Junction City High School - Junco Ed Yearbook (Junction City, OR)

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A 57mm; nf Shilling? Sophie Peterson, ilZ It was on a cold, dark October evening in the early part of the nineteenth century, that a party of young people had assembled in the parsonage of the little town Stillinge on the island of Seeland, Denmark. Out of doors the wind was howling through the bare branches of the trees and whistling around the corners of the build- ing. Not a star could be seen in the black sky. Surely, ghosts and witches and evil spirits, if there really are such, would choose such a night to visit a peaceful community and carry on their mischief. But in the servantls hall, where the company was gathered, no one thought of evil. All were happy and free. The parson had been there'and had spoken a few words to them while they listened quietly and respectfully, but as soon as he had gone, all of them put away solemn thoughts and proceeded to enjoy themselves. Conversation was soon lively and gay. Games were played, jokes were laughed at, and short stories were told by several of the party. In one of these stories someone happened :to mention the mummy which was kept in the church. To most of the young people it was familiar, but several expressed curiosity concerning it; and the man who had mentioned it, told what he knew about it. It was the body of a preacher who had died there many years before. The em'balmed corpse still stood in the church, where all who wished might see it. Led by a sudden impulse, one of the girls suggested that some- one might go over to the church, which lay only a few rods away, and fetch the mummy, so that all might have a look atit. They all laughed at the idea, and several wagered that she was afraid to go. She, however, scorning to be thought afraid, accepted the wager. much to their amonishment and secret fear, and set out alone and without a light. Fhe ran quickly throughthe dark garden, reached the wall of the churchyard, and felt her way to the gate. This she opened a little ways and stepped within. She was now in the churchyard. The white monuments loomed tall and ghostly againsr the dark sky. and her heart began to beat faster. But she fought down her rising fearyand opening the church door, stepped in. She 58 and all fit n and the cloxh 1.de shrun The hair hung i: oudl the . 3.531di sunken. and .- ht gimme: i; a pleasant mg i . vaT n c hI gelemlh d mumnn as gmdexalmne u m mp l d hen w mm an out nlout what h d been d .25 RI. .Zghm. She breathed more I eel she were committing a sacr time. But just as she turned. 'lelinll and held her last. Ezrin'ends had been discussing ieremm. But she did not com :TLlOltllt young men secured a eklorher. They found her 51 :lliteand drawn, her eyes star: szchalook of intense horror thm ffhlledtoher, but she did not ; :iiamhange' Her dress had axis: moment she had DTObab' Ellully got her hack to nu. .3 urroundmgs 0w h'llc Vnw I . N as called and She was Ollhevou . pt lllghimself fgrghieopic Wm! lhtgirl n 15 lmlishnesg 'mlbrok eCoxered Dthca 1h. OWn ' ,5th ' and ab . a ' Oxe ten 5

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0. .m an lamb Iif, O h s ' l ' '3 am a I . a '1' i i V, V e .. Q ml$ N. a . A u ,, A K 0 l O h h , Nth . s d I q; i N n -... Ids!- ..I. .. It was night when he awoke. The moon was directly over his head, the wind was blowing hard, and large leaves were falling fast. Save the rustling ofIthe wind and grass, no sound could be heard but the melancholy howl Of a lonely coyote, that skulking pariah 0f the desert, calling to his mate. Jack wondered if the horses had gone home, or if they were standing near him in the shade of the brush along the creek. The next morning, at the ranch, Tom ate an early breakfast and set out on horseback to spend the day flxing fence. As he was going over a ridge just back of the barn his horse pricked up its ears and commenced to whinney. Tom glanced about, and to his surprise saw Topsy and Toby come from over a little raise. He knew at once that some accident had happened to Jack. As soon as possible he set out to search for Jack, taking Topsy and Toby back with him, with material and provisions for a camp, to be used in case Jack should be found in need of them. In the morning, when the sun rose bright, Jack again looked around for the horses; and on not seeing them, had hopes that they had gone home. The hours of the hot day passed slowly. As he became weak from lack of food, Jackis hopes of being found diminished. At length, as the afternoon shadows were growing long, he built a fire out of some leaves and an old rotten log, in hopes that the smoke might guide Tom to where he lay. Weakened with the exertion, he lay back and drowsily watched the columns of smoke rise in the light air. As the sun sank low and no help came, his last hopes seemed to vanish, and he closed his eyes in a swoon. The slow fire still burned when Tom, riding over the prairies, saw the srhoke and came to where his friend lay. Tom worked over the seemingly lifeless body for some time, and at length consciousness returned. He then dressed the wound as best he could and gave Jack something to eat. Afterwards he made things as comfortable as possible for Jack and rode in haste for the nearest doctor, who lived some thirty miles away. Jack was glad of the company of Topsy and the mule, and for- gave Toby for his misdeed, since he had done so much toward repairing the injury. 57 Iii a ; Main .2 fan Ag .. A -ti .r .. s .or. .1....v.s-s.w. n. .

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felt her way to the coffin, took out the mummy, and quickly made her way back to the hall, where her companions greeted her with looks of admiration for her daring. bhe laid the mummy 0n the table, and all flocked around to see it. It was dry and shrunken, and the cloth in which it was wrapped was faded and rnouldy. The hair hung in ragged locks from the head, the features were sunken, and the skin had a musty gray color. Altogether, it was not a pleasant sight. After everyone had examined the mummy as much as he wished, the girl took it up again and went out to replace it so that the parson should not find out what had been done. She refused to let anyone go with her, Encauraged bv the. admiration of her com- rades and by her hrst success, she entered the church bravely this time, and having put the mummy back into the coffin, arranged everything as it was before. She breathed more freely now, for she had felt almost as if she were committing a sacrilege all the time, and turned around to go. But just as she turned, something caught her dress from behind and held her fast. Meanwhile her friends had been discussing the mummy, and were awaiting her return. But she did not come. Finally, grow- ing uneasy, several of the young men secured a couple of lanterns and went to seek for her. They found her standing beside the coffin, her face white and drawn, her eyes staring straight before her, filled with such a look of intense horror that they involuntarily shuddered. They called to her, but she did not answer, nor did the expression of her face change. Her dress had caught on a nail, but on the spur of the moment she had probably thought that the mummy held her fast. Her friends finally got her back to the hall, but although she was conscious of her surroundings now, she was still unable to speak. The parson was called and she was put under the proper care, while the rest of the young people quietly took leave of each other, each blaming himself for his foolishness in letting the girl have her will. The girl soon recovered physically, but her nervous system was nearly broken down, and, above all, she had lost the power of speech; she had been struck dumb by fright.