Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-12-28
The Argus Daily Story
: A Spook Farm-By Clarissa Mackie.
Copyrighted. 1911. by Associated Literary Bureau

looked in those days. There's a snow
ball bush and a clump of lilacs and
other towering shrubs. and those apple
trees In the background must be the
remains Of the orchard"
followed the direction of his point
ing finger and saw that he spoke the
truth. We were specializing upon the
location of the different buildings when
l heard a slight sound and, turning.
saw Mrs. Penny peering sharply from
q kitchen window.
Here we are. Mrs. Penny" said
cheerfully, introducing my partner.
'AIr. Rogers and I propose to sit up
tonight and lay all these spooks OF
yours"
She fingered her spectacles rather
nervously and then removed them and
raped the table smartly with them,
cycling me keenly.
This is no joke, young man." she
said gravely.
"Indeed. madam" replied warmly.
1--WE do not consider 1t as such. I
spoke lightly because wanted to allay
your fears"
your own fears may need quieting
after you have seen them"
People, you mean 2" asked Jack.
"They were once" she answered
DULY.
you mean you have really seen
themY'
Yes; the whole family. They're all
dead now"
"You can recognize them from your
Window" he asked incredulously.
She nodded an affirmative and then
sat in moody silence while Jack and
conferred together. The result Of this
interview was that my partner and I
wandered about the spook ridden field
next door until Mrs. Penny summoned
us to supper. We ate without referring
to the object Of our visit. In fact Q
great depression seemed to have set
tied upon the three Of US. The air was
heavy and damp. but the sun set bril-
liantly, and in the east a splendid full
moon was rising.
"You can sit In the side porch II
you want to-" said Sarah Penny. "I
shall be in the sitting room here wait
ing for 1t to come"
parted. We whispered to each other
and marveled that any sensible ghost
would care to return to such a gloomy,
God forsaken spot as this. We lighted
cigars and tried not to admit that an
eerie sensation was creeping over Us
when Mrs. Penny's shrill old voice
broke excitedly on the air.
"They are here-it has conner
We lifted reluctant eyes and gaEed
upon the spook farm. There was a
fascination about the weird scene that
drew US to the dividing fence.
| There had arisen before our unbe-
| heving eyes white misty buildings
farmhouse with adjacent wings, dairy
barns-and here and there were forms
Of people, white wraiths. with beckon-
ing arms. 1t was a MINDLESS night, and
the moon shone brightly.
Sarah Penny's voice again broke the
stiffness, this time hoarse with fear.
She was at my elbow. do you see
it?' she whispered.
"Yes," answered, but AAssa I
docs he see it tooT' \
Eyes, but Has
"Then 1t is sor' she moaned. And
saw that she was holding her black
bag under her arm. 81 must give up
the papers, and perhaps they will go
away"
There was an instant Of intense ST.
lence, and then l turned my back on
the spook farm and said quickly:
Yes, you must give up the papers,
Mrs. Penny, and right the wrong. You
had better move away" 1 advised.
leading her into the house, quite
broken in spirit.
"Yes, will go away. I have a SIS
ter in the west. who wants me to
come. 1 can sell this place-and-here
are the deeds. / executed them years
ago. but 1 hated to part with them.
1 have so little money!" she walled
pitifully, opening her black bag.
Little by little l wormed a confess
sion out of her of how she had held
q mortgage on the farm next door,
which was owned by German family.
, She had coveted the land, but the
farmer had been industrious and paid
| his interest promptly. Then one night.
. sorely tempted. she had set fire to the
| buildings. and when they lay a heap
/ of ashes on the ground she took the
land for the amount of the mortgage,
, and the Germans were homeless and
, penniless. They had gone forth. help
ed by charity. to make a new start,
and she had heard from some source
, that each one had died years ago. All
, this had happened fifty years before.
and she had had long time in which
: to repent of her crime.
D The next morning when Jack and
went down on the early train we car
/ ried proper legal papers conveying the
spook farm property. as well as the
u home of Mrs. Penny. to the heirs of
a the German farmer. Fritz Steber And
/ may add here that In due course Of
. time his children were found and their
. Inheritance restored to them. Mrs.
Penny. who possessed comfortable
: fortune through her misery habits.
1 went west and was heard OF no more.
q 1 never knew what became Of the
n spook farm after that.