The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1909-12-02

1t again in mighty reckless abandon, /
can tell you. The island fairly rang
with our hiIarity and the sky was punch
ed so full of holes that it started to rain
tefole morning.
II have always had kind of banker
ing for buxom people, but whenever L
happened to show any preference for
one of 'em it was to start a row, and at
least half dozen scraps were pulled
off before the bell rang for quitting
time.
$50 it went on night after night.
found out that Walloopa Land was
the last refuge for disappointed female
affinities. Forever afterwards they had
to haunt the island and try and scare
every man to death that landed there.
I'wss the first man that they. hadn't
scared to death, SO they too, were hav-
ing the time of their life, or l. should
say the time of their death.
II soon got on to the fact that they
had to try and scare me to death each
night az soon as they got up, 80 COM
menceds to wonder what 1 would do
when the New Bedford was all gone,
but / consoled myself by thinking that
Icould still yell rats at 'em any way,
but l fooled myself in this.
'The last night of the last jug came
and went. All next day l kept a-get-
ting worse and by night I was shaking
like an aspen. l was sitting on the
ground a-shivering and moaning when
the bel doomed twelve on that event.
full night, and out came the ghost S
screaming and yelling as before. l just
simply couldn't stand it. l started to
holler at 'em, but my tongue cleave to
the roof of nay mouth and 1 couldn't
make sound, so 1 turned and fled as
fast as could with tie ghosts a fter m e.
"They chased me all over the island
dozen times or more, W h 9 n fiialIy
about the time that was ready to give
ny, big ibatross-bigger than the
Ancient Mariner's-came flying over
my mead, and like flash thought
came to ne.
81 jumped and grabbed the albatross
by the legs and away went up into the
air and left the ghosts behind for they
couldn't lelve tie island. For a long
time could hear 'em screaming and
shrieking and rafting their bore as
they pranced about b Q beach, but
didn't care now, for was safe.
81 don't know how long l hung on to
that altatross. 1t seemed like an eter
nifty to me, and finally commenced to
feel mighty tired. We were going
through the sky like comet. Itmade
me awfully dizzy and the motion of the
birds wings lulled me into drowsiness
So at least knew my hands were slip
ping and then l felt myself falling, fall
n G, falling-I wondered if l would
ever light, and then l became uncCn
sciOus.
"When l came to 1 was in an uphol-
stored room in ST. Bartholomew's Hos.
pitaI ack in Boston Port. was a
pretty sick man so they kept me there
for several days before they would lei
me go home again, but l was mighty
thankful that had gotten away from
Wallool ala Island and the home of the
affinity ghosts. And sometimes think
it was that that was partly the rea
son never married, and ought to be
thankful for that, too."
Visions of Tam O'Shanter's ride fol
lowed by Ichabod Cranes wild dash
through Sleepy Hollow fitted through
my mind. The steady churning of the
valves in the big pump crooned far
away dirge, while the scent of oil in tn {
warm, steamy atmosphere of the engine
room breathed of anything but love-
cts very good story, jade" said
"but fail to see where the love comes
| in."
"Pshaw, me bhoy," said Finn, in
tone of disgust as he kicked the chair
back against the wall, "shure twas low
for the little brown jug that done tn
thrick"
| ST HASKELL.