Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1915-07-28
Her Husbands
Ghost
By F. A. Mitchell

udu pie-empleQ quarter SocClOn OF
land on prairie and built log house
on it. There he dWeIt alone. Strange
it is that there are men who can be
content only when far away from all
other persons. The famous hunter
Daniel Boone was one of these, and
Enoch POSram was another.
In the spring he prepared his land.
planted, tended his fields, keeping
them free from weeds during the sum-
mer, and in the autumn, having gath
cred his crops, went forth with his
rife to provide meat for his winter use.
Returning one night with a plentiful
supply of venison and bear meat, he
went to bed. The next morning was
clear and cool. Enoch went out to the
tin basin located on bench to perform
his additions when he was astonished
to see far across the plain log cabin
with man standing near it
Enoch was much disgruntled. If he
had been at home when that cabin
was being erected he would have TAX
en- measures to prevent it's being finish
ed. He was not sure that it had not
bCIA bu1k& Ol1 Ills Wv Ii lu1Q. LIZ WOulu
go at once to investigate. Turning, he
went into his cabin to get his rife, for
he was not sure but there would be
trouble between him and this new
squatter, and when he came out the
other man was just emerging from his
cabin also and With a gun.
Pogram started for his neighbours
hi I'D i 90 L.
meet him. Pogram. who carried his
rife in his right hand below his hip,
raised it to a level Wirh his chest in
order to have it ready 10 case Of need.
The other also raised his weapon.
Looks as though there was goin'
to be more fghtin' than talkin'." NUT
tered pOgram, and he brought his piece
to his shoulder. His enemy was ready
for him. bringing, his own gun to ex-
actly the same position as POssram.
"You drop that gum shouted Pogram
at the top of his voice.
The man held his weapon firmly to
his shoulder and seemed to b. shout
ing something which pogram did not
hear
i've either got to Kill him." thought
POgram, 'Or he'll kill me-"
He cooked his gun. The other man
seemed to be going through a similar
motion.
POgram was nervous. Whether or
not he really intended to kill his neigh
Dor he has never been certain. Prob
ably he pulled the trigger without in
tending to do so. The neighbor evil
IDENTITY was not hit, for he stood
his ground. He was not sufficiently
plain at the distance for Pogram to
discern if he had fired. At any rate.
POgram could not detect smoke issuing
from the muzzle of his rifle and didn' t
even hear bullet PASS him.
/ There were no repeating rifles in
those days, and both men dropped the
| butts of their rifles at the same mo-
ment to reload. 1t was a question of
| life and death with them as to which
! could load the quicker. The more
| haste Pogram made the more his op-
ponent hurried. Both finished at the
same moment, and both fired again at
the same moment. Pogram was not
| hit and did not even hear ping"
They stood for a moment looking at
each other. Then it occurred to Po-
gram that they We're at greater dis
supposed. He had rifle in his cabin
that he used for long distance shooting
and went in to get it.
He had not used this latter rifle for
a long while, and it was not where be
had expected to find it. He hunted for
it some time before hitting upon it, then
went out again to resume the shooting.
Meanwhile the sun had cleared the
horizon and cast some warmth and
more light over the prairie. Pogram
looked for his neighbor, but he was
not to be seen. Probably he had gone
! into his cabin. But the cabin was not
there either. Pogram was astonished.
Had he been firing ut phantom? He
SEuddered. For the first time in his
life be felt lonely. He started for the
place where he had seen the cabin with
the intention Of having a nearer view
If there was really anything there. He
walked several miles without finding
either house or a man. Then he met
| woman.
STRANGER she said. me and my
/ husband settled last week over thar
Dointing). Yesterday he took sick and
died this mornin'."
Pogram started 81 seen his ghost a
spell ago" he said. The woman was
20 distressed that she did not hear.
'Td be obleeged if you'd give ME .
bit O. help. l was goin' to the cabiu
Whar reckon you live for some one to
do somethin' for me. I'm dead alone. ="
so am l." said Pogram.
The two went back to the woman S
cabin. and Pogram helped her to bury
her husband and in such other ways
as she needed.
Pogram and the widow, both being
lonely, concluded to live together in
- u