The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-09-29
Was 1t an
Anniversary Ghost3
By WILLARD BRAKEMAN


sidewalk BY q man whose apparel
made coachy blink his eyes to assure
himself that he saw Alright To begin
at the top Of bis head. he wore q
beaver hat with large bell crown and
rim curled at the sides. His coat
was very high in tho collar, his neck.
tie was voluminous lace, the buttons
on his clothes were brass, his brooches
were what We call knickerbockers.
Coachy drove to the sidewalk, and
the gentleman, without asking permis-
sion, opened the door and stepped in
side.
ITO Greenwich" he called as he
closed the door behind him.
up Greenwich street, sirT'
"Yes."
That part Of New York which was
originally Greenwich Village Is several
miles from where the stranger entered |
the coach. and the cabman would rath-
er have declined to make a fare SO |
late In the evening But there was |
something about the stranger that was |
compelling. When the cab reached |
Greenwich and cabby asked for fur
Their instructions the man inside only
said, Drive on" Cabby seemed awed
| by the tone in which the words were
spoken and dared not ask another ques-
ton, so he drove on In the direction
he was going. northward, till he reach
ed the river bank. The man inside
stepped from the cab without calling
| on coachy to stop, and when he touch
, ed the ground there seemed not to be
the slightest shock. As he walked
away he fixed his eyes on the cabman
with a look that made him forget all
about the omission to pay the fare.
Indeed, cold chill ran down the
mans back. Going to the margin Of
the river, his figure seemed to float
along, growing more and more indis-
tinct till 1t was lost, as cabby thought.
in the water. But this could not be.
for there came from where he had dis
appeared a sound Of oars. The sound
passed up the river. gradually dying
away in the distance.
Now, although the stranger had CIV
en- no orders to the cabman to await
his return, the latter felt no power to
do otherwise. He did not think that
by going away he would lose the mon
ey he had already earned; he remained
} fixed where he was by the look his
, fare had given him when he walked
, away with that unearthly tread.
It was the season when the days are
long and dawn begins about o'clock.
Coachy sat for perhaps an hour. per.
C haps two-he could never recall how
}. long 1t was-waiting there on the river
bank, with no human being near, fol-
he says that he was not conscious OF
the surrounding traffic Of the present
l. day. He saw about him only the
t. green bank Of the river. behind hin
9 the village, In which all were wrapped
J. in slumber. But he Is not sure tina
?. he was awake, not sure but that III
was dreaming. At any rate, he wal
oblivious to the strangers return, TO
the first he knew of 1t he heard voice
ordering him to drive home. Rouslnl
himself and looking down from tn
box, he saw his fares face thrus
without the window, looking up a
him. The cabman will never forge
that face. 1t was singularly hand
% some, though SO pale as to be rathe
D, Of the dead than Of the living. TIL
t. expression was that of one who ha
in committed some dreadful crime, on
in who had killed some one. But In
;. there was no remorse. 1t was rathe
triumph.
"Homer' said the stranger.
&c The cabman did not know and di
e. not dare ask where home was. Il
al knew that he had taken up his fare q
id Wall street, and for that location
n headed.
= In the twilight the city SCENE
49, changed. All the landmarks of m
III tropolis were missing.
'lk Turning out of Broadway at Wa
IN street, he drove down till he reach'
lin the point where Broad joins 1t. tn
W. was where he had taken up his faI
IN Here, too was not the office OF {
great banking house which Is thel
but a small brick dwelling L
wo stranger called on him to stop, and
nd, drove up to the curb.
ord Coachy says that when this singul
&c. being alighted he cast his eye at
dwelling on the opposite side OF w
street a short distance down iowa
the East river and looked for n
ment at It with malignant triumT
then. turning, without mentioning
money he owed for his ride, ne mou
,va ed the steps of a dwelling before D
,he and seemed to pass through the a.
mol without opening 1t.
ION Coachy was found that morning Il
- stupor on his box and about to Z
A. He was removed to hospital, whel
w he did not emerge for several wee
When he did so he narrated the adv
ture of that memorable night to
gentleman who happened to De
inc scholar. All the Information ne
the ceived was this:
is The house the strange man ente
Q was once occupied by Aaron b
ling Alexander Hamilton lived on the OF
'ver