Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1885-10-29

head. all the logic IN the world won,,
change her? She is determined that
she has hydrophobia. and that deyilisb
planchette has so turned her head that
she won't listen to any sense. The
doctor told her that he was sure that
the dog wasn't mad. but it didn't affect
her a part Gle. She said maybe he
hadn't gone mad enough vet for his
brain to show it. but he had gone mad
enough to give the disease to other
people. and she had it. She would saw
a piece of the sleeve had b'own on to
the nail. if tCe tried to reason with her.
No, Rem: l tell you We shall have to
try another dodge. You'll help me-,
won't you? And l know you know
how to write with planchette.'
''Rather." said /. grinning. for
saw that he was in the secret of those
hints of Uncle Eldred's regarding the
circus and like follies.
l went home with Basil. and spent
the afternoon in his room. When l
returned to our house in the even
| ing. Basil went in and saw mother.
She came out to me flushed and ex-
cited. and kissed me tenderly, say
ing:
DO You think you can do it. Rem?
Oh, be careful. my boy''
iii try, ,ha,"I answered, feeling
rather shaky and solemn. Then a
great basin of beef tea was given to
me as pretext for going. and was
sent over to Aunt ELIAS. She did
not see general visitors now, but had
always been favorite. and Lyde took
me into her mothers room. 1t was
so dimly lighted that could only dis
tinguish the outlines of the bed and a
table near it on which were sheets of
paper and planchette. Aunt Eliza
lay on the bed, looking very much
as usual; but poor Lyde, who stood
beside her, had cried herself to a
shadow
lis it you, Rem?' said Aunt Eliza
in her old, kind voice. which made
lump come into my throat. 'I'm
glad you've come. 1 have wondered
why you didn't come sometimes. l
wanted to see you again. And I'm
feeling very comfortable this evening.
tell your ma. To-morrow's your birth
dav. isn't it? had Aunt Susannah
bake pound-cake for you. And
here's little box with something in it
for tomorrow. l just got it ready.
You needn't be afraid, dearie. won't
hurt you now"
''Oh. 1 amt afraid" I suffered, my
heart beating like trip-hammer. 1
took the box and went back to Lyde.
She touched my hand second. As
she did so she slipped the end'of a
horse-hair into my palm. The other
end l knew was on the planchette. l
stood little distance frcza the table.
with my hands behind me.
Lyde went to the other side of the
bed. All at once she uttered loud
exclamation: MA. do look! What's
the matter with Planchette?"
Up and down the table careened the
instrument of mystery. 1t must be
confessed that its movements were
awkward. but then in single after
noon one can not learn all the posi-
bilities of horse-hair motor.
Aunt Eliza was not critical; the weird
gyrations impressed her instantly.
''Give it to me-" she said. lit wants to
write"
But Planchette declined fatty to
write, bobbing out of her reach the in
slant she rested her fingers on the
board.
'Let me try" said Lyde. Whereupon
Planch tie vau'ted clean Oft the table
and fell at nv feet
Its Rem" said my aunt. solemnly.
Il always said that it wrote better for
him and Tim than for anybody else.
There wasn't the least difficulty in read
ing Their messages. Don't you re-
member how plain that one about the
circus was? Try it, REM
put the tn ng on the table 1t was
quiet enough now good reason WHY.
l laid my hands on It with the gueerest
feeling of the mingling OF comedy and
tragedy IN the scene. Its VIZ ting"
l announced presently; you'll haze to
open the blinds to read. though. AS
Lyde opened the blind of the window
behind the bed could see Bias Ferris
pacing his fast bays in his beach wagon
up and down the street.
Th is the me sage which Planchette
wrote and Lyde read out loud:
dred can't come. He didn't write the mes
sages which you have had. You have been
deceived by false spirits. You have not got
hydrophOba, not Il bit of it. The dog did
not bite you. You tore your arm on the ma |
in the fence There is piece OF the dress on
the nail now. Go and see. Brace up! you
won't die"
Lvde's voice trempled so that she |
hardly could pronounce the words, and
Aunt Eliza sat up IN bed clutch Nc the
coverlet. her face paler than it was the
day that she told me she.was b item.
Fetch me the dress wa ST." she !
gasped-''the one l had On--you |
know"
Its right N the closet, ma" said
Lyd de.
When t was brought my aunt looked
at the rent in the sleeve carefully be- |
fore she turned to me and said: I'm |
very much obliged. brother Dan. I'll
60. Is there anything more?''
kept nv finger tips on the plan
Ghetto board for full five minutes, but /
it was quite mo,ionless.
Aunt Eliza drew long sigh. We'll, |
Dan, tell Eldred thank him. He al |
WAYS was right. Remington. run out.
honey. You look as white as sheet.
Tell Aunt Susannah to give you glass
of VIVA And 4 yIo holm v,o ,rot go.