Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1907-06-08
ferrous cast OF his Win

Carney was a-buildin' his haOuse. an
she SEE. as soon as she seen IL, that
e was goin' 10 be Jest like them places
over in England where them docks
an sech fellers live, that sooner or
later someone I'D die a vi'lent death
there. an then the place 'ud be ha'nt-
ed same's the docks places mostly Is.
90 course. we didn't pay no special
attention to her.
When her boy went up TO the place
20 work. 'baout year ago. she took
on terrible. an alias said no good 'ud
come OF Il. an that somethin' would
surely happen. But they want no
other way out Of II. fur they didn't
have a bite 20 eat nor rag 10 wear.
an II the boy hadn't decided 70 accom-
modste Carney's folks I guess they'd
Ia starved.
"Ye see" he continued. In explana-
ton. "old Carney wouldn't never give
a cent 70 anybody that was able 70
earn Il. an when the parson come to
him an ast him 20 help the wilder, all
he ser was. Send that big hulk Of a
boy up here an I'll give him a job an
good pay so'z he kin support his
mother like man. he SCI, but
won't give her a damn penny so long
as he's able TO work an earn It, he
sez."
But you haven't explained yet why
the men left" I persisted. for we were
nearing our destination and my time
was growing short.
I'm a-gittin 20 that" he replied.
"Ye see. Carney was such a mean.
stingy cuss that. what with his drink
in an gamblin' an other vices. the
wilder allus claimed he'd never rest
easy In his grave. when the boy was
killed she carried on like a crazy wom-
an. an sworo the place would allus be
ha'uted less thu estate did the honest
thing by her an give her enough 20
pay her FUR the loss OF her son. That
night. more fur fun than anything
else a lot OF the feuers that was a.
settin' daown to Hoskns' went UP by
the haouse 'raound midnight. but they
didn't see nuthin'. The mex night
that's after you cOme-they all went
up again. an tell you they all come
back a-fyin'."
What did they see?" I asked, with
renewed interest. as a sudden idea en-
tered my head
That's moro'n know" said the
man. turning and looking me squarely
IN the face. but they said they seen
two ghosts. one fur the old man. an
one FUR the boy. aout under the trees
Ia front OF the haouse right where ole
Carney fell of his hossi Every one
OF EN- seen the same thing. an when
nine men agrees 20 a dot on a thing o.
this kind IT'S pretty hard. even fur
church member. not 20 believe Il.
They'll all tell We the same story.
The boy was a-swayin' back an forth.
Jest as he did after the boss kicked
him. an the ole man kind o. hoverin
an bsndin' over him like he was IN
the saddle a-cussin' him again. The
hggers was perfectly plain. all In
white. but them that stayed 20 look
| long enough said we could see the
trunks O the trees an other things
right through EN-. too"
Il suppose they all came back 20
Hcskins' after seeing this wonderful
sight" remarked.
You bet they did. an they come A.
runnin'. too" said the man. Il never
seen a scarder lot O. men in my life"
Made pretty good business for Hos
kins that night. eh ?" ventured.
wal. / guess II did," he reioined.
with a grin. An itn keep right on
maxim good business fur him. tool
Them fellers won't git over taldn' O.
that fur month o. Sundays"
How did they get home that
niEht?" / continued persuasively.
His grin broadened as he chuckled.
Then as couldn't walk had 10 ride
home in this ere rig. Haow I ever
piled so many IN Is more'n kin tell"
and he laughed lmmoderately at the
thought.
so when business IS good with
Hoskins It's likely 10 be good with
you. too. eh?" I went on.
| Most ginerally," he replied Most
ginerally; less Hoskins gifts all their
money fore they're ready fur me an
their credit amt no good"
And when the men aren't working
at Carneys they spend a good deal OF
time at Hoskins. don't they?" ! asked
Yes. an q good deal o. money. too. /"
he rejoined. "Ole Carney allus paid
'em well; nobody can't deny that"
80 it's good thing for Hoskins
and a good thing for you, TO get them
away from the place every little
while" ! suggested warily.
Il s'pose 1t is. an s'pose we cant
neither of Ms help 1t II they want to
leave" he returned sullenly and with
sudden suspicion as he pulled his
horse up sharply at the station plat
form.
My train arrived In q few moments
and as l was about TO step aboard ]
drew the fellow toward me and said
to him in low tone. that others Nigh
not hear:
The men were quite right abou
the ghosts. saw them myself, from
my window, perfectly distinctly anS
exactly as you have described them.
The car was already moving and
swung up on the step and left hin
standing bewildered.