The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1890-08-02

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81 PULLED THE CURTAIN ASIDE"
moving forward stealthily and with
caution.
'The ghostly disturbance, If 1t was
that, seemed to have reached its height
as we gained the chancel Gray threw
the light on the church, but all that
could be seen was here and there dim
pillar, and shadowy outlines; every
thing was indistinct and uncertain. ex-
cept the darkness beyond, which
wrapped the interior as in mighty
shroud. Still with stealthy steps,
climbed into the pulpit, which was one
Of the old fashioned kind. The noise
seemed now to be everywhere, over
head, undertook on all sides; clatter,
thump, thump, clatter, mingled with
strange vibrations that sounded almost
like groans The choir seats, in the
middle of which stood the big organ,
were ranged on the left of the chancel,
and curtains that could be reached from
the pulpit hid the organist from the
eyes of the congregation during service.
/ motioned to Gray to turn on the light,
and sure that all the noise came from
that part of the chancel, l made one
supreme effort, trembling all over, and
pulled the curtain aside. l think / was
never more scared in my life than when
did So My hands shook. my heart
thumped like anvil-beats, and when, as
the curtain-rings ratified aside, heard
wild exclamation, and saw by tho
bulls eye, slowly turning towards me,
two lack-luster eyes and the pallid
face of man, came very near falling
from the platform on which l stood.
The seeming mystery was soon solved.
The organist, who had been practising
that afternoon for the coming service,
had probably fallen asleep, and his
mind still on the music had, in .
somnambulistic state, gone on with his
practice There being no one to blow the
bellows, of course there was terrible
noise, and no music
"'What is it? what has happened?
| what does it mean? How came here?
he asked all in one breath. why, it's
pitch dark! What time is it?' he contin.
ued, dear me, dear mel
II looked at my watch. 1t wanted
ten minutes to twelve.
"'Never was SO frightened in my life
as when 1 saw you he said, getting
down from his high perch. Never did
such thing before, though have a
i trick of walking in my sleep, sometimes;
but how did you know was here?'
." I guess If you could have heard the
chatter of those pedals underneath, you
wouldn't ask. 1t sounded for all the
world as If dozen kicking mules had
been let loose. That and the wind out
side were enough to shake the stoutest
nerves. But we were bound to get at
the mystery, if we were frightened
"sThat's right boys said hearty
voice.
We turned round, and there stood my
uncle.
"'That was the only thing to do, and
Jack Hale burst into the rectory, awhile
ago, in such a state of excitement that
came over at once to investigate. ]
think he must have a confirmed belief
in ghosts. The widest sort of stories
might have been in circulation round
town tomorrow, if you had not had the
courage to see what the matter was
How did it happen, Willis? he asked,
turning to the organist
"'Well, / was very anxious, as you
know, about the music was the mans
answer, and after long practice went
into the study. 1t rained so very hard
/ thought 1 would wait for lull in the
storm, as had no umbrella suppose
/ must have fallen asleep, and the other
followed. Pm heartily provoked with
myself
/ "'rd advise you after this to keep
awake in church, young man., said my
uncle. laughing. Otherwise there's nc
knowing what you might do
I'VE boys went back to the den quite
elated with our share in the matter, and
presently, when Jack Hale came creep
ing back, crestfallen enough, we had the
laugh on our side"
That's pretty good story said one
of the boys.
/ "And the best Of it is" said Hugh,
''it's true one."-Mary A. Denison, il
Waterman.
i Women are not vain. They are in
! terested so much in their own appear