Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-06

himself studying law under Mr. Montjoy's
direction. He had the gift Of oratory and
hoped to electrify the world some day with
his eloquence. He memorfzed pages OF
prose, long poems and acts from Shakes
peare. Then retiring to an unused loft of
one of the barns. he would rehearse them
to an imaginary audience. On one of these
occasions his pupil heard him. and peerins
into the loft, had been invited to listen to
certain selections from Shakespeare. From
this and from the incident that he had re-
lated to Phil, he had drawn the conclusion
that his teacher was credulous enough
believe in ghosts.
A few evenings later the conspirators
might have been seen carrying a large. I'M
wieldy object up the stairs to the loft in
which the tutor was accustomed to re-
hearse. 1t consisted OF framework OF old
barrel slaves made to represent. rudely. the
head and body Of a man. They were COW
cred with white CLOTH and black horsehair
served for wig. Rough as this was, there
was an ingenious arrangement OF muscles
about the mouth and eyes upon which the
boys depended for the frightful erect which
they hoped to produce. Small holes had
been cut for the eyes and large one for
the mouth. Shells that Cover had brought
from the seashore We're used to cover each
of the apertures, and in the upper edge or
these shells they had pierced holes In two
places and put cords through them, leaving
long ends which they passed over hooks
placed above the mouth and above each
eye. Pulling these cords raised the eyelids,
displaying empty sockets and opened the
lips on hideous set of cardboard teeth in
a black, cavernous mouth.
In end of the loft there was a par,
tition with slide which could be raised or
lowered by slight move; this opened into
a chute where hay was pushed down to the
animals below. Across this chute the boys
had nailed planks, and they now lifted the
figure-which was fastened to a pole, and
was about as high a man-over the par
tition.~ The pole was firmly nailed, and a
lighted candle was placed within the empty
barrel slaves.
The counterfeit ghost stood in front of
the slide, the lower part being concealed
by the partition. They closed the slide and
crouched below it, Phil holding the cords
that operated the eyelids and Cover the
one opening the mouth.
Are you sure Mr.. Glover will come this
EVENING"" Phil asked, weary of waiting
Eyes Stedman Ponsonby is expected to-
night He doesn't like him. and always
comes out here to get away
At that moment the victims firm tread
was heard the stairs
"pU give the signal said Phil "for I
can watch him through this knot hole"
Mr.. Glover took his position at the oppo-
site end Of the room and recited miscel
laneous poems, until Cover became impa-
tient and nudged his accomplice for Sig
nal. At that moment Mr. Glover began:
g I am thy fathers spirit!'
"Now!" whispered Phil.
The noise of the falling slide made the
speaker look up. He was a dignified young
man, but the righteousness of the appara-
ton which was intended to be terrible, and
the appropriateness of it's appearance at
that moment so appealed to his sense Of
humor that he dropped down on a pile Of
straw to conceal his laughter from the
boys. whom he suspected Of being at the
bottom of the mischief.
"Oh, we've killed him: we've scared him
to death!'' screamed Phil. as from his po-
sition ne saw the tutor fall to the floor.
Two pale and frightened lads jumped over
the partition and ran to his assistance,
RI ha Cd with VII ori,oc 10 90
laughter. Seeing how completely the joke
was turned on them, they fled precipitately
down stairs. AS they flew along, not heed
ing whittier they went. Cover, who was in
advance, ran into a wheelman riding lei
surely toward the house. He escaped with
out injury. but the rider fell heavily to the
ground. Panitstricken. the boys changed
their course. ran up the terraces and over
Old Sugar-loaf, never pausing until they
reached the cabin of old Nose.
ITO be continued)