The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-11-06
sRAUFMANN Sc CO., 4th and Broad. {

House went into a Committee Sf the
Whole and discussed a supper menu. The
celebrity evidently intended 10 do the
thing handsomely. Miss Sarah grew alb
sent-minded and fidgetted. and finally
pleaded pressing engagement. NOM
ent later her angular figure few across
the street TO the nearest ueighbors, ana
before noon ali the town was agog over
the coming festiyity. Every day fresh
details famed the flame. The celebrity
had sent away for bonbons and cakes
the sandwiches were 10 be rolled up and
tied with ribbon; there were 20 be cards.
with pictures and poetry on them at every
plate. But as to the real nature OF the
entertainment nothing was known and
curiosity was rife. OF course 1t would
be some New York novelty. and expec-
tation ran high.
Just week before the August fun
moon members 81 village society were in
receip. OF dainty notes which invited
them TO attend "A tombstone party at II
on the night OF full MOON" and further
requested that each guest should be pre-
pared TO tell a ghost story or at least
some thrilling and bood-curdling tale.
Every one was aghast. but curiosity
was stronger than dismay. A few OF the
older folks said they wouldn't go to"no
such fool party" but the rest thought
of the supper. and the young folks
wouldn't have stayed away for love or
money.
When the fateful night came round and
the guests presented themselves AT tho
door they were met by the PostmistresS
who, with many whispered comments, led
them out OF the side door, along a path
through the grove TO the old graveyard.
There in the moonlight. among the tombs
was the hostess. and rugs and seats were
scattered about between the graves. The
celebrity was In great feather. She was
charmed with her idea and only wished
that her New York friends could be with
her instead OF the villagers. who might
not appreciate the artistic morbidness OF
the thing The guests being seated, the
storytelling began. The guests were too
stunned or too modest To enter the COM
petition, but the hostess was loaded. She
told ghost stories with a CHASTITY finish
that gave her artistic soul the keenest
satisfaction. Her hearers wiggled un-
comfortably and looked over their shoul-
ders Their blood ran cold as the story
teller grew more dramatic and the stories
more ghoulish. The gravestOnes shone
white in the moonlight. the celebrity's
voice sank lower. the rettliag OF peb-
BILE made the guests teeth chatter and
when a bat flew across the moonlight
their hair stood up.
When the hostess finally ended tale
of gore and sudden death and SUPER
natural punishment. and announced that
they would adjourn 10 the house. mos:
of the guests were so limp with fear that
they could hardly move. and Few or
them stole across the lawn and broke FOR
home regardless OF the imported cakes
and decorated sandwiches But the hos
tess was elated
what an idea Il was," she saio.
rapturously. to the crowd. An evening
OF delicious horror. Could anything be
more perfect? II one could only do II
I'm New York." and she didn't notice that
the assent was a trife forced The sup
per was an unqualified success, but II
couldn't Offset the graveyard seance.
The village TO a manor 10 woman,
which is wOrse-condemned the celebrity
She has transcribed even the scope al
lowed 10 genius. The village mind
couldn't appreciate the joys OF delicious
horror.
Author. indeedr' shifted the bankers
wife, who was the arblter OF village
opinion. "Fd like to see her books
Literatoors in a bad way II the writers
are all like her. Call that genius? I call
II insanity. Don't give US any more New
York authors. say l." and her hearers
indorsed the verdict, so there's one New
England town which our writer's must
ayoid.-N. Y. Sun.