March 2010

            "What does it mean, Grandpa, when somebody asks about the Ghost in Rock City Falls?"

            "Ben, where did you hear about the ghost in Rock City Falls?  I was sure that story was dead and buried by now.  Who told you about that?"

            "Mr. Steele."

            "Mr. Steele.  What the dickens was he talking about ghosts for?  You don't go to school to learn about ghosts."

            "Well, he was reading the story about Tiny Tim.  That story tells about the ghosts of Christmas Past, Christmas Present and Christmas Future.  Then Mr. Steele gave us that great big laugh of his and closed the book."

            "But that's not really a funny story.  What was he laughing about?"

            "About the next thing he was going to say."

            "What was that?"

            He asked, "Do all of you know about the ghost of Rock City Falls?"

            We all said, "No, tell us about it."  Mr. Steele stood in front of the class and thought a minute.  "I'll tell you tomorrow.  We must go back to math right now."

            Grandpa was smiling but there was a puzzled look in his eyes.

            "My goodness!  It's been years since I've heard that story.  Why, it was a long time ago and I got scared when I heard it.  After that, I had bad dreams and I thought a ghost would come into my bedroom.  I always shut the door every night before I got into my bed."

            "Grandpa, did a ghost really come into your bedroom?"

             Ben looked a bit concerned and just a bit scared, also.

            "No, no."

            Grandpa laughed.

            "I guess that ghost just wanted to stay in Rock City Falls."

            "What did the ghost do?  Where did he go?  When was he there?  Why did he come there?"

            "Whoa, with all those questions.  Let's sit down here and I'll tell you about the Rock City Falls ghost.  But first, go and get your sister so she can also hear the Rock City Falls ghost story."

            Grandpa, Ben and Marian all got comfortable.  Grandpa started.  "Well, it was a beautiful, sunny day.  Every branch and every twig was outlined with heavy, wet snow.  The storm had begun the night before, but even the next morning, a few big flakes were still falling at breakfast time.  They were still falling when the sky darkened as night began.  Do you two remember a man I told you about named George West?"

            Immediately Ben spoke, "Yes, I remember.  He built many mills and...."

            Marian interrupted, "I know.  He made paper bags that wouldn't tip over."

            Grandpa was pleased.  "You are just right Marian.  His bags had a square bottom.  But let's go to the ghost part of the story."

            The children were so happy when he mentioned the ghost part of the story that the clapped and then sat very quietly as Grandpa began to talk again."

            "As the sun sank below the hills, the sky became darker, and heavy, dark clouds floated just above the hills.  The clouds made it get darker much faster.  Do you recall any other things we learned about George West?"

            The room was quiet for a minute, and suddenly Marian's eyes sparkled.

            "I know!  I know!  He worked very hard and stayed at his office many hours every day."

            "That's right, Marian. One reason his business made so much money was his many hours of work.  And the night after the snow storm, Mr. West sat in his office a long time after dark.  The office door quietly opened.  It almost seemed as if the door had opened itself, but a man walked in and slowly told Mr. West that he had a better way to make paper bags than Mr. West did.  His way was to use machines, so he was given a job to make these machines which could make paper bags.  In a few weeks the machines were completed and running.  Many thousands of paper bags with flat bottoms began going out to customers, and may thousands of dollars began coming into George West's bank account", explained Grandfather.

            "Mr. West carefully used this money to purchase the Empire Mill and build his magnificent mansion right across the street.  Soon he purchased two paper mills on the Kayadrosseras in Middle Grove and later he built Excelsior Mill next door to Empire Mill.  Then he bought all of the property in Ballston Spa which had been owned by the Hovey family.  In the several years following the Hovey property purchase, he restored several other mills.  He now owned six mills all located on the Kayadrosseras and they were producing 5 1/2 tons of paper each day.  One half of this paper went to his own mills and the other half was sent to St. Louis and Chicago on the Delaware and Hudson railroad interchange in Ballston Spa."

            "Grandpa, what a story!  Was he a millionaire after all of this?"

            "He sure was and very proud of his accomplishments.  A month later, on a quiet fall day, I walked down to the Kayadrosseras.  Colored leaves were blowing around.  As I strolled along, I quickly noticed I was not alone."

            "Who was there Grandpa?  Who was there?"

            "It was George West sitting on a huge bolder, with one hand holding a bunch of small stones."

            "What were they for, Grandpa?"

            "He was skipping stones across the Kayadrosseras.  But now I must go to the barn and check on Hilde.  You know she is about to have a calf.  Please tell your mother I'll be up for supper.  How could I miss it.  She made one of my favorites - lemon pie."

            He was rubbing his stomach in anticipation of a generous piece of lemon pie.

            "Don't take too long Grandpa.  I really like lemon pie too, you know."

            "I'll hurry.  You scoot on up to the house.  I'll be there very soon."

            "All of us will be waiting for you so we can have a big piece of mother's delicious lemon pie.

            When Grandpa was about half way down the hill to the barn, he spun around as if he were on a lazy Susan, and called to the children.  "Hey, I just remembered that I forgot to tell you something."

            At the sound of Grandfather's voice, the children turned and raced down the hill toward him.

            "Tell us!  Tell us", they shouted.

            "The man who walked into George's office on that snowy night was never seen or heard from again."