The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-03-19
Her Husband S
Ghost
BY F. A. Mitchell

had pre-empted a quarter section Of
land on a prairie and built log house
on 1t. There he dwelt alone. Strange
II 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 Pogram 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
rifle 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 Il bench TO perform
his ablutions when he was astonished
to see far across the plain log cabin
with man standing near it,
Enocb was much disgruntled. If he
had been at home when that cabin
was being erected he would have TAX
en- measures to prevent its being finish
ed. He was not sure that IL had not
been built on his own land. He would
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 gun.
Pogram started for his neighbours
cabin. and his neighbor advanced to
meet him. Pogram. who carried his
rife In his right hand below his hip,
raised it to level with his chest In
order to have it ready in case OF need.
The other also raised his weapon.
Looks as though there was goin'
to be more fightin' 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 Pogram.
"You drop that gum shouted Pogram
at the top of his voice.
The man held his weapon firmly TO
his shoulder and seemed to be shout
ing something which Pogram did not
hear.
'T've either got to XIII him" thought
Pogram, cor 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 kin his neigh
Dor he has never been certain. Prob
ably he pulled the trigger without in
tending 70 do so The neighbor evil
IDENTIFY was not hit. for he stood
his ground He was not sufficiently
plain at the distance for Pogram TO
discern IL he had fred. 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 10 reload II was a question Of
life and death with them as to which
could load the quicker. The more
haste Pogram made the more his OPP
ponent hurried. Both finished at the
same moment, and both srcd again at
the same moment Pogram was not
hit and did not even hear a ping.
They stood for a moment looking az
each other Then Il occurred 10 Po-
gram that they were az "A greater dis
lance from each other than he had
supposed. He had a rifle IN his cabin
that be used for long distance shooting
and went IN TO get IL
He had not used this latter rife for
a long while. and IL was NOT where he
had expected to find e. lie hunted for
Il some time before hitting upon IL. then
went ont 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 neichbor. but be was
not 70 be seen. Probably he had gone
into his cabin But the cabin was not
there either. Pogram was astonished.
Had he been firing az a phantomf lie
shuddered. For the hrst time IN his
life be felt lonely lie started for the
place whore he had seen the cabin With
the intention OF having q nearer view
IN there was really anything there. Tie
walked several miles without finding
either n house or a mau. Then be met
a woman.
stranger" she said enc and my
husband settled last week over thar
fpolnunei Yesterday he took sick and
died this moruin
rorram stnrted u seen bis ghost =
spell aea. BE- said The woman was
- distressed that shr did not hear
nd b. oile.re1 IL you'd give me q
I'D " heiu ] WIS Eoiu' a. the cabin
uhar I reckon you i've for Some one G.
a. s0mefhin' f8r me I'm dead alone.
$50 am a. said roEram.
The two went bacE % the womau's
cabin. anI Program bc'fed her . bury
har husband end u sueh other WAYS
a. she needed
rocram and the widow. both being
lonely. eaneiuded ~ I've taeethef la /
roernra's cabin. several resrs r.asas'l. .
whan me morning thf husband weut
aufa8prs nud sHw fht ratiu ~ haa 4
.efa before and the man starfnE he.
noe ID He rnn haek int TIE hpnss
rals ru8 fremflllE
-What Is HF~ astaf tis ufe unrt
ma
yer fuH nan
A.. r- f rrf frTraaf "