The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-12-13

terrible thin, plain pine lumber when
built into "a haunted house couid De. ~
seemed every moment as ~ a. -, 49,, ~
something was about 10 spring from the
dark door and bear Us down Wheie We
stood.
Nat advanced 10 the porch. and his
FIRST step on ID sounded hollow ana heavy.
Stll we heard no sound from within. not
even the signing OF the Wihu 'hio"Sh
the open doors or windows.
where's your ghosts called Nat,
I'm harsh voice from the doorway.
II didn't seem like Mats voice 10 Us al
all, but rather an echo. Chaihe pions
WAS evidently about TO answer, Wheh
somewhere from within came lons'
low wajl that brought MS 10 sudden
standstin in the middle OF what had once
been the hallway 10 the old house. Dave
curtis seized my arm and pinched 10
hard. and we were an bre4thlesaf quet
for fully a minute. Then Nat sp6e-this
time in faint whisper but still with
his boasiiul air;
Thcn he began TO advance again. but
nj The first step he took into the sitting
room there came the wall again, nam
croan. half laugh. as Charlie Glbbs &c
scribcd il. only louder now ana much
more distinct.
Lets CO." whispered Dave Curtis in a
voice that chokcd with fear.
'Its haunted-dOn't you see?' gasped
Charlie -,, ~, o,ouo.
"'taint' and hc tramped entirely across
thc eifting-room 10 the edge OF the httle
Kitchen.
wanted TO run. and / was sure that
Dave Curtis did. too. but sOmcw9y Mats
hravado bore as mp. Indeed. we felt
afraid 10 leave him. We did not know
what might happen If once we started
10 run toward the road. in the htchoh
We paused again and listened. There was
house. but we could hear with great cis-
fnctnces the croaking OF the frogs and
tho nddlinc OF the criclcts down IN inc
meadow There was also tho faint INK
ling Of cow-boll from some neighbor-
ing farm.
I'm going to strike match. declared
Don't. don't" chartered Charlie Gibbs;
"thcy might see u.s.
At this we huddlcd closer together
! Charles they had struck cold chill
to our hearts WHO were they
Nat lifted bis shoe. there was the sharp
sputtor OF match. and six boys found
! themselves gazing into one another
white. frightened faces. made all the
more terrifying by the htful Pickering
Just AT that instant we heard for the
third time the waiing voices, now seem
ingly an about us We all started ana
looked around. and then on the floor di-
rectly under us. came tho sound or three
mufled blows
"rhump. thump. thump."
That's a., That's it, easped Charlie
Gibbs. and then the match hickered sud
denly out and left us I'm darkncss-a
darkness blacker and more dense than 1t
"Thump. thump, thump," came tho
blows again.
Thon we heard Charles voice. in an
aWcd. frightened whisper.
We an started. not knowing which
way 10 run. At that instant we heard
a shout in the little woodshed. which
opened Just off the kitchen. followed by
the falling of a heavy body.
They've got me- They've got me-"
cried Mats terrified voice.
Exactly what Happened next we never
knew We ran. stumbled and bumped
out of the Shattuck house and stumbled.
ran. and rolled down the bin 10 the road.
IL seemed as if something was following
MS an the way 10 Charlie Gibbs house.
where we id not stop until We were
90. i'm the big, comfortable. Well-lighted
kitchen. And more denoralizcd set or
boys could not have been found I'm all
of caldwell county. Nat was the last one
I'm. and his eyes fairly started from his
, head aud he dropped down m 80 heap
The moment Dee reached Tho kitchen door.
There's where they hit me-" lie
gaspcd and sure enough. inst over his
right eye there was big swelling,
which was rapidly developed into
| black and blue spot.
The next morning orr adventure was
| known and talked about an over town,
aud there was little studying i'm school,
| so great was the excitement. Charlie
! father told his story, ami that lent color
10 what some OF the wise heads Of the
town were disposed 10 call boys
yurn.' In the afternoon number of
I.en. inclJding Nh. Gibbs and Mr.. French.
| the ho'cl-keepcr, decided DO visit the
Shattuck place and see n they could
| Ci-cOVer what tie trouble was. II was
! broad daylight, and the ghosts might not
| be out. but that didn't discourage MT
| French.
They reached the old house and walked
quietly across the floor 10 the sitting
| room and stood in the kitchen doorway,
where Mr. Gibbs said he had first heard
! the strange sounds. For few moments
| everything was still. and there came
from somewhere below the muiiied
thumps on the floor. I'm spite of the fact
that il was broad daylight, IL made
! French was a man who liked 10 get at
the reasons for things and he straight
| way went outside and looked under the
house between two Of the blocks that
made up the basement wall. At first
everything was dark but as he continued
10 look he saw two bright objects gleam-
| ing out OF the shadows. lie CraWlcd
| further under Then the other men saw
] him lump back suddenly. ne next mo
ment there was a growing bark. ana
large black dog. half-wild. bOted from
under the house. Close mp 10 the rafters
| OF the kitchen door there was litter ~
half "a dozen puppies and in their wall
ing cry for their mother Mr.. Gibbs recog-
nizcd the sound that he had heard before
Later, when the mother dog went back
the men found that as she moved about
and scratched herself her elbow hit the
fCor and caused the muliicd humping
which the boys had heard.
What struck Nat? MI French offered
an explanation the moment he stepped
into the little woodshcd. There on the
floor lay hoe that had fallen down.
This hoe" ne said. was standing
right here by the doorway and when
Nat jumped ont of the kitchen his foot
struck the blade. anc. of course, the
handle few forward and hit him in the
face That's easy enough"
But Il didn't satisfy Nat. He was al
ways sure that something stood there
ana struck him. and none OF as smaller
boys over dared 10 suggest ghosts or
hoe-handles 10 him for months after
| Ward.-EXchanee.
Baby's Logic.