The Spanish Fork press. [volume] (Spanish Fork, Utah) 1902-current, 1906-05-24
TWO SKELETONS
IN A HOUSEHOLD.

According to the popular saying,
every family has a skeleton; but the
Lawrence family, on the upper West
side has two. The first skeleton
made It's appearance a couple Of years
ago. when the elder Lawrence boy
took up the study of art. With the
enthusiasm of student he decided
to purchase a skeleton for the proper
study of anatomy; but knowing the
nervous dispositions of his mother
and sister. he kept the grewsome arti.
Gle hidden In a chest under his bed.
In the night hours, when the fam
lily had retired. the skeleton was
taken from It's resting place. suspend
ed from a convenient cord. and the
young student would proceed to in
crease the Lawrence gas bills.
One night, after working harder
than usual, the student determined to
take a little walk along Riverside
drive before retiring. Contrary to his
usual custom, he left the skeleton
hanging and turned the light low.
He had been gone but few minutes
when his mother, suddenly awaken
Ing, recalled something she had for
gotten to tell her son. Slipping soft
iy up to his room. she pushed the
door open. There in the fitful light
OF the turned-down gas she saw the
bony apparitlon, gave a shrek and
tainted. 1t was nearly two months
before she left her bed. brain fever
having set in.
The younger son of the Lawrence
family, now nine years old, Is consti-
tutionally timid. To him darkness Is
filled with terrors Repeated efforts
have been made to cure him OF the
affection, but to no purpose. The
memory OF the skeleton. too, which
had so frightened his mother was still
with him, although the bones Of that
artistic guest had long since been dis
posed Of.
The other night the little Lawrence
boy was asked by his sister 70 get
something from the closet of her room
on the second floor. To go up to a
dark room was bad enough for the
boy, but the thought OF entering
dark closet in addition, chilled his
blood He wriggled and invented ex-
cuse after excuse, but his father, dis
gusted with his cowardice. peremptori-
ly ordered him to go at once. The
boy crawled up stairs most unwill-
ingly, seeing COLLINS and skeletons on
every side. Tremblingly he found his
way to the closet, opened the door
and listened. There was no sound
from the cayernous depths. Cautious
ly he extended his hands. feeling
about for the box. which his sister
had assured him was right on the
floor near the door" He CROPPED his
way along. reaching out to the right
and left then
There was a succession of ear-pierc-
Ing screams. Mr.. Lawrence, Sr.,
dropped his newspaper, snatched up
heavy cane and sprang for the stairs.
Half way down the boy had fallen in
a state of utter collapse. His shrieks
had died away to means.
What is it?" shouted his father,
bending over him.
"A-a--skeleton- the closet" he !
gasped. -touched-it-Ohi" and /
his means were renewed.
His father gave an ejaculation of |
intense anger. Another one of those
fool art studies!" he shouted.
Didn't one cause us enough trouble? |
I'll smash the accursed thing"
Bounding up the stairs, he dashed
into the room, flung open the closet
door and lunged fiercely with his cane.
II struck with a rafting noise. In
his anger he did not wait to light the
gas. but struck out blindly savagely,
again and again as well as the limit
ed space of the closet would permit,
and noted with satisfaction that his
blows were having a telling effect
His daughter, who had fingered to
minister to the frightened youngster,
entered at this juncture and lighted
he gas. She gave one glance into the
'loset as her perspiring father backed
tut, and gave a scream of dismay.
rhe patent dress form, for which she
rad paid s49S that day, was ruined
Y. Y. Press.