The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1925-06-12
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
MY FAVORITE
STORIES
By IRWIN s. COBB
Question: How Far Did
George Coz

string of two-room frame cottages and
his tenants exclusively were colored.
Very great was his chagrin when a
negro man in fit Of pique cut wom-
ans throat in one of his houses so
that she bled TO death, leaving a large
dark stain on the floor, because inn
mediately the word spread among the
black population that the building was
haunted and thereafter nobody would
rent 1t, even at reduced rates. For
months the cottage stood empty. Then
the owner had bright idea. He went
one evening and hunted up a large
dark individual named George Titus,
upon whom by way of beginning, he
conferred a drink out of a bottle of
corn spirits.
George" said he, "these darkies tell
me you know quite lot about h'ants
and ghosts and such things?"
swell, sub, Mist Ferguson" replied
George modestly, II does know right
smart bout sich."
That's good" said the willy white
man. "Tm rather an authority myself
on such matters. Now, then, speaking
as one expert to another, want to tell
you that gun-barrel shack of mine out
here on Clay street, where that woman
was killed, Is not haunted. She died In
state of grace and her spirit rests In
peace.
But the trouble Is that these colored
people around this town don't know 1t
and they've given the place bad
name What want to do is TO prove
to them that it's not ha'nted. And
here's the way we're going to do it
you and me. I'm going to hire you to
spend tonight in the room where the
killing took place. Then, when you
come out tomorrow morning and tell
your people that nothing happened
there during the night, I'll be able to
rent the house again. I'm going to
give you the rest of this bottle of Ii
quor now and a fresh bottle besides.
And tomorrow morning I'll hand you
ten-dollar bill. How about it?"
That slug Of corn whisky already
was working. 1t made George valiant.
Besides white man had appealed to
him for professional aid. He con-
sented-after another lusty pull at the
flask.
The crafty Ferguson took no
chances. Straightway he escorted his
newly enlisted aid to the house Of
tragedy, provided him with pallet On
the floor and left him there in the
gathering darkness. But before depart
ing he took the precaution of barring
the two windows from the outside and
securely locking the front and rear
doors.
came to release his brother expert. The
windows still were shattered, the doors
still fastened tight; but the house was
empty. Also ii was in damaged
state. At one side the thin clapboards
were burst through, as though blunt
projectile travelling at great speed had
struck them with terrific force from
within. The shattered ends of plank
ing stood forth encircling the jagged
aperture In sort of sunburst effect.
Upon the splintered tip Of one Of the
boards was wisp of kinky wool. Up
on a paling Of the yard fence was a
rag, evidently ripped from shirt
sleeve. Otherwise there were no signs
of George Titus. He was utterly gone,
with only that yawning orifice In the
cottage wall to give a clue as to the
manner of his departure.
Mr.. Ferguson waited all through the
summer day for the missing one to turn
up George failed to return. On the Sec
ono day the white man gave the alarm.
A search party was organized-men on
horseback with dogs. BloodhOunds
took the trail. They followed it from
early morning until late that evening.
Just before dusk, in swamp thirty
family The pursuing posse, with Fer
guson in the lead, spurred forward.
Here came the missing George. His
face was set toward home. 1t was
face streaked with dust and dried
sweat, torn by briers, wet, drawn, gray
with fatigue. His garments were In
shreds; his hat was gone. His weary
legs tOttereQ unQer MN as ne dragged
one sore foot after the other. He was
a pitiable sight.
Yet in the heart or Mr.. Ferguson in
dignation was stronger than compass
sion. He rode up alongside the spent
and wavering pedestrian.
"Well, by heck, you are certainly the
most unreliable niger in this state"
he said. "Here night before last ]
make a contract with you for a GER
tain job. leave you in one Of my
houses. / come there the next morn
ing and not only are you gone with
out leaving any word, but one side of
my house is busted out. And then
have to leave my business to CONS
hunting for you. And after hunting
all over the country i find you here,
thirty miles from home. in swamp.
Where In thunder have you been since
/ last saw you, forty-eight hours ago?'
Boss" said George, I've been COM
In back