Page 220 - YB1903

"It was like this," answered the skeleton. "We had not visited the tribe for almost two months, and, being without access to a hone or place to have our razors repaired, we had let our beards grow and trimmed them with shears. At the end of the two months we had Vandykes that would have done any sport justice. Our predecessor, in one 01 his talks to the younger element of the tribe, had described the devil as having h01"11s,but the chump never told them where the horns were located, so that when they saw our Vandykes they took us for devils and had us put out of the way as soon as they could do so." While my friend had been an honest man on earth, and J had no reason to consider him other than that 110W, there was indecrl something very peculiar, if not incredible, in his story; nevertheless I laughed at it, and considered it a good joke. My taking the whole affair so lightly c1ic1notplease 111)'bony friend, for he answered 111erather angrily and said, ., Well, it may be a good joke and all of that, but as a friend you should at least sympathize with me." Tn tones a little 1110reserious J began, "\,oVhel·eis your spirit at prescut , or don't you know?" "Oh! that is in purgatory at present," answered the skeleton. "It just came out of Hell a short time ago." "Hell!" 1exclaimed, "what are you talking about? Were you not a minister of the Gospel and missionary, and did you not live a Christian life on earth?" "Yes;" answered the skeleton, .. I was what you might call a good on but you know we used to use' horses' in exams. at school. find 1 was always ready to take a hand in That thing is more serious ill Heaven titan it is in the Faculty. and for that little thing 111ysoul was damned. I hope to get in He/wen some time this century." Conversation with the skeleton now began to grow Interesting, as I had become used to the grating of his bones against each other, so continuing, 1 asked, "Tar!", old man, did you ever see any of the people you knew on earth while yon were in Hell?" "0, yes, lots of the fellows we used to know at school are down there. Do you remember Hancock? Well, he bad 110tlost his fondness fOI" women even when I saw him in Hell. Why he really tried to make his Satanic Majesty a gnlss.wido\Vcr. or course, when this was discovered, some of the potentates of Hell got together, captured Hancock, took him to the Phlegcton river and threw him overboard, with two mtll-stoues tied to his neck for companions, so that he would not have to C01111:. around the mansion of his Satanic xt ajesty 101" company." - - 21.0 - -