The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1879-09-06

lessor Meredith, the unrlvalled and
world renowned ventriloquist."
This, thought /, shall be the source of
my evenings en- oyment. Turning my
face in the direction of the "Hall of
Science and Emporium of Amusement"
/ was soon seated in snug corner of
the body of the building, and was not
long in being carried away by the won
derful sayings and doings of the pro-
fessor. At last he told ushe would hold
an imaginary. conversation with person
up the chimney. He did 80. When, in
the midst of dialogue, the person up
the fue gave decisive "Hah, hah, hah p
I was startled. Isprang from my seat.
{" Surely" said l, half aloud, that is
the voice and tone and words which more
than or ce came from the maintop of the
Niger" And while was staring at the
professor, with eyes ready to leap out of
their sockets, he came to the front of
the stage to perform his part. Then, ir
spite of his flowing beard and other
decorations, saw in Professor Meredith
the identical Jack Chester who, over
twelve months before, was believed to
have leaped, in fit of madness into the
sea and was drowned.
"Chesterp I cried out in my excite.
ment.
est downp' cried one; "put him
outl" said some others. In the mean
while | had come to myself, and resumed
my seat, but not before / had got from
the professor sign of recognition.
When the performance was over, nv
old shipmate, for it was he, beckoned me
to him, and, taking me to his private
room, he grasped my hand in all the fer
vency of ardent friendship. "Sit
down, Henry, my boy" he said, "and
you shall have solution of the mystery
which hangs over me and the past!"
I" How came you to be saved from a
watery grave on the awful night when
you plunged into the raging scar" | i'm
patiently asked.
p" l did not Jump overheard" replied
Chester, laughing; "neither was I any
less sane than / am at this moment. The
entire affair was trick of my own in
vention to brighten the captain and get
away from his clutches. My madness
was sham, and the man overheard was
simply bundle of old toys, topped by
my old hat, which had just put togeth-
er. The moment / pitched them over
the rail | slipped down into the fore
peak, where [ lay hid until the night
after the ship entered port, when I stole
out and went on shore. / had taken
care to lay up plenty of junk, and /
managed to avoid detection until the
Niger sailed. The cries you heard from
the maintop, from behind the long boat,
and in the cabin, l need not now ex-
plain" e.
No." said I, call is made clear by
the doings of this night" Exactly
So" said he. And then he continued
." | had performed as a ventriloquist in
most of the large cities and towns of
Europe before you knew me; but be
coming somewhat restless in my habits,
and having squandered all my earnings,
in fit of recklessness / took to the sea,
and, in the capacity of a sailor, found
my way to Puget Sound. Butt had not
in me the stuff of which sailors are made !;
SO, after my adventures on board the
Niger, went back to my old profession,
in which have done well. My Wild
oats are all sown, hope, and, having
learned wisdom by bitter experience, |
shall stick to that line of life for which
| have capacity-a better thing than
splicing old ropes or taking in topsail
reefs on blowing night"
" l should think So" / said. "But
you nearly killed the captain with
fright, while you caused us many a
heartache at your supposed loss"
" FOR the latter I am sorry" returned
Chester. But cannot say I pitied the
captain. His cruelty to me was terrible,
and he would have possibly have ended
by killing me but for my fortunate gift
of ventriloquism. 'All's well that ends
WE'LL"
"True," / returned. "And I rejoice
that you are alive to say 80. You kept
your secret famously, for neither Cap
tain Phillips nor any of his crew ever
suspected that incapable Jack Chester
was the ghost that haunted the Niger"
-Argosy.