Chapter XXVI. Pages From the Past

by Horatio Alger

　　"What will the old lady think of you?" said Harry."She will have a very bad opinion till she puts on her specs andread the bill. That will explain all. I shouldn't be surprised tosee her at my 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 acquaintinganyone with it. That idea came later. You see when I was twenty-one,with a little property which I inherited from my uncle, I went intobusiness for myself; but I was young and inexperienced in management,and the consequence was, that in about two years I failed. I foundit difficult to get employment as a clerk, business being verydull at the time. While uncertain what to do, one of my friends,to whom I had communicated my power, induced me to give me a publicentertainment, combining with it a few tricks of magic, which I hadbeen able to pick up from books. I succeeded so well my vocationin life became Professor Henderson.""It must be great fun to be a ventriloquist.""So I regarded it at first. It may not be a very high vocationbut I make the people laugh and so I regard myself as a publicbenefactor. Indeed, I once did an essential service to a youngman by means of my ventriloquism.""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 theyear previous, leaving a farm and other property to the value offifteen thousand dollars. Of course, being as only son, he expectedthat this would be left to himself, or, at least, the greater partof it. Conceive his surprise, therefore, when the will came to beread, to find that the entire property was left to his Uncle Jonas,his father brother, who, for three years past, had been a memberof the family. Jonas had never prospered in life, and his brother,out of pity, had offered him an asylum on his farm. He had formerlybeen a bookkeeper and was an accomplished penman."The will was so extraordinary--since Paul and his father had alwaysbeen on perfectly good terms--that the young man was thunderstruck.His uncle expressed hypocritical surprise at the nature of thewill."'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 refusedto give him any portion of the property."'I sympathize with you,' I said at the conclusion of Paul's story;'but how can I help you?'"'I will tell you, sir,' he replied. 'You must know that my UncleJonas is very superstitious. I mean, through your help, to playupon his fears and 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 themorning after--Paul having previously gone back--I entered theyard of the farmhouse. The old man was standing outside, smokinga 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 alongpretty well 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 inbed about twenty minutes, I thought it time to begin. AccordinglyI uttered a hollow groan."'Eh! What's that?' cried the old man, rising in bed."'I am the spirit of your dead brother,' I answered, throwing myvoice near 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, inthree days 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 the battle was not yet over. The next day gave Jonas courage.Afternoon came and he had done nothing. He was with me in the fieldwhen I threw a hollow voice, which seemed to be close to his ear.I said, 'Obey, or in three days you die.'"He turned pale as a sheet and asked me if I heard anything. Iexpressed surprise and this confirmed him in his belief of theghostly visitation. He went to the house, sent for a lawyer andtransferred the entire property to his nephew. The latter made hima present of a thousand dollars and so the affair ended happily.Paul paid me handsomely for my share in the trick and the next dayI made an excuse for leaving the farm.""Did the old man ever discover your agency in the affair, ProfessorHenderson?""Never. He is dead now and my friend Paul is happily married, andhas a fine family. His oldest boy is named after me. But here weare in Holston."