The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1880-12-09

H6dIU OF SnOSt Will merry IlDS anu neI y
spots all over its face? Pshaw, it's all
humbug'
But poor Silas was thoroughly
alarmed; indeed. intended he should
be and thought his terror fine sport, or,
rather, the beginning of some fine sport,
for had made up plan, of which this
was only the prelude.
while Silas hesitated, divided be-
tween the fear of meeting the ghost
and the certainty of getting a whip
ping if he did not perform his errand. j
called my brother John aside and in a
| hurried whisper told him of my plan,
which we decided to keep to ourselves.
"As a result John proposed to ac-
company Silas on his errand, an offer
the poor fellow gratefully accepted, and
SO they set off together and the rest of
our party started for home.
l made some excuse to turn off be-
fore l reached my own home and ran
with all speed to the drugstore, where
l bought stick of phosphorus; then |
darted home and succeeded in getting
possession of a small sheet and in slip
ping off again unnoticed.
livery soon l found myself at the
bridge and there, hidden behind bush,
l proceeded to trace over my dark jack
ct the outline of skeleton ribs and very
startling they looked-the white, glow
ing lines shining out clear and distinct
through the darkness, for by this time
it was entirely dark Then PIT some
of the phosphorus on my hands and
face and wrapped the sheet around my
waist. leaving it to trail behind me-
THUS prepared, Iposted myself a
few yards beyond the bridge, on the
side the boys would reach first on their
return path.
Directly l heard Silas' voice.
60 o John, I'm afaid, I'm afraid
"' Nonsense answered nv brother.
The idea of a ghost. l only wish
there was such a thing. I'd like to see
one.'
$50, don't, don't say that. o, OH
" Such a cry of intense, utter horror
l hope never to hear again, and as Silas
uttered it he fell all in a heap on the
ground. John, according 10 our agree
ment, shrieked also and started to run,
as if terribly frightened. An instant
Silas lay there, and my heart gave a
great leap. Was he dead? Had !
killed him? But no, my boys, had
done nothing so merciful as that.
Silas sprang to his feet again, and
uttering shrek after shrek, rushed
headlong down the road towards the
bridge. BY this time, seeing how ter
ribly in earnest he was, began to think
that my fun had gone quite far enough.
so | followed at full speed, calling out
to him that it was all joke and no
ghost at all.
But he never needed a word l ut
tered; on and on he ran, shrieking all
the way, until he reached the bridge,
and there TO my horror he sprang with
one leap over the wall down into the
soft, Shiny mud and water at the mar
gin of the pond.
" John had turned back and tearing
loose the sheet from around my waist,
| rushed with him down the steep bank
to the spot where Silas was. There was
more mud than water just there, as we
well knew and the force of his descent
had sent him down into the deep, yield
ing slime until his head and shoulders
were above the surface and to our fur
Their alarm we saw that he was slowly
sinking down, down, down!
" Something must be done, aud that
speedily, or he would be buried alive
before our eyes. Some heavy planks
were lying on the shore. and Selling
these we dragged them out in the mud
until we had formed line reaching to
the spot where poor Silas was still |
shrieking, The ghost! the ghost! the
ghostr
"How we two boys contrived to drag |
him out of that oozing slime cannot to |
this day understand. But we did it |
somehow, and between US we got him |
back home, though he broke from us
several times with the old cry of The
ghostr
"He was very ill for weeks after that,
and when his body got well the doctors
said his mind would never come back |
again, and from that time to this he has
been Just as You see him now.
"As long as his unhappy mother
lived your Uncle John and helped her
to take care of him, and ever since her
death, long years ago, we have entirely
the miserable victim of our
cruel fun though it was more my sin
than your uncle's, for / was the ring
leader.
"My sons, that piece of Jolly fun
has saddened my whole life and clouded
its brightest moments"
Ny father ended his story and sat
looking down at our awe-struck face
as we murmured in sorrowful tones:
" Poor Uncle Silas!'
"Well, my sons" he said. after
while, - am waiting to hear what that
plan is that it will be such fun to play
off on Sam Harrow
We hung our heads in silence and he
smiled gently.
All, l see you know why / have
told you my sad story to-day. You have
read its lesson. And now. boys, can
trust you, know; but lest you might
forget, l want each one of you to lay
his hand on this Holy Book, and, re.
that our Father in Heaven
IS listening to you, promise never to in
1ulge in any sport that may injure or
distress your fellow-creatures D."
And then, standing at our dear faith
er's knee we each gave pledge that
we have never broken. and our lives
have been the better and the happier
for it.
My boy reader. and you also. my girl
reader, plead with you to 60 and dc
likewise, for so shall you obey the
javior's command to 90 Do unto Others
Is you would that they should do unto
you. ILLUSTRATED Christian Weekly.
Terrified by Mirage.