The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-12-19
CAUSED BY A SKELETON.
A Lawyer Whose Fortune waa Made By the Sudden Appearance ofa
 Fleshless Visitor.

Fleshless Visitor.
 No one in the Dry Folk nelghborhood thou sht anything ot Sam Speck until he proved himself to be a maa of dauntless courage. Sam was a sort of clieniless lawyer. About nine o'clock a, morUing he would go to cabin which he called an office, aud there, with his cowhide-en- comp .ssed feet resting on pine table. he would sit, app .rently in deep meditation, until a cianking COW bell, shaken by the 1 fat hand of old Mrs. GAilison warned him that dinner was ready. Sans standing in the com munity did not improve as time passed. The men oeclated that he ought to throw his pine table into the road aud go to splitting rails and the women asseveratea that as he was of no account anyway, it made no difference what he did. All the boArders at Ms GAilison's made fun of Sam but he took it good-naturedly. A young doctor who was one of the ocarders, conceived the idea of an excellent practical joke. Tell you what I'll do." sad he one night in ex2laining his idea 10 a friend. You know that I've got the 6oes, skeleton in the land. We'll, to-mouow while Clan. cellor s nm is down At hls office, VIC Il get into his room and arrange A wire above his door, so that when wc pull string at the prooer time the skeleton will s~lnH into his room. We'll hide ont in the hall until he goes into his room. Tnen we'll tap at the door and run away and js:: 2: he opens tho door we Il pull tue string, aad the fun will begin. What do yon think oi the idcaS'
 "Its capital" tue friend replied, [" but 1t strikes me as being trlne severe. It's enough to Gigh,en the bravest man in the world. 1t would scare me neLriy to death"
 II know it's lively" rej oined the doctor. but think that Sam deserves 1t. He needs something to sur up hus lAslsess."
 "Ail right, m with you" The arrangements were skillfully made. Fortunately far the jokers. Sam did not notice the wires above his door. h vas fate when hs entered his room, and the jokers were afraid that he would go to bed before ,aey could have tune to introduce the fun. but he did not. He sat down, put his feet on ricke,y wash stand and began to rad a sensational novel.
 Tap, tap, tap!
 "Come in." Sam called.
 Tap. tap. tap!
 Come in, tel you'll Sam yelled. elf you don't come in. stay out"
 The doctor, whsp .ring to his friend, said: Gle won't open the door. You shrow it open as hard as you can. jump away, and I'll pal the string"
 "An right"
 The door was flung violently open. 4 skeleton stepped into the room.
 Well, old teIlo~," said Sam. looking at his visitor from skull to shank, you must have been taking anti-fas, or per- haps you are regulAT boArder at this place. Sh down and rest your bones. You ought not to venture out of your room such a night as this vithout an overcoai. don, suppose. however, that you suffer much from the cold. never have been skeleton and don't know ho~ i, seems. bat don't believe Id like it. Believe Id get tired of that ce2seiess grin.''
 The doctor and his friend, 6lIed with admiration for the man of wondesfai nerve, entered the room and cosgraiu- lated Sam.
 "Joke, eh7' said Sam, "why, boys, when you want to sears me yourl have to pull different string. The reason didn't open the door vas because was afraid of being duased by the lAndiady." The nex. day Sam received coagraia. lations from all quarters. Ia the ssper- stitious neighoorhood oi Dy Fork, . man who la. :Ae nerve to defy A skeleton is . hero worthy of all praise. Cheats came, and the jas,ice of the peace before whom most of the cases were brought, was 90 much disposed to honor inrepi fifty that he gener ally rendered his decisioas in Sam's favor. The youag ia~yer contin- ued to grow in popularity until he vas sent to the leEisizssse. Iadsed, he was