Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1907-11-08
CHAPTER XII.

began when the stage that Uncle joe
Barnes had driven for 20 years started
for that village. There were other
passengers besides Martin, his wife,
and Chip. The seats inside were soon
filed, and Chip, seeing a coveted
chance, climbed nimbly to a position
beside the driver.
Gee Whitaker" observed one by
stander to another, as Chips black
stockinged legs flashed into view, but
that gals nimbler'n a squirrel n don't
mind shown undevpinnin' l wished
l was drivin' that stage. I'll bet she's
a circus
Uncle Joe soon found her a live com
panion at least, for he had scarce left
the village ere she began.
Your bosses are fatter'n Tins
bosses used to be-" she said. do ye
feed EN- on hay and taters?"
Uncle Joe gave her sideways
glance.
Hay and taters," he exclaimed; I'VE
don't feed bosses on taters down here.
Where'd you come FROM"
Il used to live at Tins Place, up in
the woods, n we fed our HOSES on
taters, n they had backs sharp 'nuff
to split ye."
This time Uncle Joe faced squarely
around.
81 know all about hosses," she con.
tinued gliblv 81 used to take keer on
EN- n ride one plowin', an I've been
throwed more'n a hundred times when
we struck roots, an We ought to "a
hcerd Tim cuss. l used to cuss just
the same, but Mrs. Frisbie says ]
mustn't"
wal, swow," calculated Uncle
Joe, realizing that he had a case"
Whats your name, n whar's Tins
Placer"
My names Chip, Chip MCGUIRE,
only faint, it's Vera; but they allus
called me Chip, an Tins Place is
ever so far up in the woods. l ruined
away cause dad sold me, an fetched
up at Mrs. FrisbIe's camp, n she's
goin' to eddicate me- My mother got
killed when l was kid, n my dad
killed mother one, too; he's bad 'un,'
Uncle Joe gasped at this CORY tale
Of double murder, not being quite sure
that the girl was sane.
'Hain't they ketched yer dad yit?"
he queried.
mo. nor they won't" Chip ratified
on, as if such killing were a daily oc.
currence in the woods. He's a slick
un, they say. an now he's got Pete's
money, he'll lay low"
Worse and worse, and more of it, .
Uncle Joe thought.
You must a had middlin' lively
zines up in the woods" he said. Did
Yer dad kill anybody else sides yer
mother n this MANI"
"Ee didn't kin mother" Chip re
turned promptly; ''he used to lick her.
though but she got killed in mill,
n I wisht it nd bin him. wouldn't
3 bin an orfn then. Say" she added.
as they entered a woods-b ordered
stretch of road, did ye ever see spites
here?"
"spites," he responded, now more
than ever in doubt as TO her sanity,
what's them?"
why they's just spites-things We
can't see much Of ceptin' it's dark.
Then they come crawlin' round. They's
souls o. animals mostly, Old Tomah
SAYS. I've seen thousands on EN-"
Uncle Joe shifted his quid, turned
and eyed the girl once more. First, a
wild and wofully mixed tale of muir
der and then spookish things Be
You'd question she had wheels. and he
resolved to humor her.
''Oh, yes, we see them things here
now n then" he said, but it takes
considers Bile Ticker to do it. We hain't
had murder, though, for quite spell
This is a sorter peaceful neck O. woods
ye're comm to-"
But Chip failed to grasp his quiet
humor, and all through that 20mile
autumn day stage ride she chartered
on like a magpie.
He soon concluded she was sane
enough, aoweyer, but the most volu-
bic ta'ker who ever shared his seat.
az never seen the beat O her," he
said that night at Phinney's store
the village news agency she clacked
every mint from the time we started
till we fetched in, an never callated
SIGH COINS On ez she told about cud
ever happen. Thar was murder N
runnin- ava. n she got ketched n
carried off n fetched back, n a whole
lot o. resky business. She believes in
ghosts, too, sorter Injun sperits, n
she kin swear jist ez easy ez / kin. II
seems the Frisbies hev kinder 'dopted
her, n l guess they'll hev their hands
full She's bright 'un, though, but
aich q talkeri"
At Au4t Comforts spacious, old
feshio ed nor ere Chip vas now
installed, she on began to create the
j same irnpre , This had been An