TRIFLING WITH A GRUST

North Otago Times, 17 December 1904, Page 2 (Supplement)

TRIFLING WITH A GRUST

(fly Victor Bridges.)

"Talking nf ghost;," iwimrkcd Dm fall, clean-shaven iniiii in Dm cornel', 1 once Uiiih-nvont what; I might dcM'i'ilie us a unique experience. Your health, gentlemen!" There's was ft minute'-; sileiiw. "Lot's liuvc it,'' remarked the navvy, resignedly. "Well, gentlemen, thn incident that I am going to relate, took piaee aheut twenty yuius ago. I was playing juvenile 'lead in it, stock season in Hiiminghaiii ill tlw time inid received tin invitation In bicycle over to supper will;, a friend (if wiuo who lived some tight miles out uf town,

"My friend added ii note Dud lie would bo delighted to welcome anyone else 1. might cam to bring with me, sc .!. decided to lake pii.ir old llim lihigdi.i', who was playing the chief comedy i>arl. He to ut bail actor, but as pleasant i\ little fellow as you could wish to meet. For some reason or other there was no PBi'foriiir.iicc at thn theatre that night, so we storied "If in the cool of (ho evening and arrived at my friend's linusg at about eight o'clock. After supper wo strolled out into the gimlwi for n smoke; and, while we were silting there, talking in n desultory fashion, the subject of gliosis came up, just as it has this even-

"'Why,' said my friend, 'do cither of you believe, in ghosts?*"

"Mow, as it happened, gliosis were .Tim's special hobby. All his life it had been his chief lunbition to seu one, but try as he would, nothing would induce thorn to conio near him.

'"Believe, 1 said lie, in answer to my .friend, 'I should think I did believe. 'Night after night I have muted about in churchyards and haunted houses, but I 'liavo never had tho privilogo of bei'iii; chosen.'

"'Well,' said my friend, with a chuckle, 'you will have a chance of seeing ono tonight, anyway!'

"Jim sat up ait once, his oyes shining with cflritemont. TV bore?' lie cried' 'Where?'

'"Hnvn you ever beard tho story of tho "Midland"? Eight years ago it ran 'away just outside Birmingham audi wont into tho river about half a mile bolow this house, Of course, I myself don't believo in that sort of foolishness, but they (jo siiy Hint this night every five years it comes racing'up tho main road, willi old Jem Itollis. fcta driver, on the box, pulling his soul out in a Inst effort to stop the horses, tho guard blowing his horn, and tho passengers all hanging on lo their seals, shrieking with terror,' "I 'height Jim would go off his head with excitement.

".'Oh! but this is splendid,' he cried. 'Splendid! What times does the apparition appear?' " 'Somcwhovo about 10.30 it is supposed to bo due. It seems to turn up any part of tho road, judging from the accounts of tlw peoplo who declare that they haw sean it/

'"Wo must leavo at once!' shouted Jim, turning to me. 'lt Is a quarter past now.'

'"Hang it all,' I objected; 'I don't want to sea the thing; I had much rather not.'

Hut Jim wmlil'nt hear of my staying behind,' mid oven tried to persuade my friend to como sonic part of the way with

" 'Not I,' ho declared, laughing, TVlmt aro you going to do when you see it' " 'ltido into it/ said Jim, getting,nn his bike. .{ "j '"Well,'"don't hurt it. Good-night, and goodi luck to you both.' v''QMit!em_ej li we i sjar,tedofj. Jt wajU

bright, starlight night, and tho moon lit up tho 'white road'before ns as plainly aa though it tad boon day, Jim kept on muttering to himself and staring out ahead tor somo sign of tho coach. " JAro you really going to ridft 'nto il, 'Jini?' I asked. \ •' "Knt.bor' ho said; 'right into tho middle.'

'"You had bettor not, 1 I answered) 'gliosis are funiiv things. l '"Nonsense! Fancy tho glorious sonsation of going slap' through a coach and four!'

'"Just aa you lib,' I said; 'it doesn't appeal to mo, so I shall got off whou I suo it coming.' W'o rodo on for another mile or so m silenco, and I waa just beginning to think how disappointed old Jim would bo if nothing turned up, when suddenly, far off in tho distauco, wo hoard the faint nuublo of am approaching vehicle,

"Wo jumped off and stood in tho middlo of the road, aa still jis death. .Nearer and noaror it camo, and a.bovo the beat of tho horses and tho rolling of I :ie wheals wo coitld plainly hoar tho sound of people- shouting, "J mi WR9 panting with oxcitment as tho noiso beeuimo louder and louder, "'Look!' ho yolled, 'Look!' "And suro enough, over the brow of the opposite hill camo tho coach. I'or on a second it stood out against the sky, und then tiuuudored madly down the elope.

" 'Gome on!' cried l Jim, jumping on his bicycle. "'Got offl'l shrieked. "I might as well havo spoken to tho road.

"With his 'legs ovor tho hniidlcs, and waving ids cap in one band, Jim, shot down tho bill to meet it.

"On camo tho coach, swinging from side to side, tho old driver making desperate efforts to steady his runaway team. I could seo tho terror-stricken faces of the passengors, and tho horror of the guard as ho held on to> bis seat and blew ono frantic , blast, upon his horn. •

"faster anl faster ivont Jim, closer and closer drew the coach, and at last, still waving his cap triumphantly in tho air, ho plunged right' iuto tho very middle, of it!" , , a

Thero was a long pause. "And how did ho describe his sensations?" I asked. "Ho didn't." ''Didn't?" we echoed with an interrogarivc ring in oar voices.

"No—you see, it happened to bo a roal coach and four that had run away two miles down tho road, and poor old Jim. wont into it a bit 100 hard to bo ablo to give an account of ula sensations afterwards. Poor old Jim! I wns terribly pit up about it. ilo was a iiico little fellow—a bad actor—but a nico liltio fellow," Ami, shaking his head in w sad manner, tho tall mam rose and loft the room,