THE EXTRA SPECIAL GHOST

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21940, 14 November 1936, Page 3 (Supplement)

THE EXTRA SPECIAL GHOST

The king frowned heavily. ‘‘Why haven’t we a ghost?’’ he asked. ‘‘A what?” exclaimed the prince from his own particular golden stool. ’The king frowned again. “Never mind,” he said to the prince. “Come, here, wisest-of-the-wise.” The very wisest of the wise men stepped forward. He bowed very low before the king, so low that he nearly tripped over his respectable wh'te beard. “I vi ant a ghost!” stated the king, fiercely. ‘‘We are the only kingdom without a ghost and we must have one! Otherwise, you’ll have your Iwad cut off!” The wise man began to tremble. “Ghosts are very scarce, your majesty, and—” “This kingdom has got to have a ghost 1" shouted the king (he usually shouted or else spoke with large (xc'amation marks). “I was going to say, your majesty,” resumed the wise man, "that tins kingdom has a ghost and that” (here he saw the king’s mouth open again and he hurried on) “it was put to sleep by order of your great-great-great-great —” “Yes." said the king. “Skip*that bit.” . “But if your majesty wishes, we can wake it up again.” “Humph” grow'*cd his majesty. ‘‘Why wasn’t I told?” “The ghost is a very annoying one —” •T don't care” said the king. ‘‘Wake it up! I want a ghost, badtempered or good!” 'That settled it. so the wise man walked off v Ith an air of great dignity to the door of the south turret of the castle. Then he climbed and climbed and climbed and

I climbed up the stairs until he i reached the very top room. It was | here that the ghost slept. The wise man opened the door | cautiously and peeped in. In the 1 corner he saw a tall lady standing with one arm outstretched regardI ing him with a cokl and stony i stare. The wise man mumbled ; something and without waiting to i see whether the ghost wakened or | not, turnec( tail and fled down the : stairs again, for jn spite cf the ! fact that he was the wisest of the ! wise men, he was very much afraid j of ghosts. He shot into the throne room I without pausing.

“What’s the matter?” asked the king. “Ou!” he jumped off his throne and fled, followed by a long white lady uttering the most heartrending groans. The wise man sat down and fanned himself. His head began to nod and he went to sleep. The king fled down the corridor, round the corner, down more corridors and round more corners until he found himself once more in the

throne room. He stopped short and j discovered that the ghost was not ; following him any longer. He mso I discovered the wise man asleep in j the corner. The king shook him. ( “Wake up!” he sa'd. The wise man yawned. “Whasth- : masser?” he said. “I—” | “Look here!” said the king. i “Oh, I couldn't.” said the wisa | man, carelessly. | “What’s that,” shotted the king. | “Oh-er-eV-n-nothing,” stammered ‘ the wise man. ! “Well, you have to get rid of that ; ghost at once!” . | “I told you that it was an annoy-! ing one. your majesty,” said the i wise man. 1 “I don’t care what you said! What) you have to do is to get rid of that i ghost!” said the king, fiercely. “Here j it is! Go on!” j “Um, urn, the wise man looked j startled. “Oh-er-oh-er-oh-er-oh.” “What’s that?” asked the king, j “It’s a spell, sire.” | So it was a spell, but— 1

“Look what’s happening,” said the king.

j The ghost instead p i falling asleep, • was turning into a human being! I The wise iron had used the wrong j spell. ( The king turned to the wise man. |‘‘You utter idiot!” he shoutedThe wise man shouted back at I him and in a minute they were i arguing and calling each other 1 names. In the midst of the uproar | the prince came in. He blinked | when he saw' the ghost-lady who had i turned into a very loveljf maiden, j The king had finally shouted ! down the wise man, when Suddenly |he saw the prince and the ghestI lady gbing on arm in arm, “Hey!” he said and turned to the i wise man. “I am going to have a ghost for a daughter-in-law and it's all your fault!” I “I’m very sorry,” said the wise j man. I “I daresay.” shouted the king, j “Well, there’s one thing I, can do, I and I’m going to do it. There'll be I no wedding presents.” 1 —’MATE CACTUS, L.B.H.