The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1875-07-29
flor nonnq Readtrs.
DICKS SPIRITUAL HELP.
by KATE W, HAMILTON.

daughter, the Lady Melinda Muggins-
had just come to grief. The Lady Me
linda had for some days been suffering
for-not f-oma-a stitch in her side, and
Miss Nudge, in vigorous effort to shake
her into a knowledge of her geography
lesson, had produced 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 sltua-
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 hand
beckoned at the window-a 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 a council had
been called.
"See here, all you; I 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. II 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
spiritual se-ance; don't you know
But Nudge did not understand, and the
others looked considerably bewildered.
81 know that's the name of 1t, cause l
saw it in paper" pursued Dick, posi-
lively. a 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'
Il spose-maybe-Id be afraid, y
said Midge, hesitatingly.
Afraid? Ho! that's just like girl! |
| wouldn't be bit afraid, exclaimed Dick,
scornfully, and Max and Teddy echoed
the sentiment so valorously that Midge
was quite abashed and remarked apologet
! ically:
Well, l didn't say l should be, | only
said maybe might 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 doit, and
well, you see," said Dick, hesitating, and
then growing confidential, if we coulo
get 'em to move a table they might dc
lots of things for us-pile up all that wooo
that's out in the shed, maybe, if we JUS
laid our fingers on 1t, and draw our sleds
uphill for us in the winter. 1t wouldn>
be a bit harder than some things Mis-:
Roxbury told about, and l shouldn't won
der if we could get so they'd do nearly al
our work FOR us and we needn't do any
thing ourselves but just have good times.
1t was an inviting prospect, and tn
brilliant plan was adopted at once, The,
decided to try the experiment that very
evening.
Because evenings seems more-mor
somehow, you know" explained Teddy
not very lucidly.
Pansy suggested the attic as goodplac
TO meet.
1--WE all can be by ourselves there, ant
nobody will come, or hear us, or any
thing she said.
SO the whole party went up to the atti
to view the place and make their prepara
tons There was large finished cham
Der that had often served them for a play
room, and among its odd furnishing @
dilapidated sofas, old chairs, boxes an
barrels they found shabby little table
and the boys lifted it out into the middl
of the room. 1t was a cripple, having los
one leg in some former service, and in
clined to tip over at the lightest touch.
Dick volunteered to make it all righ
however, and running downstairs he r'
turned with stick, hammer and nails
1t required deal of holding and han
! mering before the new leg would be tas
ened on, and even then it was rathc
loose and unsteady, after the manner c
! artificial limbs. But Pansy hid its aws
wardness under an old sheet terreted OF
, of a box of castoff articles, and Midg
was 80 delighted with its appearance i
white that she limited strong desire
change the proposed circle into te
party.
: The others were not inclined to give u
| their grand scheme for anything so con
t monplace, and poor little Midge yielde
to the majority, though with some linge
t ing misgivings.
q hope the spirits won't ever try
help me any when Pm all alone, - she sal
uneasily. "'Cause maybe l wouldn't
afraid-'cause l wouldn't! but guess T.
| a pretty good deal bashful when l ain
: 'quainted."
The next thing was to provide seat
e The attic furnished but two, so there we
/ three chairs to be smuggled upstairs wit
| out attracting observation from Aunt Pr1
G or Hester, and Dick secured an old Ian
8 with which to illuminate the scene.
8 1t was the most fortunate thing in Il
= world, the children thought, that Mi
: Roxbury dropped in directly after tea
: spend the evening with Aunt Prue, b
cause that left them at liberty to carry o
/! their plan with little danger of interru
: ton.
II "Of course it isn't wrong or anythil
n if anybody did see us, but then they mig
q think it queer, and laugh and all that
u explained Dick, by way of satisfying Il
! general conscience.
d They waited until the two ladies we
d comfortably busy with chatting al
e crocheting, and then they stole softly pa
It the sitting-room door and began to mou
e the stairs. Did anybody ever tip-toe cal
r fully upstairs without having every st
crack and creak in most marvellous wa
Il These stairs behaved after the usu
d fashion, and the children grew so excit
"a and mirthful over their efforts that the
II progress was constant succession Of
# tering and hushing, and they arrived
% the attic in condition SO nearly uproa
e GUS that it was a long time before tn
d could settle into anything like gravi
e again.
If They seated themselves around the tai
n and placed their hands upon it; but M