St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1878-11-22

want me to try the cellar experiment p
''Pd try it myself if I dared :" anG
Lucy's pretty face looked doubtful, al
she sat tapping the rug with her slip
per.
"Don't you dare ? I'll mount guard
at the head of the stairs"
"That would spoil it. There must
be no one i'll the room above. And the
descent is begun at the first stroke OF
twelve. | believe | aUiH try it,"
"YOu'll feel less inclined at midnight
with the wind wailing round the house
What am to do ?"
"Why, let ME see. Milly Durell told
me some other things. One was some
thing like the cellar One-to eat an ap-
pie before mirror in an empty room
while the clock is striking twelve"
"What, finish the apple before the
twelve strokes are done ?"
"No, no; don't finish it all unless
you like, but eat while the clock is
striking"
every good. 1 won't attempt gas
Economical leats, but the rest is easy
There's no mirror in the kitchen, how
ever"
"Don't tell you you mustn't be in
the kitchen? The cellar opens in the
kitchen, and that's the scene of nv ex-
pertinent. You must be in a lonely
room. The east parlor would do. Go
eat your apple before one of the big
mirrors there.n
every well. If your courage holds
out long enough to attempt the cellar
feat, I'll try the other. Now get dress
ed it you mean to. | must go to papa
Since Mr.. Morris's last attack of rheu-
matism, dinner had been served in his
sitting room up stairs. There, as usu-
al, it was laid tonight.
A social dinner they had, so pleasant
that when desert was removed, and the
clock struck eight, Mr.. Harris showed
no inclination to retire. He was unus-
ally loquacious that evening. Stories
of college life and travels succeeded
one another, until Bertha's attention
was attracted by the evident impa-
tience of Martin.
"Papa," she said finally, 81 suppose
Martin wants to go. The servants are
all to be off at half past nine, and it will
take an hour to get you to bed"
Rather testify the old gentleman a.
greed to be wheeled back to his cham
Der.
"HallOw-eve parties are foolery," he
grumbled. "Well, well, Bertha, let
the servants see that everything is fast,
and bring you the keys. Goodnight,
goodnight, my dears. I'll ring if l
want anything. Now that deuced wind
has gone down, | expect quiet night"
AT half past ten the house was still.
And the two young ladies sat by their
dressingrOOm fire ready to begin what
Bertha called COMPUTATIONS"
''See what a calm night it is ~ the
latter remarked, going to the window
and drawing back the curtain. The
sky was still filled with ragged masses
of cloud, but, high above, IA white Octo-
Der moon shone through watery mists.
Below, the avenue and thickly wooded
grounds stretched quiet and dim.
Bertha, if we had some pieces of
lead we might be melting them. It's
an hour and Il half before twelve, and
we must keep awake somehow"
81 don't know that | have any lead
There's the shot in my riding skirt, but
it would take too long to melt that"
Lucy mused. ''We might scrape off
ii little from the outside. Anything for
fun. Where is the skirt y
''In the closet. All y
"What is it ?" and Lucy faced round
in surprise on her way to the ward
robe.
"NOthing. | fancied | saw some one
moving down there in the shadows. 1t
was only fancy" she finished turning
away.
Elbow do you know it was only fam
cy9 Suppose"
Lucy, for the second time beg you
not to he goose | could imagine |
saw fifty people if | stared into the dark
long enough. Rip the shot out of the
skirt, and wen go down to the kitchen"
TO the kitchen they forthwith re-
paired, each carrying a lighted candle,
and each with ball of lead in her
pocket; nor had Lucy forgotten her
Halfway down the great
staircase Bertha paused to laugh at the
of their proceedings.
Not so Lucy. Hurrying through the
dark hall with cheeks IT'S white as the
shawl she Wore, she rushed into the
kitchen and hastily lighted the gas.
"Hurry and shut the door, Bertha.
Is everything locked up down here ?"
with an apprehensive glance at the
dusky corners of the room.
81 suppose so. | have the keys of
the outer door in my pocket. Why,
Lucy, what's the matter?"
''NOthing. 1t seems so unnaturally
still after the wind. thought l heard
a noise in that recess under the stairs.n
Her sister laughed again as she ex-
the candles and examined
the fire in the range.
at was one of the future husbands,
of course, Lucy. Do hunt up an iron
spoon and get basin of cold water
while | try to scrape this lead"
Lucy presently forgot rything in
her interest in the lead experiment.
After tedious scraping she magaged to
melt the mineral in "A spoon, and drop
it into the water, where it Immediately
hardened into incomprehensibles shapes.
''ThOse are fishes aud crowns. You're
going to see high and low life, Lucy
You'll espouse fisherman and a king"
''Don't be foolish. I'll try again."
Again and again she tried with no
better success. But when Bertha in her
turn dropped the lead, there was cry
of surprise from both girls. The rude
semblance of a musket lay in the water
Bertha finished it out with laugh.
''Fate speaks. Pm to marry the son
of gun"
"Try again, Bertha. Let's see if it
comes again."
Bertha complied. This time it GER
tainly was no musket. 1t WAS a non
descript appearance, three cornered and
pointed.
ga soldiers capw cried Lucy, with
little scream of delight. ga soldiers
cap with a plume! What makes your
cheeks so red, Bertha.n
"The fire, l SUPPOSE was the cool