Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1912-05-01
THE PHANTOM LIGHT.

All OTlSiudl SIOTy WTlIIeu ny d
valued Public Opinion reader:
1t had been raining dismally all
day and now just as night was about
to set in the rain came down in
torrents, while the wind ragged and
howled around the old house, rat
Ting the windows until one wond-
cred that they didn't crack. The
gnarled oaks and stately elms alike
bemoaned the fate which had so
early bereft them of their leaves, for
they had been sent whirling hither
and thither by the angry wind. Their
tallest branches swayed back and
forth, occasionally bending so low
as to catch glimpse of the cheerful
room through the nearest window.
A bright fire was cracking on the
open CRATE, the fat, shiny teakettle
sang cheerfully of joys to come,
while Mother Norris trotted briskly
from kitchen to pantry, preparing
the evening meal, pausing frequently
to peer anXiously out into the dark
ness and down the long muddy road.
Just then the door opened and her
tall, bronzed son entered with an
armful of dry wood, which he noisily
deposited in the woodbox. His drip
ping coat was placed by the fire to
dry and his boots were about to fol-
low, when he stopped as his mother
turned toward him.
Il have been worrying about your
! father, John, he should have been
here an hour ago. I'm afraid some
things happened to him; that bridge
over Maple creek may have washed
out Or"
But here her son interrupted her.
Don't worry about him mother, as
likely as not he's stopped at some
house on the way. At any rate, I'll
take the lantern and go down as far
] as the crossroads"
He quietly replaced his wet coat
and cap, and, taking up his lighted
lantern, started out down the road,
which was darkened on either side
| by rows of trees, whose shadows the
would have made grotesque and aw-
full to an imaginative mind, but to
plain, sensible John they did not
seem forbldding or even fearsome
There was story in the neighbour
hood, which had been handed down
! from one generation to another. UNI
I'll it had grown TO immense proper
lions. The superstitious people could
not be induced TO cross a certain
held belonging to Johns father, for
IL was rumored that a supernatural
Hght roamed over it and into the
woods beyond Years before. the
story ran, an old half-crazed miserly
man had buried his money for safe
Keeping, then had forgotten the hid
ing place of his treasure. On dark.
stormy evenings he had searched and
searched for his lost money. but in
vain. He never found it, but his
spirit, it was said, lowered near and
often neighbors returning home late
on dark, stormy nights had seen the
light wandering like a will-o-the-
wisp, hither and thither over field
and meadow
One or two more valiant souls had
endeayored to follow the mysterious
light, but it always vanished at their
approach. All this ran through
johns mind as he tramped on in the
darkness. He never once thought of
being afraid, ah no; he had been
too sensibly taught to believe in
such fantastical ideas, but at the same
time he hurried his footsteps.
He had not yet reached the cross
roads when above the gush and roar
OF the wind and the booming of the
little creek, now swollen to formid-
able dimensions, he heard shrill
piercing cry.
John was a brave lad for his sew
enteen years, yet, somehow, the
sound OF a cry, coming from the
place where the wandering light was
supposed to hover. made him wish
ne were safe at home.
AS he hesitated the cry was re-
peated, and TO Johns sharp ears
seemed of distress and pain. Some
ANIMAL" thought he, and then re-
membered his traps and his promise
TO his father to faithfully attend to
them that no poor dumb creature
should be left to die of hunger and
thirst.
All thought of ghostly visions van
ished from his mind as he hurriedly
pushed his way through the thick
bushes, They scratched his hands