Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1912-04-19
SpOOk.
Farm
A Wrong Is Rishted by Means
Of It
BY CLARISSA MAcKIE
Copyright by American Press Asso.
citation, 1911.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
When my law partner, Jack Rogers,
returned from lunch l was agog with
excitement.
"Guess what has happened, Jack"
crowed.
mo need to guess. Something in
the detective line has turned up"
grinned my partner as he tossed his
hat on its accustomed peg and sat
down In his chair.
How did you find out2" l asked,
chagrined.
"You always look especially foxy,
old man. and nothing, not even a dead
client, with prospects Of rich pickings
from the
"Oh. keep stillr' l growled. "You
talk like bird of prey"
II am-we are birds of prey. This
detective side line of yours, Hal, or
hobby, or whatever you call It, will
run Us out of our legitimate course Of
business If you don't slacken up bit"
Have you any important case on
your mind?" | asked sardonically.
Rogers felt tentatively of his head.
Nothing doing, ! must confess, Hal.
I know there's something on your
mind. There's a look about you that
says we must catch the two-some-
thing for somewhere-and it's 1:45
now" He glanced at his watch.
"The train leaves at 2:03. I'll tell
you about 1t on the way up"
After we were comfortably seated
in the smoker of the train and were
headed up the bank Of the Hudson
river | deemed 1t expedient to I'M
bosom myself lest In the telling OF the
story we might reach our destination
before had completed 1t.
That noon while | sat alone in the
office had received a call from a
queer client
She was little old woman, sharp
featured and white haired, with hard,
cold blue eyes and thin Tipped mouth
that seemed made for secrets. She
was CARRIED In shabby black and car
ried rusty satchel filed to bursting
that she watched carefully
| learned that her name was Sarah
Penny and that she lived on small
farm near Poughkeepsie. She said she
was widow and, besides owning her
farm, possessed tiny Income on
which she lived. She also said that
for two weeks past she had been
haunted by spectral farm that seem
ed to adjoin her own. She related that
night after night when the moon was
high IN the heavens she had seen low
lying farm buildings where In broad
daylight nothing appeared but n grassy
meadow dotted with ancient fruit
trees On dark nights the visitation
appeared as luminous glowing out
line of buildings
Mrs Penny's old face seemed to be-
come more wrinliled and careworn as
she impaired these facts to me and
when she had concluded. saying that
she had visited me with the intention
Of making her will and had suddenly
determined to confide her fears Of the
"spook farm" as she called 1t, hoping
I might be able to explain away this
horror In her solitary life
had promised to come up there to
look the situation In the face, and
declared my intention of bringing my
partner with me. SO now that we
were on the way ! related all these
facts to Jack Rogers, and together we
tried to piece out some fabric Of logical
explanation Of the phenomenon.
Derry yelled the brakeman, throw
ing open the door. and as that was the
nearest station to the spook farm we
got Off and watched the train wind
out OF sight among the hills. A station
agent was puttering around couple
of empty egg crates. and | approached
him.
(which road shall I take to reach
Mrs. Pennsy's farm l inquired.
"One to the right" and he disappear
ed quickly. as If fearful Of further cate
chism.
II led away from the river and then
doubled back again. and this perform
ance IL repeated over and over until
Jack announced that he felt aB twist
ed as a spiral bed spring.
~ don't wonder your old lady sees
things he complained as he rounded
another turn. II feel all wound up
just like a clock"
II guess you can run down now" ]
said. for Just then the trees and dense
growth along the road thinned, and
we could see the gray shingles Of a
weather beaten house just beyond.
Before we reached the house, which
stood In a grove Of gloomy cedars, we
met boy with an empty pail and ber-
ry stained lips.
SON." said my partner kindly, "can
you tell US where the Widow Penny
llvesT
The boy turned n grimy little finger
toward the weatherbeaten house. "Tn
there" he half whispered.
"Do you know herr pursued Jack
carelessly displaying a silver quarter.
The boy nodded. I'm afraid of her,"
he said with more spirit "she's n
miser; that's what my mother says"
who lives next door to Mrs. Pen.
ny" asked him as he clutched the sil.
yer coin
Nobody lives there. IT'S all grass
and apple trees The house burned
down before ! wns born" And he
scampered away and disappeared In