The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-07-18
manding the sun to shine on the pro;

handing the sun to shine on the pro-
ceedings. For a long time he had
good luck in exacting obedience from
the sun. but finally came a year when
the camp meeting was swept by gales
and floods. and the mediator vas
scoed at as a mere pretender. Ho ex-
planned hat owing to the misdeeds of
horde of devils had taken possession
of the place n driven all the good
spirits away. He never lacked for
an excuse for n failure of his pro-
fessed powers.
n mediator's most famous eX-
plot was the eectual LAYING of the
celebrated ghost of Palmyra, about
,wentN-seven Years aso: All Maine
was excited by the thrilling yarns of
this spook's doings in the lonely farm
mouse of a man named Skillings.
Whose Shost it was, or why it APP
peared at all, no one was able to ex-
plain. There had been no murder.
no crime of any kind-only happiness
and peace in the Skillings household,
until, n night in November. range
things began to happen in the house.
sound sleep by a tremendous din. as
if mad bulls We're rushing through
a tin shop. Chairs and tables leaped
from the floor. dishes left their places
on shelves and tables and every bit
of tinware in the house danced about
as if hewitched.
From dusk to midnight. every II
except Sunday night. this weird per
Torrance went on. and the news of
Skilllnc's haunted house spread far
and wide. so that people came in
droves to see and hear what vas go
ing on. The noise could he heard
across the road. and hundreds came,
on foot and in wasons. and camped
out around the house. many bringing
their meals and a few kindling Don
fires that they might enjoy the ghostly
vaudeville in comfort.
Observing the intense and vivid in
terest in his spirit show. Skillings, who
was a real Yankee, hit upon a bright
idea. If the show was worth travel
ing miles to enjoy, it also was worth
paving for, so he began. along in the
second week, to charge ten cents a
head for all who came within hearing
distance. with % cents extra for
teams. The people didn't mind {
inss raking in dimes and quarters SO
fast that h" began to think about re-
pairing his house or even of moving
to a better farm. Anyway, it was
said he bought a lo' of new tinware
to encourage the ghost to make more
rackt.
inst as Skillinss' spook prosperity
WAS at its height, who should come
along but Mediator Brown. who. ar
rayed most fantasticallv. had hoofed
ii all the way from Elliotsville to
PALMYRA to lay" the ghost. Upon his
breast was a white cloth inscribed
mediator of the nineteenth century,"
and in his hand he carried a shep-
herds rock. Marching up to the
door he thumped vigorously with his
creek. demanding Abundance in the
name of the Lord.
Who the devil are youo" demand
ed S%killings.
Il am the mediator. sent by heaven
in sepulchral tones. 10 which Skillings
replied quickly: THE hell YOU are!"
and slammed the door in the media
tors face.
By this time the crowd has become
interested in the mediator and after
some confah in the door yard they
demanded that the mediator be adj
lnitted. If this was a public per-
Torrance. and the mediator could fur
nish another act. they wanted to see
it. They had paid their money and
of the show. So great became the
urroar that Skillings was forced to
admit the mediator. who stalked into
the house. mumbled a few unintelligi-
BILE phrases. made many mystic passes
and shouted, ghost. begone. 1. the
mediator. command it,"
At once. so the spectators declared,
the shostly racket ceased. Brown
came out into the orchard and, while
cooking his supper over a fire there.
confided to the crowd that the ghost
was a cry bad spirit. Nicodenlus, who
four stripes down his back. He was
now banished and the show was over
for good. Skillings. hearing this. went
out and. catching the mediator alone,
gave him a good licking for spelling
business. The mediator afterward
explained that Nioodemus had taken
possession of S%killings. but no one
ever paid ten cents to see Skillings.