Creepy Crystal Tales, Volume 4

By Roger Neal

Stories included in volume 4 of Creepy Crystal Tales are: "Are You Sure" tells about a man whose wife is buried alive and how the town decides to prevent future premature burials. "Chaos" is the story about a rampaging grizzly bear that attacks white settlers who place a bounty on his head. "Down to the Bone" gives details of the rapid spread of the dreaded flesh eating disease. "The Dark Angels of Death" depicts a father and his two sons that run a blacksmith shop and how they profit from the death of their customers. "The Aspen Grove Witch" is the story of Isabella Blackwood, an Irish witch who escapes to Crystal in order to hide from an abusive husband.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Roger Neal
• Release date: Apr 5, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301408665

Roger Neal

Roger Neal has spent over sixty summers in the ghost town of Crystal. His parents, Joe and Fogle Neal, brought their family to Crystal in 1948 and fell in love with the scenic beauty of the valley. During his summers in Crystal, Roger enjoys fishing, exploring mines, climbing mountains, riding horses, and hiking. He takes pleasure in telling stories to friends and family and is often a favorite storyteller around campfires in Crystal. Roger delights in watching the faces of his spellbound audiences as they listen to his spooky, creepy tales. Roger has written 8 books.The stories in Creepy Crystal Tales are based on historical fiction. The stories take place in and around Crystal. They are based on actual locations, but the events are twisted into stories of greed, fear, lust, and ghosts

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Creepy Crystal Tales

Volume 4

by

Roger A. Neal

Published by CRYSTAL TALE BOOKS at Smashwords

Copyright 2012 by Roger A. Neal

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ISBN

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Front Cover –

A Crystal Scene

Bonnie Neal Photo

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Are You Sure?

Chaos

Down to the Bone

The Dark Angels of Death

The Aspen Grove Witch

About The Author

ARE YOU SURE??

Are you afraid of the dark? Are you claustrophobic? Are you more afraid when you are alone? Don’t answer too quickly….you see, I could be talking about being alone, deep in an unfamiliar mine or cave….and your only light goes out. Would you be calm? Are you sure? Are you sure?

In 1892, the mining town of Crystal had a lot to be desired when it came to drinking water. A half mile above Crystal, at the base of Mineral Point, pure spring water flowed out of the rocks. A ditch was dug from this spring to deliver water to the town of Crystal. The ditch split into two ditches just before entering the town. This provided water to the residents on each side of the street. The horses, jack trains, and all other animal wastes left on the street, were washed into the drinking water with each rainy day. The water was easily accessible. The animals walked through the ditch and drank from the ditch. When the townsfolk needed water, they would just take their pail out to the ditch, dip it into the water, and return with a full pail. Due to this contaminated water, typhoid was a common occurrence for the people of Crystal.

In the spring of 1892, 61 year-old Alice Phillips lived in Crystal with her husband James. James worked in the Crystal Mountain Tunnel, hammering star drill bits into solid rock to make holes for dynamite. One day, James came home from work to find his wife with a fever and unable to keep food or water in her stomach. She said she probably had a spring cold. James said, Are you sure? Maybe I should get a doctor. Alice told him she would be better by morning…..she wasn’t. The next morning her fever was 104 degrees; she was burning up.

The neighbors next door, told James to fetch a tub of snow from the snow bridge. The snow and cold water from the ditch were used to make compresses to reduce the fever. She was given hot tea and soup. This ritual continued until her temperature returned to normal on the sixth day of her illness. Everyone was happy that she had beaten the disease.

The next day, Alice was weak, but determined to walk around the house. She told James to go back to work at the mine. He asked her again, Are you sure? I can stay home another day. But Alice knew they needed the money and told him she was sure that she would be just fine. James packed his lunch and headed to work. However, when he returned home, Alice was lying on the bed and she was not breathing. James ran next door