The morning times., 1896-11-08
This Page Is for BOYS and Girls
his rife, He 1st went right on up

his rifle. HE Jest went right on up
stairs, same IS if h heswasn't hit"
The words were barely out of his mouth
when form after fdfm, all clothed like the
first, silently trooper In out of the dark and
the rain, and glided up the rickety stair
way. Joe jumped up and struck at them
with his gun as they passed, but he hit empty
air. fsF t-T
well. decIarel'' he exclaimed. 'Now
that's funnyF' He was not in the least
frightened. did ye see 'em, pap?"
Mr.. Surface had peeped out from under
his quilts; but he was SO scared that his
teeth chartered. As for Dave and Tom,
they were shivering like victims OF an
ague.
Joe hurriedly laid some dried wood on
the smoldering fire and started bright
blaze, then went and looked up the Csd
stairway. All was dark and silent above.
IN Jest step up an see," Joe said,
taking u lighted pine splinter for candle.
"N-no-no" cried his father. ,
But up Joe went into the room above.
1t was empty and silent, save that the
wind and rain roared on the root. He
looked about for a while, then came down."
Must a been ghosts or harnts," he coolly
remarked. tossing his splinter into the
the fire. "The're got out'n sight" He
reloaded his rifle.
just rs he rammed the bullet home fiddle
VSah W pay up stbbNc- IL "as "a VIM dhu
lively tune. Then scpuichral voice called
out:
'.All hands round an circle to the left!"
Plainly now they heard feet keeping time
In dance to the music. Suddenly there fell
Il dash of water down the chimney and put
out the fire, leaving the room in heavy
darkness.
Lets git out n hcrcr' cried Mr.. Surface,
and he rushed To the door i'll frenzy OF
fright.
But Just as Mr.. Surface reached the thresh
old pair of monstrous hands, cold as Ice.
grabbed him and flung him back clean
across the room. Then from the chamber
above fell chorus OF unearthly laughter,
and the fiddle rcduubed its music and the
dancers stamped and shuffled until the
whole house trembled.
Mr.. Surface picked himself up. He was
too much frightened To speak. Dave and
Tom hugged each other on the floor and
every breath they drew was in expectation
OF sudden and horrible death. Joe tried
to rekindle the fire. but could not, for now
the hearth was bat puddle of water.
Still he was undaunted.
well" he cried out, go on wi yer
fiddlin' an yer dancin', who keers. I'm
not scared of II" ghosts nor harbts at
ever ived!'
He stood in the middle Of the room with
his gun on his arm.
Git erp, pap, you an Dave an Tom,''
he called. there's los o fun goin' on!
Let's go erp stairs an take a hand in the
frulic- I'm a dancer III yself!''
His father and brothers did not an
swer him. They were afraid TO breathe
jes' listen al Ifct iirfiIn'. IL : pay
in Flat Woods. Come on. let's go erp
tterei''
He got up stairs sooner than he expect
ed; for all at once a dozen clammy hands
seized him and hustled him aloft with
rude force. Then. in the blackness OF dark
ness. one corpse-like finger after another
clasped him and whiTled him round and
round in wild dance while the invisible
fiddler played like mad and the roof rocked
In The storm. s-.
joe was plucky and as stubborn as mule;
nor did his sense of dry humor desert him
"All right he shouted, as a chilly part
ner swung him around. "All right, kin
ies' dance here wi ye all night. It's as good
fun as want, Mr.. Harnt,'
Mr.. Surface and the two boys below
heard Joe's Voice and the rapid shuffiing
Of his feet. Their terror almost stifled them
They were all rolled together in a pile, and
there they lay during that long. windy,
rainy night, their hearts pounding like
hammers. while Joe danced necessarily.
Just before daybreak once again that Pc
culiar. cold. slivering breath sighed through
the room, and then the pale forms came
down stairs and Gided oIt ,hroughtae door.