The Anaconda standard. [volume], December 21, 1890, Page 11, Image 11

About The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970

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THEANACONDA STANDARD: SUNDAY MORNING, DECEMBER 21, 1890.
11
AGfowt In a @oe.
PleasantHill, Mo., Excited Over the Strang Proceedings of a Four-^Legged Spook.
./^jpsVHE farmers in that section of^^J^* country just south of Pleasant Hill,^in ('as* county, about thirty mile*^eaat of this city, write* a Kama* City^corresoondent of the Denver AVtci, have^been troubled with a chicken-eating^^pook. If you told them that probably^one of the many families of colored^people who live near by could tell what^became of their chicken* they would^laugh. Neither would they admit that it^wa* a fox or a skunk, both of which^abound in that locality. They insisted^that it was a ghost, and a* *ome of them^claimed to have seen it the belief in it be-^camo very general, uml the farmers had^either given up raising chickens alto^^gether or else were content to let the^ghost make such assessments a* the^necessities of Its appetite demanded.^Farmer Jarboe, who wa* the first to miss^the inmate* of his poultry house, told the^AY Irs correspondent that altogether over^lUu of his liens had been taken within the^year that the depredations begun. Frank^Sarver, who live* a mile beyond Jarboe,^bad also lost so many chickens that he^gave up the poultry business. Old man^Jinlkius, who went to his hen house the^second night he heard the fowl* squawk^^ing, and carried a shot gun along at full^cock, came back a few minute* later, hi*^face whiter than the ghost ho declared he^had seen. Although ho ha* heard hi*^hens squawk on several occasions since^and lip* ..in ^ 'I many of his choicest Leg^^horns, yet nothing in the world can in^^duce him to venture out. As it was with^these three fanners so it was with doien*^of others in the vicinity.not a few of whom^claimed, like old man Judkins, that^they had seen the ghost with their own^eyes. Naturally a reign of terror existed^in that section of Cass county, and a^threat of the ghost got to be a favorite bug-^a-boo with mothers when they wished to^enforce obedience in their children. News^like this can not stay at home long. It^traveled finally to this city, and thinking^lie saw in it a first class sensation, the^AVics correspondent went to Pleasant^Hill one day a mouth ago, and resolved^to ascertain for himself whatever of truth^there was in the report of a chicken-eat^^ing ghost.
Dflman Judkins' farm, four and one-^half miles south by east of Pleasant Hill,^was first visited, he being the most valu^^able man to interview, having seen the
f;host.He was found in a field back of^da bouse, industriously digging potatoes.^Ho viewed the newspaper man with a kind^of awe that deepened and intensified into^positive veneration when he caught a^glimpse of the reimrter's pencil rapidly^sketching him. Old man Judkins, some^^times called the squire, for the law he^doe* not know, was a lanky, raw.boned^farmer, six feet two in his fine No. 10^cowhide boots. Into the top of them wa*^thrust the bottom of blue jeans overall*,^^upported by a galltis of bed-ticking,^crossed over one shoulder. ()therwise he^wa* clad in a ihirt of blue and white^striped material. Hi* hat wa* one hi*^father had worn before him and it was a^white felt aflair that slouched a* if in^very shame of its age and battered con^^dition. A thin, pointed, draggling Ix'urd^elongated his face and was painted brown^in twin streaks either side of Ins mouth
wherethe tobacco juice had streaked^down. The reporter told old nuu Jud^^kins his errand.
Sa'ay,be you a newspaper feller, 1^wanter Know^^ and he gased at the re-^porter in undisguised admiration for a^full minute. 1 he teporter bit off a chew^of tobacco and the old agricultural^promptly begged a ^chaw.^ remarking^again with refreshing but simple imperti^^nence, ^Sa'ay, do you*e newspaper fel^^lers mal e big wagos^
Hewas filially brought hack to the^ghost question and wa* got to tell his ex^^perience.
Wa'U,now, one night long last July I^hee'rn the all-flrcdest screechin' in my^hen coop you ever hee'rn tell on. Pole^^cat* or nigger*, Llie,^ *ei 1 lo my old^woman, and 1 'lowod as how I'd ihow 'em^a thing or two. I got down my old mus^^ket, the same a* I kerried throo the war,^an' went out, kinder quiet like. Wall,^gosh darn it, stranger, ye know that when^I got down to ther hen coop tho orneriest^sight I ever seed came outen It. 'Twas a^ghost, I'll lie got swogged if 'twa'nt, an'^six feet high, all white, an' a kerryin' o'^half my ebeokeu* under each arm. 1 was^tin t flustered I fergot I hed a gun, an'^got dern me, ef thet crittur didn't je*'^walk away an'laff iu my face in ascreech-^in' kind of a voice. It went down thet^way, an' I las' saw it a goin1 over the^idge of thet lull,^ami the old man pointed^to a clump of tree* that skirted a little ra^^vine the correspondent had noticed from^the roail in riding by.
FarmerDribb* wa* next seen. It wa*^reported he had also seen the ghost on^one of its foray* into hi* chicken house,^but that part was a mistake. It was his^hired hand, Dan, who had seen it; but^Dan was in another county, one had tube^content with a second hand verison from^Mr. Dribb*. Like old man Judkins, the^ghost Dan had seen wa* a figure all in^white, but inatcad of being a* tall a* the^old farmer had described it, Dan said it^was squatty and seemed to run off on all^fours, carrying a big cackling rooster iu^it* laws. Its face, though, Dan declared,^so Dribb* aaid, wa* most human like and^had a very ferocioua expression. It wa*^a ghost all right enough ho was sure.
Anumber of other persons were also^seen, but none were found who, like old^Judkins, were willing to say they had^seen the ghost. They had heard of others^and talked with othera who had seen it,^and all believed In it* existence.
TheA^u^^ correspondent, backed by a^brave following of farmer boys, next vis^^ited the wooded ledge over which all ac^^counts agreed the ghost always disap^^peared. At the foot of the ri^e flowed a^small stream of water called Wolf creek.^It wa* a shallow stream, but with rocky^and precipitous banks. Following along^it a abort distance the crowd llually came^to a short of V-shaped bay, made by a^sharp turn of the creek into the left bank^The bank at this point rose at leats thirty^feet, presenting a much fissured face of^rock. The water that washed its base^was shallow, and, as the stream was filled^with many large stones that had crumbled^away from the bank, stepping from one to^the other was an easy and dry task, and^the corres|H)ndeut quickly found himself^at the f.K^t of the wall of rock on the oi^posite bank, and gating down into a hide^that yawned into the very bowels of the^earth, it seemed. ^That's Wolf cave^was the statement ventured by one of tho^boys. ^\\ olf cave,^ was a hole of great
localrepute, and it was even said that^during the war it wa* *^ favorite^rendeivous for the guerilla*. Of^late year*, however the water^hud flowed into and ap|iarently rendered^impassable the entrance to the cave, so^that the recollection of no one in the^neighborhood went back to a time when^any one bad been known to explore it
timeit made more noise than the skunk,^as if by a heavier body. It was aa if a big^dog was coming slung at a slow trot.^Pretty soon the patter of it* feet what^^ever it was, was heard splashing arros.^the water of the creek, and a* it was ap^^proaching toward where the correspond^^ent lay in wait, he again got bis weapon^at a ready, and it was Well be did so.
T
ASTRANGE TALE.
Rumorstated, though, that the hole ran | About thirty feet distant, midway of the
backinto the ground and under the high^hill* for mile*, which, considering the^liniettone formation of the country, wa*^ea*y lo believe. Since the advent of the^chicken stealing ghost, however, none^hail ventured near the wolf cave until the^day when the Ntwt correspondent,^strongly reinforced by a mob of boys,^paid it a visit. Here, In this cave, it was^reported, the ghost dwelt, and if one be^^lieved the evidence of one'* eyes it was
cave,where a patch of moonlight lay fair^en the water, there appeared all of a sud^^den it most most magnificent specimen of^the gray wolf, a huge turkey gobbler in^its jaw. To up with tho gun and blaie^away was a moment'* work, and with a^howl that rose above the report of the^musket, the big animal leaped straight^up into the air and fell back iuto the^creek with a loud splash, dead.^Tho combined noise of the gun and
probablytrue, for the little dry stretch of I the Howl of the wolf brought old
groundin front of the cave was literally^covered with chicken bone* and feathers,^while the hoavier bone* of the leg* could^be observed in many place* at the bottom^of tho creek.
Lightinga match and holding it down^into the entrance the Mm correspondent^saw that the floor of the cave was covered^with water, but a stick poked down into it^showed it to be of shallow depth. A dollar^was oili i i ii the hoy who would crawl into^tin- cave, but all drew bark in fright, and^not even the proffered loan of the corre^^spondent'* revolver would tempt one in^that crowd to face the ghost all believed^wa* hidden in the dark recesses.
Doit yourself ef you ain't afeerd,^s.u^l^some, but a* the newspa|^erman had mi a^flu pair of trousers he didn't care to ven^^ture in. There was a smiling of the air^and a doubting upturning of noses at tins,^and scornful glance* were directed toward^the aforesaid pantaloon*. Not even a^doubling of the money reward would ten i pi^a single boy to enter the cave, and all^went away.
Havinga life-long longing to see^a real live ghost apart from the^cabinet articles the reporter had^nesscd at seances held by the^lamented Dr. Molt, he wa* resolved in^go back that very night and with a shot^^gun lay in wait and offer battle with the^ghost if be ventured forth. Old man^Judkins kindly volunteered the loan of^his musket, which was first tested by^^hooting into the air, and as it kicked^most vigorously it was reloaded and ac^^cepted as a trustworthy weapon. The old^man himself, tempted by a full bottle of^booze which was promised bun only on^condition that he go along, finally con^^sented, though not without many misgiv^^ing* as to the result., J ust lief ore dusk t lie^start was mude to \\ olf creek, and in Iks^shadow of some bushes, just across and^about fifty feet distant from Wolf cave's^entrance, they concealed themselves and^waited. It wa* hard work to keep the old^farmer'* tongue still. Never was there a^man so prone to anecdote as he, but the^bottle of whisky finally accomplislied^what all the reportor's lusts failed to do.^He fell asleep, the bottle, now empty,^tightly clenched in hi* lingers.
Itwa* after II o'clock before even an^unusual sound rewarded tho lonely^watcher with the musket. There was^suddenly heard a rustling of h aves, a^halt, a siiutlltig sound and then the low^rustling sound of komo animal moving^along through the leaves close to the^ground. The correspondent, cocking uml^holding his gun ut ready, braced himself^for the onslaught, firmly clenching his^teeth. Tho next moment a skunk, its^back marked by a pretty double stripe of
manJudkins to his senses with a whoop^and uplifted hair, and it also, strangely^enough, seemed to suddenly arouse a^iloteu men in different |w^rt* of the woods^anil queries came thick and fast from all
around:^Whutch jer shot'.'^ Simul^^taneously there was a heavy trumpliug of^bushes and in a moment more a small^crowd ot farmers were gathered around^the wolf. These men had doubted the^courage of the reporter to stay all night ut^the cave and they had concealed them^^selves near by and awaited development*.^The mystery of the many chicken raids of^the past year was now revealed. There^lay, in the shape of a gn at gray wolf, the^chicken eating ghost, that bud well nigh^frightened a portion of Cass county out^of its wit*. The wolf, following the in^^stincts of animals of its kind, had an^^other opeuiug to the cave, which it used^us an exit, coining back with its prey to^tlic entrance at \\ olf creek, where it met^its death.
AChurch Fair Trlsk.^The season of church fairs is coming^on again, ami witli it the usual stale sup-^wit-I ply of stories in relation thereto, says a^late writer in the Chicago Jnurnal. Hut I ran^across a little incident the other mght^which is interesting, not only for its nov-^| city utid truth, but also as showing the^I iharp busines* *ensi^ of our American^I girls. I wa* visiting one of those relig-^' lous bazars, and iu the course of an hour^I had speut all the money I felt at^' liberty to throw away. So all the^pretty pleaders who applied later^i were given a stern refusal, ami I stood^over in one corner to watch the crowd.^All at onco a handsome little brum tie^I came over to me. In her hand was the^inevitable chance book and a bank lull.^^1 am not going to ask you for uny^money,^ she said assuring!)'. ^All 1 want^is change for $5.^ Anxious to please such^a handsome young lady, I banded her the^r^ quired amount in silver and was given^I the lull. Then she paralyzed me by say^^ing: ^Now that 1 s^-e you have money, I^I have no hesitancy in asking you to take a^I chance on a silver water pitcher, only M^cents.^ It is needless to say that 1 sul*.^mitted gracefully to the inevitable.
I.1-1 i. I. .11 111 Hhil IUI' A^p.
Awriter in the Paris Aii/uni says the^asp lias been such a success in Bern-^hardt's ^Cleopatra^ that it bus, or will,^I strike for the honors of capital letter* on^the play hills or posters. The line it^wishes in capitals is this: ^The Asp, M.^Viper of Egypt.^ Lucy Hooper bus been^| to see Uornliardt ill the new play and her^description of the death scene is interest-
whiteflitted across a moonlighted space ing: ^(7^o;xifni's actioti and gestures in
LustWatch Charm Mrvsri fnr lllnosr In^a Krattla ItMlauraat.
H.L. Coustine of New Orleans, La., who^ha* l^een in Seattle for several day*, tells^a story that would rival in it* improbabil^^ity the tales of tho Arabian Night*, *ay*^tlie Seattle Ptoses, Mr. Constiue, however,^dei lares that bis story is true, and says^that he ia willing to awear to it on a (tack^of liiblea as high a* a meeting house.
WhenI wa* in Atlanta, da., some^ago,^ said Mr. Consttne, ^I wa* invited by^a friend, John Sawyer, to visit a peach^cannery in which he wa* employed. After^I had completed my tour of the cannery 1^missed a very valuable charm that I bad^t^ ^ n wearing on my watch chain. The^loss wa* a sad one to me. inasmuch a* the^charm was a gift from a dead sister. I^offered a liberal reward for the return of^the charm, which 1 supposed I hau drop-^ped aomewhere about the cannery, but all^to no purpose, a* 1 never heard anything^from it.
Ihad returned home, and had given^up all hopes of recovering the charm.^About two month* ago 1 conceived the^idea of visiting the Pacific coast, and^arranging my business iu short order,^started at once for the West.
Iarrived iu Seattle als.ut two weeks^ago, since which time 1 have been visiting^friend* who lived near Ye*ler avenue.^Ye*terday noon I wa* down town and^stepped into a restaurant for lunch.
Aftereating a hearty lunch 1 called for^MM peaches and cream. 1 started to^eat the peaches, and was 111 the act of cut^^ting one of tin-in with a spoon, wheil the^sp...Hi struck some hard substance, which^appeared to lie imbedded III the heart of^one of the peaches. I worked the stile^stance out with my spoon and held it up^to thu light. My surprise call tic better^imagined than described when I found^that 1 held iu any hand my missing charm^w Inch I had long ago given up for lost.
I he story is a strange one.^ concluded^Mr. Coiislme, ^^and 1 should hanlly Im^willing to believe it myself it told to mo b^^arranger, but,iievcrtheless,every word of^it is strictly true. The only way I can ac^^count for the mysterious disappearance^and recovery of the jewel is that it be^^came disengaged from the chain when 1^was watching the performance of a new^coring and paring machine, in which 1^waaiuiich interested, while 1 wa* visiting^the cannery at Atlanta, and it fell in^among the peacbe* w ithout my noticing^it.
Thecharm, which Mr. Constine showed^the reporter, was a gold cross with a^small diamond set in cither end and a^larger olio in the center, and was of very^unique design. Tho story is a strange^ope, but was told iu a concise and^straightforward manner that argued well^for its veracity.
afew rod* away. The watcher's first im^pulse was to tire, but retleciing that this^might possibly scare away the ghost, lie^withstood the inclination and the skulk^^ing polecat quickly disappeared among^the shadows of the woods. Perhaps an-^other hour passed in uneventiial waiting,^when there was heard again the souud 9^somebody moving through the^underbrush with stealthy motions. This
tlis -ei lie are of an unimpeachable mod^esly. She doe* not open her tunic, but^slips the snake into it from above, press^^ing her hands upon the imprisoned rc|^-^tile a* she calls upon it to 'bile bite^again- bite harder' and one get* cold^chills down one's tiacK while contem^^plating her. Then when she dies she^fulls upon her bark so aa not to hurt Un^^hidden serpent.
WasCompetent.
Fromthe Arkansaw Traveler.^At a recent ex animation of a young^man who applied for a certificate admit-^lug him to the active field of education,^the examiner naked:
Whati* a compound fraction^
Theman replied: ^A compound frac^^tion is a fraction of a fraction uml par^takes of the tut lure of the verb and adjec^^tive.
That'*a new way of answering the^question,^ said the examiner, ^but^reckon you are right.
AIsawf lUlly N*w.pap*r.
Fmmthe New Hoik World.
Somewealthy ladies of this city have^prepared a project for the starting of a^great daily paper here. It is not to lie an^I organ of women*' |x^litieal eiifrancbiso-^i iiieut merely, but is to be a champion of^1 all her right* as a domineering force in
thecommunity, and as an importantjfnr-^tor in the social, business and industrial^world. It is to print all the news and^views that are of special interest in the^development of femininity, and the ox-^peetationa of its projector* are that it^will be scanned every day by all tha^women of New York, if not by all the^men. An abundanre of capital for its^support ia at hand, and tho world may he^,tai tied '.)' Its U| pi .nam B son '^ dttf ^^next year.
SwearingParrot* to Draw Trade.
Imm i New \ nrk Letter.
Awicked attraction of great power in^drinking places ia a profane parrot. Alas,^poor Poll; to what base uses. Spanish^parrots lend themselves best to this^scheme, and there seems to be a horrible^fancmation for the bird in rolling olf a^string of oaths. Spanish parrots are pro^^verbially voluble, and hence they are^. 11 to make swearers of; for you must^understand that they .0011 learn tocurso^ill correct English,and the alight SpanUli^accent only lends a charm to^the performance. Poll soon learns^to know hi* people, and when he^sec* that a rollicking and alto^^gether hdariou* grouo of revelers has ap^^proached the bar lie touches ^iu up^with a quiet and dignified oath. There is^an outburst of laughter, and the beer is^set up again. Poll draws a long breath^and leu tly a lot of brimstone epithets of^abuse. It not infrequently happens that^1 -^1I liecnmes a disturber of tln\|^eace, for^his profanity is taken as a personal af^^front by some auditor*,and tne bartender^la obliged to flourish a sandbag, revolver,^or bit of gas pipe to enforce that respect^for the place which iu proprietor always^insist* upon.
Thellald-llesd Joke I'laycdnat.
Fromthe New York Mi miry.
It'sahout time,^ said an old theater*^goer, ^that the humorous writers dropped^all paragraphs concerning bald-head* of^the front row. Such jokes have long^since lost their point, as the occupants nf^the front *eat* of theater* are nowadays^generally well suppln-d with hair. If a^bald-headed man wishes t ^ make a r.u ^^fill inspection of a ballet girl's limbs it is^no longer necessary for bun to make him^^self conspicuous by sitting up in front.^He can take a seat away back, and by^dropping a quarter in the slot get an^opera glass with which he ^ an scrutinize^everything on the stage us c arefully as if^seated within a few feet of it. This is^w hat tin- l.ald-heuds usually do now, as I^have noticed that a largo majority of^those who invest a quarter in that way^are pretty well on in years.
WhatWas ^h^kssp^^re UUe
Kl.UUtl'. Vt J- : Mull I'.-St.
Thereis a well-known gentleman in^Washington whose name is written with^the abbreviation ^Dr.^ before it. who is^said to resemble Shakespeare. He is a^rather a lean man Isith in face and form.^He has an abundant gray Ix-unl which^grows all over his face, but which he^ke'-ps clo-elv trillion d. 11 Wi nil I Is' h ird^|0 II ml any resemblance between him and^Speaker Kee l. I'lie latter distinguished^gentleman is stout of form and full of^face, different from the doetof in alio^t^every feature. Yet Speaker ^!.-ed is also^^aid to be like Shakespeare. The natural^question is, what wa* Shakcs|^eare like^aafhowT The answer is, perhaps, that^he had a heat) on him.
ItWas a leading Ouestloa.
Kr^m the MsoM Kvenuiit MMl
JudgeY'oti robbed your benefactor in^a most shameful way. Do you feel no^compunctions of conscience
DefendantBefore answering, sir, I^would like to consult tny counsel.
^B0Z6MHN i
COUNTYSEAT OF THE FAR-FAMED GALLATIN COUNTY.
the+ bghutiful
THEBUSINESS CENTER OF THE IMPERIAL GALLATIN VALLEY! The soil of which has no equal
forproductiveness in the world, a fact borne out by the testimony of the
UnitedStates Agricultural Department.
BOZEMANHAS THE LARGEST AND MOST COMPLETE FLOURING MILL
IN THE NORTHWEST,
TwoLarge Grain Elevators, Waterworks with great pressure, an Electric Light Plant, the Best City^Building and the Finest Hotel in Montana. Bozeman's Prosperity is founded on a basis Solid as^the Eternal Hills. Her growth depends upon causes which have an actual existence.
0v6rone hundr9d lots sold in thr69 dhys in the
PROSPECTHILL. MDDITION +
weHAye only 136 left, call ht
J.W.MURPHYCO.'S, Room 6,Marchesseau^Valiton Building, BUTTE
THEFINEST AND BEST DEVELOPED
COALMINES IN MONTANA
Liewithin feu miles of Bozf man^the
Chestnut,Timber Line, Irti! Creek ud
IIKIDUKKMINKS.
$506HCH. $50 6RCH.
$20.00DOWN, $10.00 PER MONTH, WITHOUT INTEREST
WARRANTYDEED.
THEGALLATIN YALLEY
Hasbeen designated by Col.^Ingorsoll as a
Dimpleia the Fair Cheek of Nitare.