Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1880-01-14
Ti;e HeiInsiy Thing.

Bus when we found It. !! had ss m
little sister Jennie expressed i, 'Tua t
seed"
Tic beautiful grounds were oveuun viii
weeds, covering with their rank growtl
Statues, vases, and fountains.
But rs Jennie again said, the old hous,
was perfectly delicious
It was of Two stories with attics.
4 great rambling old place with dim cor
ridors running hither and thither into tht
OdGest out-of-ihe-wsy places.
! Jennie and had gone down with 4 reji.
nue. OF servants 10 suqeIIDtend the cleaning
preparatory to the advent CT the rest OF tbs
family.
Late IN the evening OF the second day We
were sitting on the Oil settce, in frGRt OF !
Gecayin- Gre, discussing various matters oi
interest.
\ small lamp burned on the man:el be.
fore large mirror had been hung q little
before dark.
/ had just proposed going 10 bed, IS the
servants had done 50 an hour before, and
the bGre, interpreted rooss and halls
/ seemed dEeadfuliy cherries and lonely.
The answer that received was Q clutch
on the arm.
l ItUaedand ioo&edatJ Jennie, and shocked
as vas By her ghasjly facs, my eyes in
voluntarily followed her 10 the glass above
the mantel.
To describe my terror and horror would
be impossible.
Like Jennie, I sat pctrifed, and gazed
with eyes that seemed starting from my
head.
Il was 50 ghastly thing to confront US ct
that hour,
1t was snail, covering, dark oJjoc.-a
shapeless mass with face % deathly pallOr,
from which burned two great shining eyes,
a tangle Of black hair falling almost 10 the
heavy eyebrows.
i 1t crouched just without Tie open door
leading into one OF the mauy corridors, eye
ing us with terrible intentions.
1t last | shook OF the terror and sprang
to my feet. sna,ched the lamp from the
mantel with the intention Of investigating
the strange object.
! My hasty movement eXtingJIished t. Tie
1 fire was too low to admit OF more than a
dtiul gleam Of light, aud our sense Of hOr-
rOr for the moment was frightful
/ Jennie succumed to It utterly. With q
! gurgiing cry she sank fa.ating upon the
settee.
/ This sDurrcd me 10 n effort.
/ Catching 4 paper from the settee, l tore
OF piece with frantic haste, and in spite
Of my shaking hands. succeeded in relight-
ing tine lamp.
Then hurried to The doorway. But
I nothing was there
/ Lacking the c0uIsEe 10 pursue rly inves-
/ itiratious, returned 10 Jennie, first care
fully closinr = ana loc,lisg the door.
After q l;.iis attention Jennie came to
/ her senses. Size looked n2 at my pale face
I and gssped:
''There-where IS the tlingl'
+ tod her u. knew about IL, and after
Z LITTLE we crepJ timid!y u7 10 or room.
I Ne slept little; but in tie warm, sunny
I day ibe. Jr5ae the '-thi1g." SIS Jennie
called it seemed far less terrifying.
The Cl- went Oh smoothly enough til
near twilight, when piercing SHREK from
Jennie called UE to TIE great stairway.
''Wh2t is the matter = ] cried, as Jennie
stood gazing in white terror az the at ic
I landing lar above ber head
/ TAc thing. lie thing" she airieSed:
aud again she tainted.
. Leaving her il tic care Of one Of the ser
wants who had rushed after nc, I TOOK the
others, and hurried Lc.erminedIy up 20 tie
atlics
/ We searched from oae end to the other,
but found nothing.
Suddenly one OF the men called oct, has
tily:
There's something shaking that roll of
canvas among the rafteEs thessI'
Ard with the words he jerl,ed i down,
and from its folds tumblcl aii-tlc misshapen
I cyeottTe-a dwarfej hunpiac,,, his IN
calny form rendered stjl more Uncarny by
a short cloak cast a5oJt his shoulders.
you little Imp, what are you doing
here Z" demanded the servant, Erlspilg
hin by tie shoulder betore lie could es-
cape.
NO harm ploasei" pi.eousiy gasped the
mite, lifting pair Of great soft eyes to ny
face. 'I'n only Dga-. the li.tle be-gar. l
/ amt 10 faends, an ai1't TO home"
That melted my heart.
''fhere, Ja.e7, let him 90, l intericred;
'.you hurt him u
And then, addressing this singular piece
Of humanity, ! said:
"NEy have yOu been proving about and
frightening Us half 70 dea.kl Why
''Flea5e'm l aip't frightened you half
you've frightened nc !n whined the cUlprit,
a big tear cousslng 4 white line over his
dirty checks.
'.But why did you 10. knock at the door
and ask for slel:er p I asked, with din
entity restraining Z smile.
e! was aleard they'd give me q pair o
cuffs"
And now 4 full tide poured cleansingly
over his cheeks.
a pair Of cufs!" I echoed, in amaze
ment.
But James here burst into laugh, Gx-
planning.
''Ie means, Miss, that he was afraid we'd
cuff his ears
"yes'm." assented Drat, as gave vent
% an ''Oh,'
And then ne added:
Il Was here fust m -
''Oh, y-u were - 1 laughed.
I stood 4 minute looking at him thought
fully, after which / asked, slowly:
''Do you think yoI could work Could
You make yourself useful if should keep
you, and give you a home here =
deed l kiu'm," he gaspcd, eagerly.
''Oh keep mem keep me. 1 amt got no
body.'
- will, said, deeply touched. 'James,
take Inn down and give him : bath, and
then get him something to eat. | viii go
and try TO manufacture q clean suit ef some
kind"
And 50 the Heimsly Thing became what
Jennie christened the Helmsly Page. And
never did more faithful servant and friend
live than our little Drat. Heaven bless him
Snow Two Hundred FeeI Deep.