Year: 1877

The only true ghost story know is the
story of Choker's ghost. That is positive
fact well attested. All the neighbors know
what happened. All the neighbors saw all
that was to be seen. All the neighbors saw
how it began, and as it the story Of Chok-
er's ghost, it could not have begun until
Choker died.


sold Choker' had been so called for
many years before he was actually old, !
should suppose; but he was very queer
fellow, man without relatives or friends,
and who seemed to want none.


He was mysterious man, too.


He had wooden leg, and no one knew
how he came by it.


He had black patch over one eye, and
no one could tell why he wore it.


He had rusty brown wig, and there
was no man intimate enough to know
whether he adopted it because he was bald
or because he was gray.


He had a deposite in the bank, and nc
one knew how he earned the money.


He came a stranger to Grabtown and
bought house and little farm there, giving
his name as Guy Choker. That was all
that any one knew about him, except that
he had the best crops to be seen for miles
around.


He never went to church, and never chat
ted to a neighbor. No one knew anything
against him; as they knew nothing, they
suspected a great deal; and when at last he
was found dead one morning, all the bot
tled-up curiosity popped out as champagne
does when it is uncorked.


Everybody went to see him where he
lay. .aEE


Everybody attended the inquest, and
everybody went to the funeral.


1t was decided that he died of apoplexy.


There was no relation to see him, but
there would probably be plenty left to pay
for bis funeral, so there was no difficulty
about that.


The clergyman said doubtful sort Of
good word for him, and as he was dead, nc
one contradicted it.


And Peggy Kinder, who said she wasn't
afraid of anything, was put into the house
to take care of it.


She knew old Choker very well, having
done washing for him for five years.


That night, the weather being chilly
spring weather, she made up good fire in
the kitchen and slept on an old lounge there.
Once in the night, she woke up and thought
she heard the clump, clump, clump of a
wooden leg overhead, but though she felt
chill run up her backbone at the thought,
she made up her mind that was all nonsense,
and went to sleep again.


At six she was up and had put more coal
on the fire, and was filling the kettle, wher
positiyely-no fancy about it this time-she
did hear that clump, clump, clump, agair
across the room upstairs, half dozen times
then down the stairs.


The sound of Choker's wooden leg, and
nothing else; and as she turned about, shak
ing and trembling, she saw Choker himself
at the door in his big g-fiowered dressing
gown, with the black patch over his eye
and brown wig on.


"Lord have mercy on u.s." cried Peggy


Then, as Choker nodded cheerfully, ant
said: breakfast ready yet?" she grew
bewildered.


sI've been having horrid dream, sir,
she said, getting away from the figure a
she spoke; ''and it's as natural as life.
dreamed that you were dead sir, but it wa
80 natural that you skeer me-"


"Do I?" said old Choker. sWhy, bles
ye, we must all die"


eyes, sir" said Peggy.


'And all be buried, too," said Choker.


"I Iknow that, }" said Peggy.


"only all of us won't stay buried,' sait
Choker, putting his finger to his nose.


And at that, Peggy, never waiting evel
for her bonnet, bolted out of the house, ant
came tumbling into her daughters house al
hour after. shaking with fright, and vowin
she had seen Choker's ghost


The daughter was nearly as much fright
ened as the mother, and the news spread
but nobody believed it.


At least every one said it was ridiculous
and that Peggy must have been drinking.