The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1889-02-27
What Happened one Afternoon
at a Country School
BY ADELAIDE TAYLOR

lnere were not more tnan twenty OF us,
for the district was rather sparsely set
tied, but for q country school it was con-
sidered fairly good one.
On the afternoon in question we had
been occupied with our lessons, as usual
until the time for the writing exercise
had come. While we sat at our desks,
each busy with copy-book and pen, the
silence was suddenly broken by cry of
" Let me out let me out T. in tones of
distress. The voice seemed TO come from
the wood closet, and startled and aston
ished we all turned our eyes in that d.
rection.
Mr.. Payne, the teacher, quickly crossed
the room and threw open the door, but
there was nobody there and nothing to
be seen but the broom standing in a
corner and pile OF wood along one side.
A minute later the same voice piped out,
Sammy Grey haze got me enut up here
in his ink bottle, and sure enough the
words did appear to come right out of
the little black bottle on Sammy Grey
desk
If we scholars had been surprised be-
fore, we were in CONSERVATION now.
Sammy's terror would have been comical
to see if the rest OF US had not been so
frightened ourselves can see the little
fellow now as ne looked, jumping from
his seat, and backing away toward the
farther side of the room, his cheeks pale,
and his eyes big with fear and excite
ment
1t could only have been moment,
though it seemed much longer, before we
heard Mr.. Payne's voice telling Us there
was nothing to be afraid OF, it was only
trick an idle fellow was playing, and
could easily be explained. Then walk
ing toward the back row of desks, where
five or six big boys and young men were
seated, he demanded OF one OF them,
David Barlow by name, what he meant
by giving such an exhibition there.
Before going iurtner l must tell you
what we knew Of David Barlow. The
day before he had made his first appear
ance at our school stranger to all OF Us,
and said that he was staying with his
uncle, Mr.. Jones, one OF the farmers in
our district He was eighteen or nine
teen years of age, and rather good look
ing, but seemed to be very poor scholar,
except in one thing he was by far the
best reader in the school. There was an
air of stupidity about him most of the
time, though when this left him, occa-
sionally for little while, there was some
thing very attractive in his face and
manner.
Somewhat treasured by Mr.. Payne's
words, we looked curiously at the new
scholar, wondering how it was possible
for him to have done such thing, and
how it would all end There was moth
ing stupid about his appearance now as
he rose with perfect self-possession and
replied hope you will believe that
meant no disrespect to yourself, Mr..
Payne, though certainly owe you al
apology tor disturbing your school" He
went on to explain that he was student
at H College. He had come to his
uncle's on matter of business which
kept him in the country for few days.
and he had found the time hanging 30
heavily on his hands that when the idea
of attending the district school as pupil
for day or two, and taking the oppor-
tunlty to exercise his skill in ventrilo
quism, offered prospect of some fun, he
could not resist the temptation to carry
it out OF course, his uncle's family
hhO" uOIhluS VI Ills pIOJeCI, Gnoy sup
posing he had gone to the village to look
around and amuse himself. Again he
asked pardon Of Mr. Payne, and offered
to relieve him Of his presence.
Mr.. Payne said he did not know that
any good purpose would be served by re-
fusing to accept his apology, but since he
had given the scholars fright, it was no
more than fair that he should give them
some pleasure by means Of the art in
which he seemed to be an adept.
Barlow having expressed mis- willing
ness to do 80, Mr. Payne told us we
might put away our books, and then he
talked to US about ventriloquism, ex-
planning that persons who were skilled
in the practice of it could speak without
any movement of the lips, and in such
way that the voice would seem to come
from some place at distance, and not
from the speaker, just as when Mr. Bar
low spoke the first time we all thought
the sound came from the closet on the
opposite side of the room from where he
was sitting. He said there was nothing
supernatural about it, as he guessed Sam
my and come of the rest Of Dc thought
when we supposed that somebody or
something was talking out Of an ink bot
tie, but that any one who was willing to
take sufficient pains could learn TO do it.
He then asked our visitor to give u some
illustrations.