.
well / says. there's been some pea
pie passed away sudden and abrupt in that
shack, as you're a-buowing. I'm stalking my
best cut-out cayuse against a plug of Vir
GINA twist that if you go out there and
spend this here night youu come back a
Leliever.'
q Not me- says Ike, shedding some more
high spirits. But it's some foolish to be
Looping out there to see some ghosts OF
which there amt none But then Ike he
which the boys was exchanging he allows
he'll go.
What comes neXt?" I asks, noddng swift
and encouraging at Sam, which is the bar
keep.
I'm coming 10 II, Sanger says the
mayor. Frightening up considerably I'm
coming TO 1t swift and sudden. Well sir
Ike he hits the trail. It had been raining
whole lot, and then some. and the roads
was scandalous- And Il was blowing too
But Ike he gets there after awhile. walk
Ing which was agreed. horses being barred
and he goes inside the shack. 1t was right
dark and cold, but Ike he takes a slug of
the red eye he brought along, lights a can
die and sets down.
In minute or so he takes out his hard
ware and looks ii over. And in n minute
more he looks over again. And a little while
later-lke allowed il was about three days
there came scratching at the windows
Gentlemen Ike was nervous! He hikes to
the shutters and slams EN- open sudden
and abrupt, sticking his head out cautions