River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1879-08-07
THE EVE OF ST. MARK.

-Four Of us who were classmates were
sitting together IN Emma Lyons bed
ROOM We had come TO spend the vaca-
ton with her in her country home.
There were Alice Glynn, Clara Hall,
Adcla Groves and myself, all ready for
any amount Of fun and daring, Emma
Lyons, as usual, taking the lead.
When | say all, | must except our
pretty Alice, who was timid, nervous
little creature, but whom we dragged into
many of our "escapades" by sheer bully
ing
"Was she very pretty?" you ask. Yes,
lovely, from the long rlnglets of her
blonde lair to the arch of her little foot
We called her little, but she was tall, and
looked as if she had no business to be
the arrant coward she was.
well, cowardice is your normal con
dition, my DEAR answered Emma,
$50 it don't count for much, ] never
saw the things, as you call them, but
then, I've looked at them through anoth-
er persons eyes, The vigil OF st. Mark
is an English custom, you know, and I'll
call Mrs. White, mamma's housekeeper,
to tell us about it. She has already half
curdled my blood by her awful Stories
ASK Mrs White to step here for a
minute" STE said to a servant who was
| in the room.
Mrs. White came, tall, angular, with a
| long grave face, and slow precise speech.
"Sit down, Mrs. White" sand Emma.
ave sent for you to tell the girls here
what you know Of the Eve Of st. Mark, if
you've no objections"
mo hobjections, miss, I'm sure, F"
moothing her apron with lack-luster
eyes.
Ibid your nephew's cousin tell what
he saw before his brother killed
HIMSELF Cara asked, rather supercil-
ously.
ain course, miss, he told it right off to
Jim Chat was his brother. He done his
duty by him everybody knows. I've
heard him say, time and agln, 'Jim,' says
| he, faint no use to make any plans for
the future, fur you haint got none. A
maa can't fly from his fate when its fixed.
All you've got to do is to consider your
latter bend, and make up your mind to
| be cut off in the flower of your days.
Somehow, jim couldn't make up his
mind
Don't blame JIM muttered Adela.
ooh, yes, we all done our duty by the
misfortunate man" Mrs. White went on.
''The folks used to look mournful-like at
him, and his sweetheart quit him, cause
she said she couldn't a-bear the thought
of him, maybe killing hisself right afore
her. He got awful grumpy, and one
night, says he:
I'm druv mad by all of you, and
haint goin to stand it no longerH And
then he went in his room and slammed
and locked the door. Next mornln' i,
| fndin' he wouldn't answer, his mar bust
III the door, and found him dead. He'd
killed hisself. Yes young leddies, sper-
its are abroad on St. Marks Eve"
Having reached her tragical termina-
ton, Mrs. White stalked out of the room.
80 girls, look at that goosey, Alice"
Emma exclaimed, laughing Alice
was sitting upright IN her chair, her eyes
almost starting out OF her head. and her
face as white as sheet.
"Oh, it's horrible!' she gasped.
(which, the story or Mrs. Whitet"
asked Adela, with a sneer. 81 think st.
Marks ghost was guitless Of poor Jim's
death. That abominable brother, and
Mrs. White and the rest of them that
done their duty as the poor fellow said.
'druv HIM mad 1t was all made-up
ghost"
"Who's talking of ghosts4" said voice
at the door; and looking up, we saw Roy,
Emmas brother, standing there.
oh, Roy" cried Emma, we've made
up our minds to keep the vigil of st. Mark
IN the church porch tomorrow night,
at midnight! But Mrs. White, with her
terrihc tales, has scared one of u.s. with
a glance at Alice, $50 fearfully that we'll
never be able to drag her along. As if
anybody who has common sense believes
in ghosts!"
"Hush!n said Roy, pretending to look |
shocked; ''you mustn't speak of such |
things with such irreverence. If you |
don't believe in them, wnat are you 60
ing to keep vigil for at that ghostly hour2'
"Why, for fun, OF course y cried Adela.
Its an insult to our understandings
to talk to us about being afraid Of ghosts,
said Cara. "Alice may be, but then
Alice believes everything"
Roy shook his head and tried to look
grave, but I caught the mischievous
twinkle in his eyes; and for boy OF
eighteen, / must say Inever in my life
say such an adept at mischief as he was.
He had determined upon some mischief,
| was sure.
He was silent so long, we looked at
him in surprise, for it was unusual Tor
him to stop chatting and worring us,
particularly Alice, who generally was his
victim.
"Look here, girls, he said, at last, and
l could see his eyes twinkling, though he
put on serious air. "Give up your
foolish idea Of going TO the church. It's
a full quarter of a mile from here, and in
a lonely spot, with woods all around.
You'll get frightened, as sure as fate,
and we'll have you flying back here,
like insane people, and scar
ing mother out of her wits. Dare say
your hair will turn white, too, from
fright. and then you'll bear the name OF
venerable band instead of fearless
band.' Come, be reasonable. Girls are
towards, you know,
in spite of your Boosting.
We rose with universal shout OF in
iionation, but even then suspected that
he was craftily melting us to carry out
our undertaking by slurs upon our cour-
lge. We prided ourselves on our bravery,
md to tell us that we were afraid of do
ing anything was to determine us to do
t.
"Look here, Roy, cried Emma, whats
he matter with you2 We are going to
he church tomorrow night, and Just
pare your insults till we get back, win
TouI'
'.oh, don't let us gof' cried Alice.
Roy is right We ought not to go there I
lone at that hour o Roy, can't you {
'ome too?n 4
'.Impossiblegn said Emma, decidedly |
We certainly don't want that young I
,entleman's escort. He would have rea- )
on to triumph over US if we took him, $
nd to tell the truth, I'm sure he's afraid
imself.n q
Roy, instead Of resenting this, only 3
hook his head solemnly.
ssWell, yes, / must acknowledge I'd G
ather be in bed on ST. Mark Eve than in {
he church march among the graves q