The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1913-04-25
How Meekins Acted The Ghost
BY GEO. H. TAYLOR.
ron THE MIDLAND JouRNAL.

Down on one OF the Chesapeake's beautiful
tributaries, where metes and bounds Of the
Meekins and Jones estates Joined with grants
from Cecilus Calvert observed and duly seal
ed; there fish, flesh and fowl afforded choice
Of relish to the fastidious. The train Of male
heirs aforesaid patronymic, an Ewerd to
George and Jerry, for the Jones household.
and John and Ned for the Meekins'.
AS attested to by well worn pathway out
and beyond the boundry line fence. close fell
lowship surely ruled.
How an old colonial cemetery. hard by that
well beaten trail, 80 solemniy blends Ia the
episode to the end that,
'sThe best laid schemes of mice and men
Gang aft a-gley.~
Ned M given to skittish sounds echoing to
his senses after dark, thus oft blooms In the
May-morn of all youth in fearsome flower.
The suspicious day for that fell design came
thro' the absense of the old folk from home.
and Ned's visit to the Jones' that eve, as
prompted by the monotony of home environ
ment admits Of logical reason thus conclusive
to the end, as aptly paraphrased by Burns
"A few seem favorites of Fate,
In pleasures lap carest''
Thus, that entertainment for the youthful
Ned to tarry till after eventide bespoke Fate
| in big, round letters.
| The hour for the ghost to walk had arrived,
1 and of to his lair over the old route he tied
the grass along the pathway to the line fence
| In his ghostly attire within cemetery enclos
I ure, he fondly embraced the trunk of q con.
venient and friendly cherry tree to await
Ned's CHEEKY Good night, George, and, good
might, jerry"
The neurological calm of that spook was q
bit leary, tits true, yet he braced expectantly
/ to adieus waited back to his lair On and out
| thro' the gloom, the ex-ray vision of his vic
tim scanned his lead to the line fence, alert
and watchful.
| So intent on his fell design was then John
on Ned's arrival at the bars, that no ordinary
| jolt could well disturb his poise.
| However, it came with swish, twixt arms
and face adown that tree trunk, and out thro
his parted feet.
1 Ye saints that let free human will to run
thro' the arched roof of words, fails us tc
essay that start from base. No jump start
1 from pistol shot. no auto horn e'er impelled 8
like sprint. Thro' open bars stood his victim
1 inhaling ozone fuel for q wild dash homeward
The winged figure In grave easement fitting
tripping and foundering adown that pathway
simply riveted his victim to earth with eye
balls protruded. Pale. weary and fright
frenzied. appeared Ned, late to Jones' that
night with wierd and narrowing story
Indeed
1 Against the picket fencing Of house leaned
tile ghost, who on casting backward, glance
ON the wavey sheets subsistence, so spirit like
of action as to lift him over pickets and on tt
the pump to cool his fevered brows.
From Ned's plane of vision, q ghost 90 feel
high at times, next 90 feet, left meteoric flash
adown that pathway that night.
How Meekins acted the ghost thro' aid of a
/ ground squirrel, points to candor as the
brightest gem of criticism. and to former
days of the Eastern Sho'.