Park City High School - Kalendar Yearbook (Knoxville, TN)

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are-al KALENDAR IEW anything on which he might sleep. It was broad daylight, so they dared look in the window while Benny found a cot and placed it in the room where the crime had been committed, and again, later, they escorted him as far as the gate, wondering what tales he would tell when they saw him next. With head held high and knees only slightly shaking, Benny ascended the steps and disappeared within the house, He, too, for the first time, began to wonder it there were really such things there as had been reported. Somehow, almost anything seemed possible, as he sat there, alone in the haunted house. But sueh thoughts did not trouble him long, for soon he was in the land of dreams, where he met the characters ot' every ghost story he had ever heard. It must have been about midnight when Benny awoke in terror, and sat up in bed, listening intently. Had he heard a shot? Or was it just those terrible dreams which made him imagine it? For a long time he listened but all was still. Of course he had dreamed it, but he decided he'd light a lamp just tor company. This done, he felt better, and was just dozing 05 to sleep, when crack! he heard the second shot. There could be no mistake. It came from the cupboard, where Mason had concealed his victim. Benny doubted no longer. As he was preparing to leave, he looked back, and his hair rose in terror. A stream of blood was running across the Hoor, coming from the cupboard! Wliat was behind that door? Benny wanted to run, but he could not. He had to know all, since he had braved this much. Step by step he slowly came nearer the closet. And at each step he longed to go home as fast as he could. Almost before he knew it, his hand was on the door knob. He had never 51

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ea, p KALENDARW Benmfs Adventure QFirst Prize Storyl. All his friends looked upon Benny with awe. Though they had always known that he was the bravest boy among them, yet they could scarcely believe their ears, when his last daring deed was announced. It was simply unbelievable that anyone, even Benny, could consent to sleep in Mason 's haunted house, at any time, but especially on that night, the thirteenth anniversary of the great tragedy occurring there. They feared Benny did not fully understand what he was about to do. Therefore they urged him to go to Gran 'pa Franklin, down the street, and let him tell the story, in all its terrible weirdness. But Benny was determined, and nothing could move him. With a superior smile on his face, he listened as Gran'pa Franklin told how, thirteen years before, on just such a day as this, old lllr. Mason and his closest friend had quarreled, how Mason in a rage had killed his friend, had hidden him in the cupboard, and started to run awayg but, suddenly overcome by remorse. he had shot him- self. Ever since, on hot summer nights, and sometimes in winter, at intervals two shots could be heard, and sometimes, it is said, blood was found on the Hoor. The house passed into the possession of a real estate company, but no one would live there more than a few days. A little while before, a family had moved in, stayed two weeks, and left in such a hurry that they left part of their house- l1old goods there. Wlien the other boys knew that Benny intended to make good his boast, they went with him to the old house to see if there were 50

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My KALENDARW before been so entirely terrified, but he kept on. Ile placed himself in a good position to run, took a long breath and opened the door. There. in neat rows, were the jars of fruit that the last family had left. Two jars of blackberries had fermented and burst. The dark juice ran all over the floor. The next morning Benny told l1is friends that he had seen no ghost, and was iirlnly convinced that all reports were fake. liut he never related his adventures of that night. Mattie Trotter, 'l6. U4 3,7 NUI! ga I5 lflmmmlyfl Q xi ff ,' Q Wfzif - el, f nr' E-l-6 K. -Q' A 721 1 1 ' '. was .X GW ,Wiz ,Q L All 52