Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1893-04-07
BRAVE COLLEGE GIRLS.

We were two girls home from college
during the Christmas holidays. AT
last 1 was home" and my room
mate and best chum at school was
visiting me.
Taking advantage of the special
privileges accorded to college girls on
home vacations, we we're having our
own way entirely by sitting up late
ard alone in the big hall of my par
ent's country home, long after the
others had gone to bed.
The dimly glowing embers of real
old fashioned log fire on the hearth
gave the only light we had or wanted.
Now and then little Pickering
flame, suddenly blazing and as quickly
dying out made dancing ghostly
shadows fit about the spacious apart
ment giving it the weird and spooky
appearance our romantic minds de-
sired.
At the foot of the winding stair
case stood an ancient suit of knightly
armor, complete even to its visor
drawn and its mailed right hand
grasping its battle spear, which, no
doubt, had in its day unhorsed and
pierced many valiant foe.
At the top of the first stair land
ing was grandfather clock" tick
ing its loudest as If trying to tell two
giddy girls that after midnight it was
proper for them to be in the land Of
dreams and not be wasting the pre-
cious slumber time in talking non
sense.
But its mournful "tick- took, tick
took," oulv maze our hobgobln sur
roundings mole enjoyable and the old
knighU in armor grimly watching us
saw but merry looks and heard only
suppressed laughter, and, maybe, a
few girl secrets for his pains.
Not another sound echoed through
the big sittlng-room hall save some
times the rising wind outside Slam
ming a shutter or moaning through
the trees on the lawn or drearily
whistling down the huge chimney be-
fore us.
Although the romance of our situa-
tIon was delightful in the extreme,
10y and by it began to impress itself
in all its uncanny spookiness upon
our senses.
We became quieter, and though
wishing to seek our cosy bed chamber
above we dreaded going TO it through
the gloom of the long stairs and up
per hall, and so, yet we fingered be-
low by the dying fire.
"Say, Luce." said my chum Kate
after a spell Of dismal silence, ':sup-
pose that ugly old knight by the
stairs should step down and come for
us-what would you do?"
81 would Just run for my life, l
guess, answered, while the thought
made cold chllls run over me, land
you'd run for yours too, brave as you
are. Let's go to bed, Kate"
30, no hurry!" she laughed, Il
like it here immensely l dare you
to 60 up and touch the old fellow.
Say, Luce, mightn't there be a real,
live man inside that armor now. A
regular bloody burglar, for instance,
waiting for US to pass him and then
GRAB us to choke our screams and
cut our throats. l believe ! saw it
move. There! Look! I'm sure it
made a noise. See its eyes staring
al you now"
l ceuld feel my hair trying to erect
itself and in spite of the redicnl0us-
ness of the thing being aught but an
empty shell felt awfully like scream
ing and then fainting dead away.
Kate, seeing my terror, kept on.
'I'm sure it's alive" she whisper
ed, land watching us. There. it
moved again"
80, Kate" I gasped, more scared
than wanted to admit, 'do please
stop talking so, I'm not afraid, OF
course but l don't think you ought
to try and scare a person. 1t isn't
right Come, let's 60 to bed, it must
be after l o'clock. What will my
folks say when they know uf itn
"Well, Luce, you 90 first and see
If it's safe to get past that cid bar
barian. The G, he moved again. Pm
sure a mans inside the armor."
NO Wen go u. stairs together, -
l spoke, give me your hand"
Kate evidently had frightened her
self more than me for her hand
trembled as | took it. Now" ]
boldly whispered, come" And away
we dashed by the grim sentinel and
up to my room.
After ! had locked the door in the
dark found match AMI lighted a
candle standing on the dressing table,
and Kate and / both locked into the
glass-to see who was the whitest, ]
suppose.
Then we began laughing. 81 never
thought you was such coward,
Luce" said Kate, where's all your
college grit?"
"And where's yours?" answered
''you were more scared than /. Why.
you haven't nerve enough to haze q