Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1911-02-03


is the least valuable of any means of
psychic investigation, but. unfortu-
nately in this case our only resource.
l suppose we have got to be duped by
some half-human intelligence of the
usual low order"
There came two thunderous raps
upon the table-the accepted signal
for mo"
"You protest, do you, my friend"
said Brodsky grimly. very well, you
shall have another chance Now, per
haps. you viii tell US your proper
name"
Three loud raps indicated willing
ness and Brodsky began to spell out
the alphabet again. This time the,
signature was different. 1t contained
three words. as before, and they were
Jim, the Penman."
Il fancy l see some method in this
Madness" said the doctor, ignoring
the three raps that joyfully assented
to this remark. And fancy that our
prankish friend viii have still an
other signature upon the third at
tempt. Now. sir, let us have the end
of the charade."
The alphabet was slowly spelled out
once more. This time the signature
ran, Chips, the Carpenter"
"Aha!" said the doctor. "Just as
l expected Yes, my friend, f>under-
stand your carefully yelled illusions.
And now, perhaps you will afford us
some indication of your desires"
Hardly had the words left the doc
tors mouth when G scream burst from
Baron's lips. In the dim light, to
which our eyes we're now becoming
accustomed, saw him slide suddenly
from his chair to the fioor-or, rather,
the chair seemed to be pulled violent
ly from beneath him, as a miscbiev-
Gus schoolboy might have done to
some venerable elder. And then the
chair stood up solemniy upon its back
legs and began fitting backward and
forward, kicking the PROSTATE man.
much as a thug might kick his wife
when he returned home drunk. Drunk,
indeed. seems to be the word most
suitable, for the thing balanced it.
self gravely and deliberately, but
withal with difficulty, in the intervals
between the kicks. Then, as Baron
slid forward, screaming, into the CEN
ter of the room, saw the thing begin
to side at him, butting him like a
goat, Finally, Withdrawing foot or
more TO gain momentum, 1t waddled
solemnly forward, mounted his pros
trate form, and executed a clumsy
dance upon the most prominent por-
ton of his waistcoat.
/ am afraid that all the sympathy
which / should shave felt was extin-
guished In that burst OF Homeric
laughter that came from the doctors
lips, in which / joined. There we sat
by the table, rocking to and fro.
speeches. and apoplectic, while the
chair executed its solemn ritual, now
executing a pas de seul upon his
chest, and again balancing itself upon
one leg. apparently irresolute what
antic it should next perform. And all
the while Baron screamed like an in
sane man, yet so paralyzed by his
terror that he could not move. knew
that James would break into the room.
for the screams outrang our laughter,
and were those of man in mortal
agony. But I was not prepared for
the denouement
/ heard a scuffiing in the hall, the
door was flung wildly open, and a
towering figure appeared in the door
way, that of a woman. For one in
slant she hesitated; then. without a
word, by instinct, as 1t seemed. she
found the exact location of the low
gas jet and turned 1t on. There were
we at the table, red in the face, there
was Mrs Darrell beside us, watching
us in surprise and not understanding.
there lay Baron upon the floor,
dusty and battered, gripping with all
his might the leg of the now inaocuous
chair that seemed to have become en-
tangled with his head. And then I
realized that Mrs Baron had returned
from Europe.
She drew herself up to her full six
feet Of height and glared at us with
a single comprehensive gaze.
"Stuyvesant, get up" she Kissed.
And the fear-stricken wretch rose
slowly and painfully to his feet and
stood .before her as a delinquent
schoolboy in the presence Of his
master.
$50 this is the way you have been
enjoying yourself while have been
away" she cried. These are the
orgies you have been INDUCING in
with these low creatures at your coun-
try seat, as you we're pleased to call
it in your letters to mel You thought
you could hoodwink me. your wife,
after 20 years Of unhappy married
life. But I'll keep my eyes on you
from this night forward. You shall
not get the divorce you have been
counting on" she went on, becoming
for the first time hysterical. The doc
tor half rose from his chair. In an
instant the woman had staggered to
her husbands side. 20 Stuyvesant,
protect me from these ruffians," she
cried. my poor Stuyvesantt, they
have lured you here to rob and muir
der you. Come, leave this house and
never set foot in Il again" She fell
upon his neck my poor husband"
she sobbed, hold me up. hold me up;
am going to faint"
Che nroznnfiv did and n required