The Monmouth inquirer. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1865-1933, 1923-06-14

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It was typical southern even
ing, mild and balmy, in February
18S-. The cab-drivers of B.
r were unusually busy, for a
brilliant masked ball in which the
elite of the city and neighborhood
participated was being held in the
Grand Opera House.
Life and death form the most
striking contrast. The principal
cemetery was but few rods from
this temple of art It's marble mon
uments cleaned in the moonlight.
contrasting singularly with the
bright lights and merry laughter,
the cheerful sound of music and the
mingIing of the gay niaskers. Under
the grayestones and monuments re-
posed the dead, who, still and peace
full now. were once whiting about
In the dance of life, drinking from
the foaming goblet Of Joy and plea
sure.
Two coIored hack-drivers, John
and Peter, had just brought a wo-
man dressed in the costume OF a
Spanish queen to the ballroom, and
were looking for other passengers,
when a man wearing black domino
and black mask reckoning to them
called, tHallo, there, are you en-
gagged r
NO, sab" replied John, dofflng
his hat politely We are at your
saryice. sab.
Il wish you to go at once for a
lady. Here is your pay
s'All right, sab. Whar's your lady,
sah?'
You see from here the gate OF
the old cemetery. Drive there. The
lady will come out and step silently
into the cab. Bring her here. Do
you understand"
Very we'll, sah."
The hackmen drove rapidly to the
gates of the cemetery. The man in
black assembled the steps of the opera
house, stopped before the main EN-
trance, and half hidden behind
column watched the receding vehicle.
AS soon as the cab arrived at the
cemetery it stopped, and Peter,
alighting, opened the door. The
moon was shining brightly Both
drivers looked down the path by the
low stone wall, and to the left into
narrow lane near the church, but
no one was visible. Then John
glanced through the gateway into
the moonlit cemetery.
Look! there she is" he whisp-
cred to his partner.
Before costly and magnificent
monument, not far from the en-
trasce, stood woman dressed in
black and wearing a black mask.
At that moment she turned, walked
slowly toward the gate and entered
the vehicle.
The affair began to seem mysteF-
ious to the drivers, although during
their years of business experience
they had become accustomed to near
Iy all kinds of adventures. Peter
quickly remouRted the cab and they
drove from the cemetery to the OPP
era house, where the woman silently
alighted.
The man in black, who evidently
had been waiting their arrival, came
from beneath the shadow of the col
umn.
II engage you for two hours" he
said to the drivers. Here is your
nav. is II eufFiciant7,,
DO we go for another passenger,
sah?"
NO, remain here until this wo-
man returns and enters the cab,
which she will do shortly after mid
night. You can then drive to the
place where you found her"
ITO the cemetery? All right. sah''
"And hold your tongues about it,"
I'VE know our business and fol-
low orders, sab.
The masked man took the arm OF
the mysterious woman, and both en-
tered the ballroom.
That's queer, said Peter. who
ever heard of woman coming right
straight from the graveyard to a
bail? Hack-drsyers see strange
things Z
"Nonense when 20 think little
At's not so queer" replied the other.
z Much stranger things happen. The
valet 81 q rich man who travelled
about with MS master told me that
in some burying grounds ghosts rise
and the dead walk"
"Pshaw You tell big stories; but
I saw a spirit once, and forthwith.
the two drivers launched into
series OF ghostly recitals, returning
finally to the tale of the valet.
The man who told me swore that
Il was So" finally exclaimed John.