CHAPTER XXVI. PAGES FROM THE PAST
"What will the old lady think of you?" said Harry.
"She will have a very bad opinion till she puts on her specs and readthe bill. That will explain all. I shouldn't be surprised to see her atmy entertainment."
"I wonder if she'll recognize me," said Harry.
"No doubt; as soon as she learns with whom she rode, she'll be verycurious to come and see me perform."
"How old were you when you began to be a ventriloquist?"
"I was eighteen. I accidentally made the discovery, and devotedconsiderable time to perfecting myself in it before acquainting anyonewith it. That idea came later. You see when I was twenty-one, with alittle property which I inherited from my uncle, I went into businessfor myself; but I was young and inexperienced in management, and theconsequence was, that in about two years I failed. I found it difficultto get employment as a clerk, business being very dull at thetime. While uncertain what to do, one of my friends, to whom I hadcommunicated my power, induced me to give me a public entertainment,combining with it a few tricks of magic, which I had been able to pickup from books. I succeeded so well my vocation in life became ProfessorHenderson."
"It must be great fun to be a ventriloquist."
"So I regarded it at first. It may not be a very high vocation but Imake the people laugh and so I regard myself as a public benefactor.Indeed, I once did an essential service to a young man by means of myventriloquism."
"I should like very much to hear the story."
"I will tell you. One day, a young man, a stranger, came to me andintroduced himself under the name of Paul Dabney. He said that Imight, if I would, do him a great service. His father had died the yearprevious, leaving a farm and other property to the value of fifteenthousand dollars. Of course, being as only son, he expected that thiswould be left to himself, or, at least, the greater part of it. Conceivehis surprise, therefore, when the will came to be read, to find that theentire property was left to his Uncle Jonas, his father brother, who,for three years past, had been a member of the family. Jonas had neverprospered in life, and his brother, out of pity, had offered himan asylum on his farm. He had formerly been a bookkeeper and was anaccomplished penman.
"The will was so extraordinary--since Paul and his father had alwaysbeen on perfectly good terms--that the young man was thunderstruck. Hisuncle expressed hypocritical surprise at the nature of the will.
"'I don't believe my father made that will,' exclaimed Paul, angrily.
"'What do you mean by that?' demanded the uncle.
"His anger made Paul think that he had hit upon the truth, particularlyas his uncle was an adroit penman.
"He carefully examined the will; but the writing so closely resembledhis father's that he could see no difference. The witnesses werehis Uncle Jonas and a hired man, who, shortly after witnessingthe signature, had been discharged and had disappeared from theneighborhood. All this excited Paul's suspicions.
"His uncle offered him a home on the farm; but positively refused togive him any portion of the property.
"'I sympathize with you,' I said at the conclusion of Paul's story; 'buthow can I help you?'
"'I will tell you, sir,' he replied. 'You must know that my Uncle Jonasis very superstitious. I mean, through your help, to play upon his fearsand thus induce him to give up the property to me.'
"With this he unfolded his plan and I agreed to help him. His unclelived ten miles distant. I procured a laborer's disguise and the morningafter--Paul having previously gone back--I entered the yard of thefarmhouse. The old man was standing outside, smoking a pipe.
"'Can you give me work?' I asked.
"'What kind of work?' inquired Jonas.
"'Farm work,' I answered.
"'How much do you want?'
"'Eight dollars a month.'
"'I'll give you six,' he said.
"'That's too little.'
"'It's the most I'll give you.'
"'Then I'll take,' I replied, and was at once engaged.
"Delighted to get me so cheap, the sordid old man asked me notroublesome questions. I knew enough of farm work to get along prettywell and not betray myself.
"That night I concealed myself in the old man's apartment withoutarousing his suspicions, Paul helping me. After he had been in bed abouttwenty minutes, I thought it time to begin. Accordingly I uttered ahollow groan.
"'Eh! What's that?' cried the old man, rising in bed.
"'I am the spirit of your dead brother,' I answered, throwing my voicenear the bed.
"'What do you want?' he asked, his teeth chattering.
"'You have cheated Paul out of his property.'
"'Forgive me!' he cried, terror-stricken.
"'Then give him back the property.'
"'The whole?' he groaned.
"'Yes, the whole.'
"'Are--are you really my brother?'
"'I will give you this proof. Unless you do as I order you, in threedays you will be with me.'
"'What, dead?' he said, shuddering.
"'Yes,' I answered in sepulchral a tone as possible.
"'Are--are you sure of it?'
"'If you doubt it, disobey me.'
"'I'll do it, but--don't come again.'
"'Be sure you do it then.'
"I ceased to speak, being tired, and escaped as soon as I could. But thebattle was not yet over. The next day gave Jonas courage. Afternooncame and he had done nothing. He was with me in the field when I threw ahollow voice, which seemed to be close to his ear. I said, 'Obey, or inthree days you die.'
"He turned pale as a sheet and asked me if I heard anything. I expressedsurprise and this confirmed him in his belief of the ghostly visitation.He went to the house, sent for a lawyer and transferred the entireproperty to his nephew. The latter made him a present of a thousanddollars and so the affair ended happily. Paul paid me handsomely formy share in the trick and the next day I made an excuse for leaving thefarm."
"Did the old man ever discover your agency in the affair, ProfessorHenderson?"
"Never. He is dead now and my friend Paul is happily married, and hasa fine family. His oldest boy is named after me. But here we are inHolston."