The National tribune., 1881-12-24
OUR NEW WALK.
-GRIF.
BY JIMMY BROWN.

For once have done right. l always used tc
think that if | stuck to it, and tried to do what
was right, l would hit it some day; but at last
pretty nearly gave up all hope, and was begin
ming to believe that no matter what did, some
of the grown-up folks would tell me that my
conduct was such. But l have done a real use
full thing that was just what father wanted and
he has said that he would overlook it this time
Perhaps you think that this was not very en-
come up stairs with me my son as often as |
have been, Just because you had tried to do right
and hadn't exactly managed to suit people, you
would be very glad to hear your father say that
for once he would overlook it.
Did you ever play YOU were ghost? [ don't
think much of ghosts and wouldn't be bit
afraid if | was to see one. There was once
ghost that used to frighten people dreadfully
by hanging himself to a hook in the wall. He
was one of those tall white ghosts, and they are
the very worst kind there is. This one used to
come into the spare bedroom of the house where
he lived before he was dead, and after walking
round the room, and making If he was in
dreadfully low spirits, he would take a rope out
of his pocket, and hang himself to a clothes-hook
just opposite the bed, and the person who was in
the bed would faint away with fright, and pull
the bedclothes over his head and lie in the most
dreadful agony until morning, when he would
get up, and people would say, Why how dread
ful you look your hair is all gray and YOU are
whiternany sheet" One time man came to
stay at the house who wasn't afraid of anything
and he said "Ill fix that ghost of yours: I'm
terror on wooden wheels when any ghosts are
around, l am" So he was put to sleep in the
room, and before he went to bed he loosened the
hook, SO that it would come down very easy
and then he sat up in bed and read till twelve
o'clock. Just when the clock struck, the ghost
came in and walked up and down as usual, and
finally got out his rope and hung himself; but
as soon as he kicked away the chair he stood on
when he hung himself, down came the hook, and
the ghost fell all in heap on the floor, and
sprained his ankle and got up and limped away,
dreadfully ashamed and nobody ever saw him
again.
Father has been having the front garden walk
fixed with askfelt pavement. Askfelt is some
thing like mOlasses, only four times as sticky
when it is new. After a while it grows real
hard only ours hasn't grown very hard yet. |
watched the men put it down. and father said,
/" Be careful and don't step on it until it gets
hard or you'll stick fast in it and can't ever get
out again. I'd like to see half a dozen meddle-
some boys stuck in it and serve them right" As
soon as / heard dear father mention what he'd
like, determined that he should have his wish,
for there is nothing that is more delightful to a
good boy than to please his father.
That afternoon | mentioned to two OF three
boys that l knew were pretty bad boys that our
melons were ripe, and that father was going to
pick them in a day or two The melon patch is
at the back of the house, and after dark dressed
myself in one of mothers night-gowns, and hid
in the wood-shed. About eleven o'clock | heard
q noise, and looked, and there were six boys COM
ing in the back gate, and going for the melon
patch. ] waited till they were Just ready to be
gin and then | came out and said, in a hollow
and protuberant voice, Beware!"
They dropped the melons, and started to run,
but they couldn't get to the back gate without
passing close to me, and / knew they wouldn't
try that. So they started TO run round the house
TO the front gate, and | ran after them. When
they reached the new front walk, they seemed to
stop all of a sudden, and two three of them fell
down. ] didn't wait to hear what they had to
say, but went quietly back, and got into the
house through the kitchen window, and went up
stairs to my room l could hear them whisper
ing and now and then one or two of them would
cry little; but thought it wouldn't be honor
able to listen to them so l went to sleep.
In the morning there were five boys stuck in
the askfelt, and frightened most to death l got
up early, and called father, and told him that
there seemed to be something the matter with
his new walk When he came out and saw five
boys caught in the pavement, and an extra pair
of shoes that belonged to another boy who had
wTiggled out of them and gone away and left
them, he was the most astonished man you ever
saw. told him how / had caught the boys
stealing melons, and had played was ghost
and frightened them away, and he said that if
I'd help the cOachman pry the boys out, he would
overlook It, So he sat upon the piazza and over
looked the coachman and me while we pred the
boys out, and they came out awfully hard, and
the askfet is full Of pieces of trousers and things