The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1911-10-13
TILT
IHE
INTERRUPTED
BANQUET
By RENE BAcHE
7V1OJgJOtVIJJ'g7I IO10It9JJJ8l1'
Copyright, by shortstory Pub. Co
l(Conntinued from last week.

| OF the Situation. But perhaps What
astonished me more than anything
else was my discovery, some time
after we were seated at the table, OF
a young man, some distance away,
who bore a striking resemblance TO
my chum at college. Upon my word,
| was on the point of shouting at him
across the board. In fact, the words,
why, Bill, old man, how did you get
here?" were on my lips, when |
checked myself in time, owing to a
remembrance of the fact that Bill had
been dead for eight years, having met
a most -untimely fate in a railway
disaster.
While engaged in wondering whether
the young man could be a near rela-
ton of my former chum's, was
startled at seeing n telegram in the
familiar Western Union envelope laid
beside my plate. Some people, notably
stock brokers and newspaper men, are
accustomed to kilograms, and for that
reason are not alarmed by them. But
habit had not rendered me thus cal
lous, and with some haste tore open
the envelope and glanced over the
contents. It read:
Mabel died this morning of acute
congestion of the lungs. Amelia Par
ker."
declare that l trembled as If had
chill. If Mabel had not been by my
side, | should have been overcome by
the shock Holding the telegram be-
fore Mabels eyes, exclaimed in a
voice that trembled with conflicting
emotions of horror and anger: This
is carrying a practical joke too far.
Here, some brainless wretch tele-
graphs me in your mothers name that
you are dead"
Careless of the almost frenzied |
energy with which l spoke, l looked |
around upon the faces of my fellow |
guests as one does who is confident of |
sympathy. To my amazement, in re-
sponse to my speech, there arose |
cackle of laughter which was pres |
emily transformed into a general rip |
pie of miTth. And such mirthl The !
like of it l had never heard before,
and, please heaven, l hope never
may again. 1t was not like real |
laughter, but rather the empty and
strident cachinnation of beings lost to
the feelings of humanity.
Pale with anger l rose to my feet
and, steadying myself with one hand
on the back of my chair, exclaimed:
What does this mean?"
Dead silence was the only response.
Conversation had ceased, but I felt
that every eye was fixed upon me.
Aghast, looked at Mabel, but she did
not return my gaze. At length, the
old woman with the camellias in her
hair, who sat opposite, addressed me,
saying:
why do you think that Mabel is
not dead?"
Good Cod" I replied. Here she
is. Don't you see her? What do these
people mean?"
The old woman grinned and waved
her feather fan at me, playfully, say
ing:
ASK her if she isn't dead?"
| turned to Mabel In wonderment,
but she only shook her head sadly
why, of course she's dead!" said
the old woman. Don't you know that
all of us here are dead?"
Indeed, yes; we are all dead"
cried the other guests in general
chorus.
This is getting beyond patience!" I
exclaimed. "You, too, are pleased to
joke with me, but 1 tell you frankly
that | fail to see the fun of it. Per
haps, since you possess such fund of
humor, you will be telling me next
that I am dead, also"
Then came that laugh again.
never shall forget it. Beginning with
a cackling litter, it spread until the
whole table was in a roar, making my
very flesh creep. Then all at once 1t
ceased, and again there was dead
silence.
Certainly you are dead" said the
old lady with the camellias. She's
dead, and all Of us are dead. She died
this morning of acute congestion of
The lungs, but / have been dead for
these 20 years, and he, too" indicat-
ing with her fan the elderly gentleman
with the pink nose. my own com
Dlaint was cerebro-spinal meningitis"
MY legs gave way under me and |
sank into my chair. AS / did so my
land touched Mabel's, and / grasped
lers tightly. 1t was cold as ice. Lean
ng toward me, she whispered in my
ear:
Don't make. a scene! It is all quite
rue. You were run over an hour ago
~ trolley car"
Not daring to believe my senses, l
'eplied
And this housg-2"