Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-07-17

take some little time, as we are so Tar from
the village"
Whereupon followed fearful and ungov-
ernable language from Mr.. Carper- He
shook the door violently. stamped about the
|. room, and ''went On" generally in most
alarming way pacifed him as well as l
could, or, rather, tried to pacify him, but
he continued to storm and swear without ap-
parently listening to my des-they were
nothing less-and at last l went down stairs
again, and took my place at the head OF the
table in furious passion Our previous de-
ceptions had never gone as far as this, and
felt myself sneak from the tips OF my I'm
gers to the toes Of my boots This was
most preposterous and outrageous plan OF
Elias. reflected savagely We could never
carry it out Why had listened to heri
As we devoured our soup we could hear
footsteps tramping about excitedly and II
regularly overhead Then there was sud
den silence 1t was the iun before the storm
Scarcely had the fish been removed than
series of loud bangs resounded on the pan
els up stairs Uncle Simon started nervously
Emma became crimson and muttered some
thing about ''rousing baby took no no
tice, but went on grimiy carving the fowl
before me.
win you take leg. or g wing. uncleT
said shortly
"A leg, boy" Indignantly, "What are
you thinking of III take wing-the liver
wing-of course"
/ hastily apologized and said was think
! ing of something else. so was-l was
thinking Of Uncle Gregory
! Bang bang bang! from above
! Good gracious What is that" exclaimed
! Uncle Simon. in a tone expressive OF alarm
! and amazement
What is whatT' | asked coldly, without
raising my eyes from the plate
''"hat most extraordinary noise CharlesI
went on my uncle. il much agitation Us
il. possible you do not hear itF'
81 hear the wind rising" replied calmly
81 fear we shall have storm" Happily,
the wind had risen by this time, and was
blowing pretty stltry Pray help yourself
to claret uncle" | continued; Il think you
will find it good"
There was short silence after this. broken
by the walls of the baby. who had reused up
at last Ella fed up stairs and | engaged
my uncle in polite and easy conversation
Suddenly, just as Mr. Finicker WAS
launched on a lengthy TRADE upon the agra
rian outrages in ireland, the banging began
again with renewed fury.
What on earth could the old fellow be
doingf wondered wretchedly, as the un-
mistakable crash of broken glass or crockery
Tor both sounded overhead There was no
SAYING what he might do, for Mr. Carper,
when aroused, was nothing less than mad
man. and he was evidently reused now
Good heavensl boy what is that noiseF'
exclaimed my uncle, starting from ms chair.
"What noise uncleS' | said, with a
chastity smile. "You are nervous tonight, |
fear"
"Nervousi Listen to that, and that, and
thatl" he continued fiercely =" Have you q
iunatic or wild beast concealed in your
house, sirF
listened hypocritically for a few mo-
ments
Il certainly do hear sounds,"I said then.
In doubtful tones. by this time the noise
was enough to waken the dead,
"Soundsl Why, you must be deaf or an
idiot, sir It's pandemonIum, | teii you
nothing less"
pose yourself Those-er-sounds are, | re-
greet to say. of frequent occurrence When
the wind is high. it Is to night, the noise IL
positively deafenlng 1T certainly was
IL will 90 UP after dinner and fasten the
skyights in the attics They have been left
open probably The house is said to be
haunted but that is all nonsense, of course. y
"Hauntedw repeated my uncle. CHANGING
over his shoulder nervously Haunted
That Is very unpleasant IL never knew
that"
Nor returned in careless tones iva
certainly hear some most unaccountabt
noises But one gets accustomed TO them IL
time Do have some more claret,
Though | spoke thus calmly. | was in
wardly consumed with rage and morufica
ton and shame. However there was no help
for it. | must keep 1t up now at all events,
and by and by that maniac upstairs would
surely in the course Of nature tire himself
out | simply could not go and tell MIN any
more lies. Things must take their course.
resolved, desperately.
"You were speaking of the Irish question, !"
observed in courteous tones tnaking my
self heard as we'll as l could amid the appal-
ling row overhead. II quite agree with you
that something will have to be done" r'By
! Jove" l CALCULATED mentally, something
will have to be done, or my wifes uncle will
be through the ceiling on to the dining
tablsP1
Uncle Simon helped himself to claret and
glanced upward.
Tit seems to be in the room above,D be
said, in a helpless irritated kind of way.
''Oh, it is sometimes in one part OF the
house, sometimes in another" | answered
carelessly. The curious thing is that | have
known weeks to pass without our hearing any
peculiar noises at all You were not dis
turbed during your last visit, If l remember
rightly. But pardon me, you were speaking
of Mr.. Gladstone's policy in regard to Ire
land, were you notl"
"Ah, yes, yesi It is atrociouS! The mar
Is becoming unbearable" resumed my uncle
testify talluding of course to Mr.. Gladstone
and not to the concealed enemy UPSTAIRS
ut is-but bless my soul, boy, will that noisc
go on all nights"
Here a terrific crash, followed by q pierc
ing yell, SO startled poor Uncle Simon tina,
he sprang to his feet, overturned his chair
and spilled his wine all over the tablecloth-
iia I'VE win SO into tue other room, ~ said
seeing thst the poor old fellow was as white
as O sheet. sWs shall not be so disturbed
there"
We accordingly went into the drawing
room, where we round Ella playing merry
jigs and reels upon the piano. The noise up
stairs had abruptly ceased
After game or two OF cribbage, in which
cut but sorry figure. l suggested, backed
up by Ella, that my uncle looked very tired.
and alluded to his projected early start in the
morning. He agreed he WIS tired, and after
couple Of stiff glasses OF brandy and water
he went TO bed
An oIninous silence meanwhile proyrE1od II
the pink room