Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1875-07-29
gor Dan,,g blenders.
DICKS SPIRITUAL HELP.
BY KATE w. HAMILTON.

hdu just come TO grief. The Lady Ne
linda had for some days been suffering
1or-not Jr0nl-a stitch in her side. and
Miss Nudge, in a vigorous effort to shake
her into knowledge of her geography
lesson, had produced a violent hemorrhage
OF saWdust that made it necessary for the
poor lady to be put to bed at once. So
TWO worthy teachers were out of a situa-
ton. They were more fortunate than
many people who are out of employment,
however, for just as they began to con
slider what they had better do next a hand
DeckOned at the Windows hand rather
the worse for late contact with green
paint, hand with piece of gingerbread
in it, but still it beckoned.
Come out here said Dicks voice, re.
peating the invitation his hand had given.
And Nudge and Pansy accepted at once.
They found Max and Teddy sitting on
the grass, and sat down beside them to
learn the object for which council had
been called
See here, all you; know something"
said Dick, by way of opening the subject.
Dick generally knew something, or
thought he did, which is not always ex-
actly the same thing. 6 | want se-ance."
What aunts? What do you want to see
'em for?" questioned Nudge, with wide
open eyes, for Dick did not understand
French and pronounced the word as he
had seen it spelled
PshaW! | don't mean that; [ mean a
! spiritual se-ance; don't you know?''
| But Nudge did not understand, and the
others looked considerably bewildered.
" l know that's the name of it, cause
saw it in paper" pursued Dick, posi-
| lively. 6 [ couldn't tell much about it
| there, though, it was all mixed up with so
many big words and stuff; but I'd found
out all about it before, and what they do,
and everything. / heard Miss Roxbury
telling Aunt Prue about it last night. You
see, the folks sit round the table and put
! their hands on it, and keep real still, and
by and by the spirits come and knock, and
move the table around like-like smash
| expect we could do it, toor'
q s'pose-maybe-rd be afraid"
said Nudge, hesitatingly
Afraid? Ho! that's just like a girl! I
wouldn't be a bit afraid, " exclaimed Dick.
scornfully, and Max and Teddy echoed
the sentiment so valorously that Nudge
was quite abashed and remarked apologet-
ically:
" Well, | didn't say should be, I only
said maybe | naigh be-p'r'aps.
" But what do you want to have a see
see-your-uncle, or whatever you call it,
for?" asked Max.
Why, to find out if we can do it, and
well, you see," said Dick, hesitating, and
then growing confidential, eff we could
get 'em to move a table they might do
lots of things for us-pile up all that wood
that's out in the shed, maybe, if we Just
laid our fingers On 1t, and draw our sleds
uphill for us in the winter It wouldn't
be bit harder than some things Miss
Roxbury told about, and | shouldn't Won
der if we could get so they'd do nearly all
our work for us and we needn't do any
thing ourselves but Just have good times,
1t was an inviting prospect, and the
brilliant plan was adopted at once They
decided to try the experiment that very
evening.
Z" Because evenings seems more-more
somehow, you know" explained Teddy,
not very lucidly.
Pansy suggested the attic as a good place
to meet.
:" We all can be by ourselves there, and
nobody will come, or hear us, or any
thing" she said
SO the whole party went up to the attic
to view the place and make their prepare
tons. There was large finished cham
Der that had often served them for a play
room, and among its odd furnishing of
dilapidated sofas, old chairs, boxes and
barrels they found shabby little table,
and the boys lifted it out into the middle
of the room. 1t was cripple, having lost
one leg in some former service, and in
clined to tip over at the lightest touch.
Dick volunteered to make it all right,
however, and running downstairs he re-
turned with stick, hammer and nails
1t required deal of holding and ham
mering before the new leg would be fast
ened on, and even then it was rather
loose and unsteady, after the manner of
artificial limbs. But Pansy hid its awk-
wardness under an old sheet terreted out
OF box of cast-Off articles, and Nudge
was so delighted with its appearance in
white that she limited strong desire to
change the proposed circle into tea
party.
The others were not inclined to give up
their grand scheme for anything so com
monpiace, and poor little Aidge yielded
to the majority, though with some linger-
ing misgivings.
g [ hope the spirits won't ever try to
help me any when I'm all alone, - she said
uneasily "'Cause maybe [ wouldn't be
afraid-'cause | wouldn't! but guess Pm
q pretty good deal bashful when | amt
'quainted."
The next thing was to provide seats.
The attic furnished but two, so there were
three chairs to be struggled upstairs with
out attracting observation from Aunt Prue