Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-04-02
PETER EMMONS
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his. But he didn't see this. Thank God!'
he cried. She's coming to-! Then he took
the baby, which was beginning to cry, and
went and laid it on bed in the next room,
and leaned over her and whispered:
ats all right. 1t was only his ghost you
saw. l saw it too.
"Then, when George came back, was
still, and so was she; but she had smiled and
made me know that she understood it was
all right. And besides she drew George
more than anything else that it was going to
be all right.
WHEN I went away I looked all around
" for the ghost; but there was nothin
to be SEEM and hurried to my shanty. 1t
must have been near morning when | heard
a knock on the door, and opened it, KNOWN
who it was. l could not see, for the darkness;
but it was Peter Emmons' ghost, all right.
"'Well?' said |.
"He said, How is she? What did she
Think
@'She thought said 1 very slowly, so
that he would get what l meant, she
thought she saw what she did see, no Twin
man at all, but ghost. Was she right
@He didn t answer for quite awhile-it was
no easy question to answer, either. But
finally he said, Yes, she was right. l am
ghost. 1 shall always be ghost. 1t is
better So
"'Shake hands on it, then, said l. and the
hand took in the darkness was as cold and
thin and clammy as the hand you'd feel in
a coffin. 1t left my hand cold and wet when
it was drawn away.
"'Goodby,' the voice said then. I've
got to get away before the day comes
"The proper time for ghosts to walk said
l. And you'll never be back again. He
made no answer, and l went on, l don't
think you d better. You see, you were killed
on the railroad. They all know that and are
sure of it. You'd better be satisfied
@'And be ghost!' said the voice. Yes,
you're right. I'm Peter Emmons' ghost.
But-but would like to hear-to hear some
times, and
@'Perhaps we can arrange that said 1;
though l make no promises. Goodby.'
"Goodby,' he said again. L guess Peter
Emmons was no good ever
@'Don't say that. Peter Emmons had
lots of good in him; but he's better as he is
"'Dead?'
@'Dead!'
@Then the door closed soft, and that was
all there was"
The fish warden stopped, and his story
seemed done.
RUT," said I, @you know, of course, it was
- no ghost that you saw. You know it
was Peter Emmons himself come back,
modern Enoch Arden, and that he simply
saw the best thing to do was to disappear
once more"
"Some might think so,' said the fish
warden. at might be figured out that the
man killed on the railroad was some one
Peter had sold his new suit and his ring to
for money for rum. 1t might be that way;
but that wouldn't be the best way, and, to
my way of thinkin', the best way is none too
good in this world of sorrow"
"Then," said l, "if that's the way you've
they've decided to leave matters, l am
sorry you have thought best to tell the story
even to me-"
at makes no matter now," said the fish
warden.
@But you told it to others, besides me?"
"Never"
"How about this-this David Gilman"
IL didn't tell him." said the fish warden.
@David Gilman never was, until the night
Peter Emmons' ghost went out of this shanty
forever"
CREDIT. YES: MONEY. NO