La Junta tribune., 1898-02-05

| invitation OF Juuge John ioNu1e"u "
| celebrate his reelection rs judge for
| the supreme court OF Illinois: and wish
| ing TO make II q memorable occasion
| he had not only entertained them roy
/ ally through the day and with boxes
| FOR the opera In the evening. but
midnight banquet had been arranSd
/ In their honor.
1 Judge Townsend seated his guests nj
a round table. the appointments OF
which were dainty and elegant in the
| extreme: rare china. cut glass and sill
yer. choice fruits and fragrant flowers
adorned the boasd. the whole sof,ened
and melIowed by electric lights In rich
glass bulbs which studded the ceiling:
in the distant corners electric FANS
| gently stirred the perfumed air. and
skilled walters In pure white suits
| glided nolselessly over the Persian rugs
pc!ltely anticipating the wants OF each
guc1..
As Judge Townsend took his position
and glanced around at the intelligent
and refined faces OF his coterie Of
| friends. his heart sweiled with pride:
every man present was a Judge and
several had attained to higher honors.
One was an associate justice Of the
United States supreme court. One
served his country ms secretary of
| state: several of them were Judges of
the supreme courts. and all were men
OF marked ability. a group which any
man might be proud to call friends.
The banquet continued until the
small hours. and wit and humor
flashed from the brains of these elo-
quent warriors OF the bench-all the
more enjoyable because entirely i'm
promptu.
The Hon. U. S. Justice had the repu-
tation OF being n famous story teller.
and during lull In the conversation
was urged by his friend. Judge D..
to give one Of his characteristic west
ern sketches. to which he responded
with his usual bon-homIe. calling forth
rousing encore.
AS he rose to bow in response to the
encore. he paused moment before re-
seating himself and. raising his hand
to request silence. said. In humorous
ly impressive manner:
"f'ellow Judges ad friends. our es-
teemed host has put up job on us
We shall one OF us be spook before
the end Of the year--there are thirteen
At this table. We call upon Judge
Townsend to explain himself and tell
us how he dares defy the laws of super
stition and thus publicly declare his
unbelief In spooks and their vista
tiops."
A chorus Of voices arose for an ex-
PLANTATION from their host. and Judge
Townsend. rising TO his feet. glanced
round the table at the smiling faces Of
his guests. then bowling to his accuser.
said. In reply:
your honor. in giving my invita-
tions have evidently forgotten to In
clude myself. therefore I am number
thirteen: but in response to the nccu-
sation which you have seen ft to make
against me will relate n few incidents
in my own life history. which. trust.
win sufiiciently explain my present in
| difference to all danger Of ghostiy visi-
/ tations.
II have a friend who Is more to me
even than brother; we were born in
the same town. the estates Of our faith
l
hood was passed that we did not sec
each other: between us existed the
most perfect harmony Of mind. al
though we differed widely In person.
Horace was dark. strong. powerfully
built. full Of life and vigor. while was
blonde, delicate, by no means physical
| ly strong and somewhat timid.
i II owe my present physical strength
to Horace. for he encouraged me In
athletic sports and laughed me out OF
my timidIty, and when We went away
| to college together. was almost II not
quite his peer.
II will pass over our college life by
simply saylag that. as usual. we aided
and assisted each other and graduated
in the same class.
Together we discussed almost every
theme which was presented for argu-
ment. and among other things the su-
| pernatural was often touched upon by
| uS.
"One day Horace astonished me by
asserting that he believed In some rare
| instances God In his goodness and
| mercy allowed the souls OF his earthly
children who were TO be taken away
suddenly. with some duty unperformed
or some warning unsaid. to wander a,
will over the earth and nnish tina,
work before they were translated &c
heaven. whence he thought there wal
NO return.
81 psoh-hooed at him. ~ Away,
did when our conversation touched
upon the powers OF the soul. but Hor-
ace was in earnest and said to me. very
imprsssivaly: John. I fully believe q
knew must die and earnestly prayer
to 80 you once more should be grant
ed permission to annihilate space ant
b visible 70 you. 1t least
:. Don't talk to me about dying. whei
both OF us are about ~ healthy speci
mems .of young manhood o there ar'
to b found replied. and the con
vsrsation vas dropped. neysr to b re
called 10 my mind until long year