Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-08-03
THE EVE OF ST. MARK.

THE EVE OF ST. MARK.
'sDid yon ever know any one who
really saw those things9" Alice Glynn
asked, drawing a long, shuddering breath.
II really don't think can try it, girls.
I'm such a coward, you know {
-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, mammals 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
r,o1v1 rfr1 oh 10
in the room.
Mrs. White came, tall, angular, with a
long grave face, and slow precise speech.
"Sit down, Mrs. White" said Emma.
GIVE sent for you to tell the girls here
what you know of the Eve of st. Mark, if
you've no objections
"No hobjections, miss, I'm sure"
moothing her apron with lack-luster
eyes.
"Did your nephew's cousin tell what
he saw before his brother killed
himself?' Cara asked, rather supercil-
ously.
"In 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 agin, sJim,' says
he, s'taint no use to make any plans for
the future, fur you haint got none. A
MAJ 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.
sob, 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 longer!' And
then he went in his room and slammed
and locked the door. Next mornln',
indin' he wouldn't answer, his mar bust
in 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.
20 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.
ooh, it's horrible!'' she gasped.
Switch, the story or Mrs. White9"
asked Adela, with sheer. II think St.
Marks ghost was guiltless 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 It was all a made-up
ghost.'
SWho's talking of ghosts?" said voice
at the door; and looking up, we saw Roy,
Emma's brother, standing there.
sob, Roy" cried Emma, sswe'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
terrific 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 ghostsp'
"Hush!' said Roy, pretending to look
shocked; s'you mustn't speak Of such
things with such irreverence. If you
don't believe in them, what are you 90
ing to keep vigil for at that ghostly houra"
ssWby, for fun, of course ]" cried Adela.
cts an insult to our understandings
to talk to us about being afraid Of ghosts
said Cara. 'sAlice may be, but then
Alice believes everything"
Roy shook his head and tried to look
grave, but caught the mischievous
twinkle in his eyes; and for a boy of
eighteen, must say never 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 for
him to stop chatting and worring us,
particularly Alice, who generally was his
victim.
"Look here, girls" he said, at last, and
could see his eyes twinkling, though he
put on a serious air. "Give up your
foolish idea Of going to the church. It's
a full quarter Of mile from here, and in
9 lonely spot, with woods all around.
You'll get frightened, as sure as fate,
and we'll have you flying back here,
screeching 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
natural-born towards, you know,
in spite Of your Boosting. .
We rose with universal shout of in
dignation, but even then suspected that
he was craftily melting us to carry out
our undertaking by slurs upon our cour-
age. We prided ourselves on our bravery,
and to tell us that we were afraid Of do
ing anything was to determine us to do
it.
ssI nnlr here ROW ,criad I'm n ti,.rl Is.