Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 902 — page 2: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

2 benefit, was open to argument; but it was admitted readily that the region round about, as a whole, was. The prospective institution was noth- ing more nor less than an “ inebriates’ sanitarium,’’ as it was set forth in a printed prospectus; a place where chronic topers could have the snakes removed from their boots and the wheels taken é out of their heads for the reasonable sum of one hundred dollars. | “Et will be a good thing no doubt,” Ya remarked one Jim Joy, popularly known as “Joyful Jimmie”; “ but it ’pears to me to have its drawbacks, all the same. I have seen the time when I would ’a’ ‘given a thousand dollars, if I had had it to give, to get rid of the hydra-headed pythons and sich that wur a-hissin’ at my heels, and it strikes me a hundred is dirt cheap—if you have got the hun- dred,” “Thin phwat are ye kickin’ about?” demanded Felix Shea, a popular young Irishman. ‘“ Phwat is dhe dhrawback ye 7 ae mintion? ” Soe “ Why, the circular says ye get cured ie ae to stay cured, don’t ye see?” explained uf OP Joyful Jimmie. = Poa 6 Och! firing the prospectus to batheration to it!” cried Shea, the ground, “Sure, it is none av it Oiam wantin,’ no more Oi am.’ “The game here,’ agreed Joyful. “What would you and me do of a pay day, if we couldn’t take on a reasonable jag of jig-water?* I believe it is a good thing, but it is entirely too radical.” “Begorra, dhat is dhe wurred, mie,” declared Felix. Those around them laughed at their he earnesiness over the matter, and the Betas whole crowd fell to discussing it, while es they awaited the coming of the stage Re that afternoon. Gold Dust was a live camp, in the cen- tre of a wide mining district, with nu- mérous smaller camps in the vicinity. It was a promising “city,” situated in Hungry Gulch, a region that had become noted for its rich discoveries and big pty mines. ; This young city had a curiosity in the form of a haunted house. The house in question was a big one, built of brick Seed Se and stone, and it was known as Hough’s eet. Folly. It had been built by one Henry - Hough, several years before the time of a, bis our story, and it had never yet been | Ag faa occupied. Ten years later the prop- ae eet erty was sold for a song. Aiea Henry Hough was a gold magnate ght in his day, a bold speculator, and im- | eS mensely rich. A rich vein having been -. struck in Hungry Gulch, he bought it Jim- Ay oa up, and was going to give it the greatest - ——s boom a mine ever had. He started a ie town, calling it Hough City, and built a mansion residence that would have hs done credit to a city in fact. About the - -——s« ime. the house was completed, Hough “Tien died, and the mine petering out about the same time, the place was abandoned. Peau 5. So it stood for a period of ten years, so .when it was bought up by the Central Silver Syndicate, of which two men named Seth Dalton and Alf Godwin were the head. They called the place Gold Dust, and, as rich strikes were made ~ almost immediately, the town took on a boom and soon had a big population. - mansion, and Dalton & Godwin were threatening to raze it to the ground. It 4 ae pe haunted; Sea By. Beta that. No one could be induced to y » . spend more than one night there, and ep. age who had tried it not only would 3 : 7 not go into the house , but made | ce ste to cite out of Gold Dust rs ve eb fel usted ge Rael ee aptetie RAGR o> ea Q tee te & ue a) ae’ “s Siete) ." But no one could occupy the Hough } there. was. no. question \ Deadwood Dick, Jr., at Gold Dust. access. There was a standing offer of $500 to the man who could solve the mystery and lay the ghost. It was about the time of the talk of pulling down the mansion and making use of the material in putting up an- other building, that the advance agent of a Keely cure concern, came along looking for a likely place to open a san- itarium. The Hough mansion filled his eye com- pletely as a most excellent building for the purpose, the best he had ever seen, as he frankly declared; and he began bargaining for it forthwith. He would not take a refusal, and finally Dalton & Godwin rented the house at a figure highly satisfactory to all parties con- cerned. The advance agent took hold imme- diately, had the house thoroughly cleaned, and in a little while a goodly lot of furniture came along wherewith to gladden the interior. It was apparent that there was money back of the enter- prise, and the agent declared that they were not in the habit of doing things in a half-way manner. And, as a finishing touch, over the door appeared the sign, in big gold letters— GOLD DUST GOLD CURE, And now, on this day that witnesses the opening of our story, the head of the concern, with his corps of. assistants. was looked for. “By the way,’ remarked one Harry Meyers, better known as “ Handsome” Harry, the Sport, “I wonder what they will do with the ghost, when they come to open their concern?” “ Begorra, dhat same is phwat Oi have been t'inkin’ about mesel’,” declared Felix Shea. - “Sure, and dhey can play dhe Saint Pathrick act wid dhe snakes, Oi see no rayson phwy dhey should not be able to git away wid wan poor cray- tur’ of a ghost all right.” “Would it not be a good idea for them to catch it and tame it, and apply it profitably in dispelling the jim-jams?”’ suggested the sport. ‘You mean make it a part of the cure?” asked Joyful. Jimmie. ce Yes. ’” “Et would be enough in itself in my opinion, ’ said the old bummer—for such in truth he was. “ What is this you. are talking about?” asked the advance agent of the gold- cure concern, Edward Murphy by name. ‘‘What’s the matter with the, mansion? This is not the first hint I have heard. What is it?” “Do you mean to say that you do not know the house is haunted?” asked Handsome Harry, in surprise. ‘This is the first I have heard of it, on my word.” - “And been here as long as you have! Well, well, that points a pretty shrewd play on the part of Seth Dalton and Alf Godwin, hang me if it don’t. They have kept it pretty still.” “ Begorra, it must be deaf, dumb, and bloind ye have been, fri’nd Murphy,” cried Felix Shea, “dhat ye have not heard av dhat, Sure, Oi could ‘av’ tould ye mesel’ fur dhe askin’, Everybody knows dhat dhere is dhe divil's own ghost in dhat house.’ “I wonder if this fact is likely to in- jure our business prospects?’”’ inquired Murphy of Handsome Harry. a _Wouldn’ t wonder if it did, ” was the ‘reply. “Tf you can get a@ patient to spend a night in that house, you may make up your mind that he is desperate- ly in earnest, that’s all.” “ “Well, had I known of this in the} firat place, i | might have backed out, buts sie) et at ee Re ba st Bigg 4, si Lada 3 | i : My : - : Pa - — as it is we have got the pee eee Co all ready for business. We'll have nen eae lay the ghost, that’s all. Ah! here comeS © 5 J the stage—and an extra one behind it, as ie I live!” ‘is ‘Sure, it looks loike dhey have eanhee 4s said Shea. “Yes, they have come, sure enough,” assured Murphy, with enthusiasm, * Now we'll soon have our palatial sanatorium open for business. There is hope for even you, my friend.” That was not said to Shea, but ad- dressed to Joyful Jimmie. ; “ Wull, now, I should hope thar was,” Jimmie made haste to respond. “I would a, want to shuffle off this mortal coil in- ; stanter, ef I thought thar wasn’t, my | ‘igs good feller. I am only waitin’ fer pay a day to come around again, that’s all, vies) Vag then hooray!”’ P) The stages came on apace, and present- ly drew up in front of the Dalton House .- [ and stopped. ay This was the leading hotel, and was en and named for 13 Sa in Hungry me | both owned by Seth Dalton, himself. There was little Gulch that Dalton or Godwin, or together, did not own. When the regular stage stopped, that being the one in the lead, the first man to alight was a good-looking, fearless- = =} faced fellow, with dark hair and mus- = = | tache and keen, penetrating black eyes of me, ae magnetic power. He was roughly clad. Numerous other passengers followed him, and, the other stage having stopped, that, too, was discharging its comple- ment. There was first a portly, serious- faced man, well dressed in a suit of | black and wearing a heavy gold chain. = = | Immediately after him came other men, = = | followed by three women, evidently serv- sj > ants for the mansion. The man Murphy stepped quickly for-_ ays eae ward, and held out his hand to the portly = | man in black, saying: tes dou” " Welcome to Gold Dust, Mr. Morrit- . son: “A . “How are you, Murphy?” was the cordial greeting, as they shook hands. — “So, this is the place you have been % booming, is it?” ee Sa “This is the place, sir, and yonder’ Ss 4 the house. You will agree with me, sir, — that it is a fine building for your pur- — pose, I know. Is it not all that I said of it?” ie: “It is, it is!” exclaimed the portly © gentleman, with artery ro “We made ee no mistake in trusting his matter en- Sere walt tirely to you, Murphy, no mistake at all.‘ fs Sem | ahh Well, introduce me to the mayor, a 3 AS the leading men of the town, and let me p,* get acquainted.” kK a ¥ This Murphy proceeded to do torth- as with, presenting the gentleman to Dal-" ohn i ton, ‘Godwin, and others. We gs oe Meanwhile, the man first to alight hz sauntered on to the piazza of the hotel, ‘i es and had mounted the steps. The piazza was about shoulder high es r a ground. As he was ascending the steps, a young | | man who was standing there was eyeing BK . him closely. The stranger saw it, but paid no attention to it, and when he reached a. the piazza he turned and looked, to see the passengers whe’: had come ‘by on ADE Da special. ‘ = gee He noted that the young man was es approaching him, but gave him no at- tention until a hand was laid on Ag shoulder. “You are Tiger Joe,” said a voice. a guess not,” was the cool ris the arrange turned calmly and ok at his , hei ‘But, iow that you are, sir! “And I assure you that. ¥ You siautt made a ark isatelt — ay . 4