Joseph Ratliff, Aug 1974-1877 d. 1952 (his sister was the knife wielding Louisa Ratliff). Son of Frances Harrell and Joseph Ratliff. At one time a man named Harlan owned the Box T (the ranch having changed several hands and having been called other names... I use Box T because it is most familiar to me.) I do not know if Harlan owned it after Louisa sold it or prior to her purchasing it. But it doesn't matter which way it went, because Grand dad worked on the Box T for many years between times and during the times of his boot legging career. This Harlan had a bad go of it and for what ever reasons hung himself in the bunk house. Grand dad Joe was "powerful a feared" of ghosts and was so superstitious it was a miracle he survived just getting up in the morning. Well he had his head set that Harlan was a ghost. Weren't no two ways around it, just plain simple (superstitious) fact that if a man hangs himself, he ain't resting in his grave properly. And iffin a man ain't resting in his grave peacefully, why that man being a ghost now of course is out stirring amongst the living. Either trying to find a way to fix his mistakes or just pestering the living for the pure pleasure of it. Grand dad slept in the bunk house some times rather than riding back home at night, especially if he had, had a long tiring day. On one such night the other ranch hands except a couple were else where, so Joe was sleeping pretty much to himself when he started hearing old Harlan knocking at the outer screened door to the bunk house. He tried to pretend it weren't so. The more he refused to listen the louder the knocking became until it was really a banging on the door. He knew Harlan was up to no good and coming to get him for some dark deed. About the time he had himself sweating and praying for release from this spirit's intrusion, he remembered his gun. Now what a gun would do in the presence of a ghost who knows, but it was a weapon that did not require close contact with Harlan to do some hopeful damage... Shaking and knowing Harlan was coming for him he emptied the barrel full of bullets into that door... Then thought it best to go survey the corpse of the corpse.. right? Now if you can picture a full growd man cautiously walking to that door, scared out his mind, with an empty gun in hand, and shaking as if it was february and he was buck naked out side sitting on a ice block... You may be able to envision Joe in some small degree. He opened the pieces of the door to find..... NOTHING, not a darn thing. Grand ma said he must of been dreaming, except for the part where he fired his gun... Grand dad swore all of his life that Harlan had been at the door and he KNEW Harlan HAD come for him, no matter what the rest of us fools had to say about the subject. Course Grand dad would also turn a complete about face and head home if a black cat crossed his path. Then he would not leave home for the rest of that day, for nothing... Cuss that cat all day, but would not venture out the door for love nor money. Kelly ___________________________________________________________________ You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail. Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com/getjuno.html or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866]