The Little River news., 1922-10-11
The
 r cal Chair
Ey ERNEST LEVINE


 him. The mans head lolled back on the bench.
 "Blimey, he's dead!" he muttered.
 But, as he stared into the yellow face, an awful awakening seemed to occur. The man sat up stiffly, staring about him.
 Hi. You can't sleep there! said the policeman. Get off or I'll have to run you in !''
 He stared after the man as he tot tered away. "Blimey, he did give me a scare." he said.
 The sailor entered the Salvation Army shelter and went to the bunk assigned to him. A little man with a white beard. lying in the next bunk, stared at him.
 "Where are you from, matey?" he asked.
 "New York if you gotta know," snafled the other.
 Sailor, bain't ye?"
 "FIa, guess you'd like to know, wouldn't val" the newcomer snarled. Il put it over on lem, all right. all right
 ''What's that? Put what over who?" demanded the little old man.
 ''To-morrow at eight" answered the sailor. still with the snarl, half ferocity and half timidity, in his voice. He clutched the other by the arm. Lis ten Tomorrow, at eight, they'll come for me, to take me for a nice little walk through a nice little door, and put me in q nice little chair-a chair with arms. And-they won't find me! Get that, boz"
 "I dunno what you're talking about" whimpered the little old man. Pm afraid of you.''
 You might as well be, bo. l ain't a dead man and I ain't exactly alive. Listen, here! I'll tell you. Gawd, l gotta tell some Onei"
 Tell me" whispered the little old man.
 I'll tell you. didn't kill her. They thought it was me, but it was only my hand. I had no control over it. It was my hand that hit her with the ittlhillCi' OlIIS IiiCS IiAObChL u " to iiS' and that's why they wanted to send me to the chair with the arms-see?' I'd been student afore they sent me there; student of the Indian sciences. ain't what you think I am. That's the body I took. It ain't me. Pm an eddcated man-understand?"
 "Tm afraid of YOU. You look like a dead man." whimPered the other.
 The sailor laughed. And, when l was in the cell waiting to be sent to the chair with the arms, I applied lesson seven of the book-concentra- ton. l got out of my body by night and went wandering all over the world, looking for a man who was ready to cash in.
 There was one on the Thames oIn- bankment, just ready to drop off with heart disease He didn't know. No body knowed it but me. I saw him. in my cell as plain as I see you now.
 Then it was lesson eight of the book for mine I'd studied and stud jed, and practiced and practiced till was all ready to slip out of my sheath. It was as quick as flash. l seed his soul going out of his body-one, twO like this"
 You're crazy" said the little old man. You're crazy. I'm afraid of you. don't want you to talk to me no more.'
 You're going to hear it," snarled the sailor. You gotta hear it now. The minute he passed out I slipped in -one, two-like that l left my old carcass lying asleep in the cell, wait ing for the warders to carry it through the nice little door into the nice little room at eight o'clock tomorrow. And here am I.
 q dunno as I mightn't have picked a better body, being an eddicated man, and things has got sort of confused, but I'll remember in time, I guess. Ho hO! ho" He roared in laughter. "They'n think it's me tomorrow at eight in the morning. They'll have another guess coming, though"
 Don't you talk to me no more," whimpered the little old man. "I'm afrald ot you. I'm going to sleep, l am"
 Flight o'clock, boys! Turn out! shouted the attendant.
 As the clock struck, for a moment a look of fear came over the sailors face; then he laughed. T guess fooled 'em,' he said. (Which way you going, boz"
 'Im going east, but Pm going alone" piped the little old man.
 I'm going with you till two o'clock" said the sailor 'fou come along of me. I may want you at two"
 They started off and walked side by side out of London, into Ripping for est. They sat down on a trunk. It was two in the afternoon.
 "You-you was lying, wasn't you?" | piped the little old man.