The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-01-03

a bottle of poisonous port. Hear my appeal If was hassy with you. havs been punished. That detestable thing on the hearth rug there has dogged my path to misery and ruin; you can not be without some responsibility for its con. duct. l ask you now, as a man-nay, as an individual-to call 1t cfl. You can do it well enough if you choose; you know you can."
 But Barpjum would not: he only looked at his own wrath with a grim satisfaction as it capered in an imbecile fashion upon the rug.
 "Dol" implored him; "I would do it for you, Barnjum. I've had it about me for six months, and am so sick of it."
 Sdll he hesitated. Some waits outside were playing one of those pathetic American melodies forget now whether 1t was Silver Threads Among the Gold,n or In the Sweet By-and-by"-but, at all events, they struck some sympathetic chord in Barnjum's rough bosom, for his face began to twitch, and presently he burst unexpectedly into tears.
 You don't deserve it," he said be- tween his sobs, "but be it so;7 then. turning to the ghost, he added: "Irere. you, what's your name /? avaunt! Dye hear, hook itw
 1t ~aveTed for an instant, and then. to my joy, it suddenly "gave" all over, and, shriveling up into a sort of cobweb was drawn by the draught into the fire. place, and carried up the chimney, and never saw it again
 
 BarnJum's escape was very simple; he had fallen upon one of the herring boats in the lake, and the heap of freshlv- caught fish lying on the deck had merely broken his fall instead of his neck As soon as he had recovered from the effects, he was called away from this country upon urgent business, and found himself unable to return for months.
 But to this day the appearance of the wrath IS mystery to me If Barpium had been the kind of a man to be an "esoteric Buddhist," it might be ac- counted for as an "astral shape :" but esoteric Buddhism requires an exemplary character and years of abstract medita- tion-both of which conditions were far beyond Barnjums attainments
 The shape may have been one of those subtle emanations which we are told some people are constantly she'd ding, like tue coats of an onion. and which certain conditions of the atmos- phere, and the extreme activity of Barn. Jum's mind under sudden excitement. possibly contributed to materialize in this particular instance
 Or, perhaps, it was merely caprice of one of those vagrant Poltergeists, or supernatural hffoons, which took upon itself, very officiousIv, the duty of aveng- ing my behavior to Barnjum.
 Upon one point am clear the whole ot this system of deliberate persecution being undertaken directly on BarDium's account, he IS IT orally and legally bound to reimburse me for the heavy expense and damage which have rrsulted there from.
 Hitherto have been unable to impress Barnjum with this prir ciple, and so my wrongs are still withort redress.
 l may be asked why l do not make them the basis of an action at law but persons of any refinement will under stand my reluctance to resort to legal proceedings against one with whom 1 have at least lived on footing of friend- ship. would fain persuade, and shrink from appealing to force; and, besides, I have not succeeded as yet in persuading any solicitor-even shady one-to take up my case.