New National Fourth Reader Part 47

LESSON XLVI.

quaked, _shook, as with fear_.

cha'os, _a great number of things without order_.

gi gan'tic, _of very great size_.

stealth'y, _very quiet, so as to escape notice_.

fa'tal, _causing great harm_.

mis'sion, _what one is sent to do_.

in'ter vals, _s.p.a.ces of time_.

thrill, _feeling, as of pain or pleasure_.

af fect'ing, _making a show of_.

a pol'o gize, _express sorrow for an act_.

ret ri bu'tion, _paying back for one's acts; punishment_.

A GHOST STORY.

PART II.

We staid up till late, and then I was left, at my own door by my friends, who informed me that York was a very quiet, safe place, where people slept with unlocked doors, and nothing ever went amiss o' nights.

I said nothing of ghosts, being ashamed to own that I quaked, a little at the idea of the "back bed-room," as I shut out the friendly faces and fastened myself in.

A lamp and matches stood in the hall, and lighting the lamp, I whisked up stairs with suspicious rapidity, locking my door, and went to bed, firmly refusing to own even to myself that I had ever heard the name of Bezee Tucker.

Being very tired, I soon fell asleep; but fried potatoes and a dozen or two of hot clams are not kinds of food best fitted to bring quiet sleep, so a fit of nightmare brought me to a realizing sense of my foolishness.

From a chaos of wild dreams was finally brought forth a gigantic clam, whose mission it was to devour me as I had devoured its relatives. The sharp sh.e.l.ls were open before me, and a solemn voice said, "Take her by her little head and eat her quick."

Retribution was at hand, and, with a despairing effort to escape by diving, I b.u.mped my head smartly against the wall, and woke up feeling as if there was an earthquake under the bed.

Collecting my scattered wits, I tried to go to sleep again; but alas!

that fatal feast had destroyed sleep, and I vainly tried to quiet my wakeful senses with the rustle of leaves about the window and the breaking waves upon the beach.

In one of the pauses between the sounds of the waves, I heard a curious noise in the house--a sort of moan, coming at regular intervals.

And, as I sat up to make out where it was, another sound caught my attentive ear. Drip, drip, drip, went something out in the hall, and in an instant the tale told me on Sunset Hill came back with unpleasant reality.

"Nonsense! It is raining, and the roof leaks," I said to myself, while an unpleasant thrill went through me, and fancy, aided by indigestion, began to people the house with ghostly inmates.

No rain had fallen for weeks, and peeping through my curtain, I saw the big, bright stars s.h.i.+ning in a cloudless sky; so that explanation failed, and still the drip, drip, drip went on.

Likewise the moaning--so distinctly now that it was clear that the little back bed-room was next the chamber in which I was quaking at that very moment.

"Some one is sleeping there," I said, and then remembered that all the rooms were locked, and all the keys but mine in Mrs. Grant's pocket, up at the house.

"Well, let the ghosts enjoy themselves; I won't disturb them if they let me alone. Some of the ladies thought me brave to dare to sleep here, and it never will do to own I was scared by a foolish story and an odd sound."

So down I lay, and said the multiplication table with great determination for several minutes, trying to turn a deaf ear to the outside world and check my unruly thoughts.

But it was a failure; and when I found myself saying over and over "Four times twelve is twenty-four," I gave up affecting courage, and went in for a good, honest scare.

As a cheerful subject for midnight consideration, I kept thinking of B.

Tucker, in spite of every effort to give it up. In vain I remembered the fact that the departed gentleman was "always polite to ladies."

I still was in great fear lest he might think it necessary to come and apologize in person for "bothering" me.

Presently a clock struck three, and I gave a moan that beat the ghost's all hollow, so full of deep suffering was I at the thought of several hours of weary waiting.

I was not sure at what time the daylight would appear, and I was bitterly sorry for not gathering useful information about sunrise, tides, and such things, instead of listening to the foolish gossip of Uncle Peter on the hill-top.

Minute after minute dragged slowly on, and I was just thinking that I should be obliged to shout "Fire!" as the only means of relief in my power, when, a stealthy step under the window gave me a new feeling.

Directions for Reading.--To give greater effect to certain parts of the lesson, read them very slowly.

The first line of the last paragraph is a good example of adding _emphasis_ by reading slowly.

Point oat two other places in the lesson where slow reading would be best.

What word in the last paragraph may be made very emphatic, even to the extent of using the _calling tone_ of voice?

Let pupils p.r.o.nounce in concert, and singly, the following words: _soon, do, two, foolish, roof, food, room_.