Page:Hallowe'en festivities (1903).djvu/188

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184
WERNER'S READINGS NO. 31.

"We'll descend on him in a baleful bunch,
Grinning as if we'd like him for lunch:
I'll howl while the Bogy his teeth may scrunch;
The Spook can be sadly singing."
"Agreed," cried the ghastly, ghostly pair.
They sped away through the midnight air,
Routed the recluse out of his lair,
By their howls and growls and ringing.

Courteously he invited them in,
In vain did the Spook grimace and grin,
And the Bogy raise a horrible din;
Their host smiled more than any.
He didn't turn pale nor his blood cdngeal,
But considerately asked, "Well, how do you feel?"
And spread them out a bountiful meal,
While his welcome words were many.

"Do you not- stand," said the Bogy, "aghast
At the terrible trio who join your repast?
We, whose business it is to cast
Mortals in misery dumb!"
"Afraid of spectres!" he laughed. "Not much!
I make my living by dealing in such—
Black and white, Danish and Dutch.
Sweet spooks, I'm a medium!"


UNCLE NOAH'S GHOST


Sylvanus Cobb, Jr.


UNCLE NOAH CLAYTON, with promise of bettering his condition, moved his goods and chattels and family to a great old house on the outskirts of the village, and not until the house had been hired and his furniture deposited therein, was it told to him that it was haunted.