Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1915-07-14
Her Husbands
Ghost
By F. A. Mitchell.

EnOch Pogram was a farmer in the
west when the section in which he lived
was In slow process of settlement. He
land ON prairie and built log house
on it. There he dwelt 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 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
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 ablutiOns when he was astonished
to see far across the plain log cabin
with man standing near It.
EDOch 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
been built on bis own land. He would
go al once to investigate. Turning, be
went into his cabin to get his rife, for
he was not sure but there would be
trouble between him and this new
squattr, and when be came out the
other man was just emerging from his
cabin also and with gun.
Pogram started for his nighbor's
cabin, and his neighbof advanced to
meet him. Pogram, who carried his
rifle in his right hand below his hip,
raised it to a 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 gun~ 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.
eve either got to kill 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 kill his neigh
Dor he has never been certain. Prob
ably he pulled the trigger without in
tending to do so. The neighbor evil
IDENTIFY was not hit, for he stood
his ground. He was not sufficiently
plain at the distance for Pogram ia
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. It 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 al
the same moment. Pogram was not
hit and did not even hear a ping
They stood for a moment looking al
each other. Then 1t occurred to Pc
gram that they We're at greater dis
lance from each other than he haG
supposed. He had a rife in his cabi1
that he used for long distance shooting
and went in to get it.
He had not used this latter rifle fol
long while, and it was not where ht
had expected to find it. He hunted fol
it some time before hitting upon it, the1
went out again to resume the shooting
Meanwhile the sun had cleared the
horizon and cast some warmth an(
more light over the prairie. POgran
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 at phantom? he
skuddered. For the first time in his
life he felt lonely. He started for the
place where he had seen the cabin will
the intention of having nearer view
if there was really anything there. He
walked several miles without finding
either a house or a man. Then he met
a woman.
stranger she said, "me and my
husband settled last week over thar
pointing). Yesterday he took sick and
died this mornin'."
Pogram started 81 seen his ghost q
spell ago." he said. The woman was
30 distressed that she did not hear.
''Td be obleeged if you'd give me a
bit O. help. 1 was goin' to the cabir
whar reckon you live for some one tc
do somethin' for me. I'm dead alone
$50 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.
Dopran and tho willow both helms