The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1911-01-20

saw such a ramsbackle looking inte-
rior in my life, Doc Purse-proud
snobs that they were, they'd sold off
everything to keep up their station.
and except for a score of dirty old
chairs, two beds, and some tables,
there wasn't hardly a bit of furniture
in the house. First thing | did was to
pitch that lumber out of the house.
They saw it lying there and begged
me to sell it to them. told them to
take it and decay with it, which they
duly did. Then | sent for an uphol-
sterer and ordered fine suit in red
plush for the dining room, blue plush
for the bedrooms and green plush for
the rest of the house. Yes, sir, I've
fixed the place up fit for a gentleman.
II moved in last week to warm up
the house for my wife. Got the SER
wants in and all, was ready to sur
prise her when she came back. | went
to bed the first night and had a good
sleep. In the morning, going round to
make a final inspection, l saw one of
them wretched old chairs that had
been left in the hall by mistake. I'm
hot-tempered gentleman, Doc, and it
made me so mad | kicked it over.
| Then | went into the dining room and
| sat down in an armchair to cool off.
First thing | knew, something like a
tack was sticking into me. l jumped
up with yell and my man came run
ming ill., You clumsy LOOM | cried,
! 'what'd you mean by leaving a tack
in here?' The man looked at 1t.
There's no tack here, SIR he said
II tried another chair: same thing.
1t was like sitting on red-hot poker.
The man thought was mad, l guess.
, Well, Doc, to cut the story short,
there's not a chair in the house | can
sit down on, except that dirty old
broken affair that | kicked out into
the lot. And there it rests. I've been
sitting on it ever since. l couldn't go
to a doctor and have him call me a
lunatic ami lose my influence, so
came to you"
MAY | ask how you happened to
conclude that this trouble was of SUI
pernatural origin?" asked Brodsky.
"Why. to tell the truth" said Mr.
Baron, 1.-The house was supposed to be
haunted That's one of the reasons
why bought it; it gives it tone. And
l didn't care to tell you, but the fact
is they pinch me- I'm black ant
blue" he ended mournfully. Somehow
his pompous demeanor seemed to be
subsiding under the doctors influence
when you sit down" asked
Brodsky.
At all times, sir" cried the mar
angrily. "The only time they dom
pinch me in that house is when In
: sitting in that dirty, old chair. The!
pinch me when I'm sitting and whel
I'm standing, and when I'm in bed
Fancy me giving up the place becaus
I'm pinched by ghosts! I'd lose my in
fluence at once. There's mighty littl
place for cranks and lunatics in thi
world, sir. So I want you to com
: down right away, and if you can sto
I this game it will mean $4,000 in you
pocket If you can't, I'll give 20
five"
q Brodsky looked at him rather ster1
ly. 81 do not accept money for thi
class of work." he said. Il will Ell
deavor to allay the trouble if you wi
make me out a check for $4,000,
be devoted by me to any cause
please"
Baron stared at him for a moment
then his face softened into a grin.
"Oh, all right, Doc, all right" h
said, writing check and signing /
There's some swallows their med
! cine straight and some wants it choc
late coated. I've met both kind
Il Here you are-and put it to any pu
pose you please" he continued, wit
a loud guffaw.
1t was arranged that Brodsky and
s should 60 down at the end of tt
week About noon on the followir
Saturday we found ourselves at tt
little country village near which tt
mansion was situated The coachms
who drove us up was loud in his Lar
entations over the change of owne
ship.
He's a low-down, mean cuss,"
exclaimed emphatically. "The Da
rells had owned it for nigh on a hu
] dred end fifty years and he bought
over their heads when they cOuldI
pay the mortgage. l don't blame hi
for that so much, but he's trying
put them out of their cottage, to-
that's mortgaged and he won't gi
them a months extension; hates
see 'eIn, reckon"
Mt At the door of his new residen
IS Mr.. Baron received us somewh
. modify.
hit Come in, gents" he exclaimed, RI
Sc bling his leg. They've been at I
like mosquitoes all morning" he &C
re tinued. Pinch, pinch-it amt t
l pain, it's the indignity, and Jam
en- thinks me crazy, hitting out at t
or air so much. This is the dining room
w 1t was the most fearsomely incC
ey gruous thing that | had ever see
in The old oak paneling had been CT
he cred with scarlet paper, furniture
en- bright red plush coverings was Sc
nd tered throughout the room, and
W.. two sides were huge mirrors wi
great gilt frames that reflected t