The St. Johns herald., 1921-08-18
Ralph's Foolish
 Fad
By R. RAY BAKER


| The pSycnOIOgy Of the trouble be-
 tween Grace Gardner and Ralph Por.
 ter was psychology. To be more def-
 nite, 1t was spooks.
 When he was in Chicago on a busi- ness trip Ralph attended lecture by
 Sir Oliver Lodge. When he returned to Dodson he was convinced, and en- thusiastically he set out to convince every one else. With some he may have succeeded, but with the majority he failed. Included in the majority was Grace.
 "All nonsense" l" Grace told him. If you believe that stuff you've reverted to the belief of our uncivilized ances- tors. If everybody believed 1t the world would have taken a big step backward"
 "On the contrary" Ralph persisted, ''it would mean the world had taken a step forward. It's only the stubborn materialist who closes his ears and re- fuses to be convinced. You wait and you'll see"
 The more serious Ralph became, the more heartily Grace laughed at him. Soon, however, she ceased to laugh and became vexed.
 "YOu1l land in the insane asylum if yed keep this up," she warned. You'd better drop the foolish stuff before it's too late"
 But Ralph refused to drop 1t. He bought books on the subject, and every time he called on Grace he effused psychic phenomena Before long they found themselves engaged in verbal cOmbats that were rather bitter.
 The climax came one Friday evening.
 Like all respectable small cities, DOdsOn bOasted a haunted house. It was in reality a ruin of a veritable castle that had been erected in the woods by wealthy family several generations ago. The window glasses had ali been shattered, due to the ex- cellent aim of youthful stone throw CTS, and weeds had grown in profusion about the dilapidated structure The interior was barren except for a few pieces of antique furniture which the last tenant had left. Three violent deaths at the place gave it its reputation, and this reputation had been handed down from generation to generation among the citizens.
 On this Friday night Ralph ap- peared at Grace's home with bulging eyes. A path that ran through the woods, passing close by the haunted house, was short cut between his home and hers, and usually he made use of 1t.
 "There's disembodied entity in the old haunted house." he informed Grace earnestly. q heard it prowling around when I passed. Let us investigate. If we see naturalization it surely ought to convince you of the soundness of the survival theory"
 ''Not l." Grace objected. 'T don't believe in your newly acquired ideas, but just the same, have no desire to visit that old ruin in the woods, es- pecially at night. Personally, I think you've dwelt too much on your foolish notions, and you're beginning to see things"
 Ralph was in no mood for criticism of this kind. He took himself se- riously with his new hobby. or what ever it might be called. and while he had not hitherto very earnestly resent ed Grace's censuring, he did not relish being told that he was seeing things, or hearing things, which would have been better way of phrasing 1t. He believed there was spirit roaming in the haunted house, and when he of fered Grace an opportunity to become convinced he wanted her to consider the proposition in a more agreeable l 
 The consequence was that a regular battle of words ensued, and terminated | in breach in relations. Ralph left in l the grip of anger and started home | along the path. However, he changed his mind and decided to skirt the | woods. It was rather lonely in the | woods at night. Of course, he was not afraid, but-weli the investiga- ton could wait.
 The breach put Grace in a far from enviable frame of mind. She loved Ralph, for all of his foolish fad" as she called 1t, and was morOse all the next day.
 Early Sunday evening Beth Stark came to see her, and they went for walk, wandering into the woods.
 Suddenly Grace appeared to have an inspiration.
 Lets visit the haunted house." she Maybe we'll get look at a spoOk. I don't take any stock in [. u I,IIk