Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1920-09-09

quit, but got so that didn't want to
move. ] felt safer sitting still.
"Then began to hear things that l
doE't suppose were making noise at
all. 1t may he it was rabbits in the
bush. nearly died when heard a
cry about fifty feet back of me. did
hear that. l guess ferret had got a
rabbit. You know how rabbit cries
like baby.
II was sitting in the open, and !
thought I'd feel better If got my back
up against something. So I crawled
over to some bushes and sat down be-
hind them.
Maybe I had been there half an
hour, feeling scary and uncomfortable,
when heard regular yell. There
wasn't any fooling about that. It
sounded like some one being hurt but
yelling not so much because Of the
hurt as because he was mad.
you've heard fellows talking about
their hair standing on end. never
knew what 1t really meant before, but
my hair Just stood right up. felt
like some one was trying to scalp me.
and I was gooseflesh all over.
ut had been dark on account of
clouds, but just then the moon came
out and lighted up the place. There
was man standing on the edge of the
pool, just about where had been sit
ting. He was leaning with both hands
on cane and standing perfectly still.
He didn't seem like man. He looked
like one, but you had feeling that he
wasn't one.
II don't want ever to be so scared
again. didn't know who had yelled.
but thought this man. had, and I
didn't think he was man. l thought
he was ghost. I'm not saying what
I think now, but if had to, I'd say
that I saw the ghost Of this place
and anybody that wants to laugh can
laugh. He can come down here at
night and get cured of laughing.
II couldn't move for while. The
man stood still, leaning on his cane.
watched him until l began to feel
that could use my legs again. l
don't know why was so scared, but l
was. ! crawled away through the
brush for hundred feet or SO. Then
I got up and ran.
II heard that yell behind me again.
I'll bet nobody around here ever ran q
mile as fast as l did. I scared the
fellows who We're waiting for me. They
didn't poke any fun at ne. They
looked at me and got that automobile
started. paid the bet, but they didn't
have any laugh on me. There isn't
one of them would come down here at
night now.''
"When was this?" asked.
"Four or five years ago." said the
plumber. "Some time i'm October"
We came to the house, and he went
into the laundry to fix tne pipes. Ssse'
ut doesn't look haunted around
here" he said as he perceived the
tangible jovialfty of the place, "but
you've got to get me out before dark. "
That was virtually the complete sub
stance of the Hartley house ghost
the picture of man leaning on cane
by the edge of the river. Romance
had to- be content with it.
|
One evening in late October, which
had turned chill and brought up high
wind, Mr.. Sidney produced new
phenomenon. He had a. strange flash
OF strength. When went to his room
after dinner l found him walking about
without help. Ordinarily, if he walke.'
at all, Jed was his strength.
occasionally can CO it, doctor" hi
said. "The strength comes. usual
ly pay for it next day, however"
"I'd be very careful, then" l sug
gested.
/ Eyes. but you 60 not know how
grateful 1t is to feel vigor once in s
while,"' he said, continuing to wall
forth and back in the room.
I sat down and watched him withou
demonstrating. 1t was astonishing t.
see him 50 agile and strong but I hat
learned that timid prudence was yer,
ineffective. ! had confessed my inabil
ity to understand him.
He did not seem to want to continu
life for the purpose of preserving it
sensations but for the purpose of som
accomplishment. His conditions wer
so pleasant that it might be reasonabl
to desire prolonging Of them. Ev
IDENTIFY he was not set upon that. He wa
not trying to accomplish anything. q
e did nothing. He had no unfinishe
work. And yet his will to live, knew
: was will to see the fruit of som,
g thing. He seemed to have a spiritus
S incentive; something that had othe
than physical impulse controlled hill
e apd gave him resolution.
t was marveling at his strange a,
q tivity when, Isobel and Mrs. Sidne
S came in. Mr.. Sidney proposed whis
e and we began game. The wind ii
q creased in violence, and the log fiji
grew in comfort. We had q pleasa1
n game. disturbed for me only by spec,
: lations as to the cause Of Mr.. Sidney
e strange animation and strength.
t Shortly after ten o'clock the ladie
d said good night, and Jed came in wit
e a fresh log for the fire. The wind ha
(. been increasing in volume, sound an