The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1875-07-30
Dicks Spiritual Help.

A very select ScnOOl, consisting OF TWO
teachers and one pupil-Pansy's ouly
wax daughter, the Lady Melinda Mug
gins-had just come to grief. The Lady
Melinda had for some days been suffer
ing for-not from-a stitch in her side,
and Miss Nudge, in vigorous effort to
shake her into n knowledge of her
geography lesson, had produced vio-
lent hemorrhage of sawdust that made it
necessary for the poor lady to be put in
bed ut once. SO two worthy teachers
were out of situation. They were more
fortunate than many people who are out
of employment, however, for Just as
they began to consider what they had
better do next, hand beokoned at the
Window hand rather the worse for
late contact with green paint, a hand
with piece of gingerbread i'll it, but
still it beckoned.
"Come out here" said Dicks voice,
repeating 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 of you 1 know some
thing" said Dick, by way Of opening
the subject. Dick generally knew
something, or thought he did, which is
not always exactly the same thing. 81
want se-ance.
"What aunts what do you want to
see 'em forl" questioned Nudge with
wide-open eyes for Dick did not under
stand French and pronounced the word
as he had seen it spelled.
" Pshaw l don't mean that 1 mean
spiritual se-ance don't you know :"
But Nudge did not understand, aud
the others looked considerably Devil
dered.
GO know that's the name of it, cause
/ saw it in paper" pursued Dick posi-
lively. " L couldn't tell much about it
there, 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. L 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 !. 1 expect you'd do it
too"
81 s'pose-may bed be afraid, -
said Nudge, hesitatingly.
Afraidf Ho that's just like girl
/ wouldn't be bit afraid" exclaimed
Dick scornfully, and Max and Teddy
echoed the sentiment so vigorously that
Nudge was quite abashed, and remarked
apologetically:
"Well, 1 didn't say L should be,
only said may be might be-p'r'aps. u
" But what do you want to have see
see-your-uncle, or whatever you call it,
for Z" asked Max.
"Why, to find out if we can do it,
and-well, you see," said Dick, hesitat
ing, and then growing confidential, eli
we could get 'em to move table, they
might do lots of things for us-pile NJ
all the wood that's out in the shed, may
be, if we just laid our fingers on it, and
draw our sleds up hill for us in the win
ter. 1t wouldn't be a bit harder than
some things Miss Roxbury told about
and shouldn't wonder if we could gel
80 they'd do nearly all our work for us,
and we needn't do anything 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 evening seems more-mor,
somehow, you know" explaine,
Teddy, not very lucidly.
Pansy suggested the attic as q goot
place TO meet.
1--WE all can be by ourselves there
and nobody will come, or hear us, O
anything" she said.
SO the whole party went up to tn,
attic to view the place and make thei
preparations. There was large finishe,
chamber that had often served them 70
a play-room, and among its odd furnish
ing OF dilapidated sofas, old chairs
boxes and barrels, they found a shabb,
little table, and the boys lifted it on
into the middle of the room. 1t was
cripple, having lost one leg in som
former service, and inclined to tip owe
at the ightest touch.
Dick volunteered to make il all right
however, and running down. stairs he re
turned with a stick, hammer and nails
, 1t required deal of holding and ham
, mering before the new leg would be fast