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Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 108, 2 November 1940, Page 17

(An October Tale by "Great Greenfeattier/* 14, JohnsonvUle.)

CC X CAN hardly wait for tomorrow." 1 said Gillian Marsden to her friend Stella Brown, as the two girls walked slowly down to the swimming-pool. Tomorrow was Hallowe'en and the Fifth had decided to celebrate.

At last the long-awaited day arrived and members of the Fifth * Form at Beverly College were to be seen hollowing out pumpkins and making mysterious signs when teachers' backs were turned. They were so restless during class that Miss Grout nicknamed "The Grouse" became very annoyed and gave many of the girls detentions. Just before bedtime the Fifth Formers decided to bold their Hallowe'en Party in the gymnasium as it tas apart from the main school.

After lights out that evening twenty girls clad in tunics, and carrying shoes in their hands, tiptoed along the corridors out across the tennis courts to the gym

Pumpkins, were soon placed at intervals round the room and Jenny Redfern. dressed as a witch, spread a tablecloth on the floor ready for the feast. When all was ready the lights were switched off and only a large lantern was left burning. The gym was filled with shadows and the girls seated round the tablecloth loaded with good things looked very mysterious. At a given signal the girls raised their voices in a low eerie chanting and Witch Jenny tiptoed across the room. She seated herself and the Fifth Formers began to eat the sand wiches. cakes, and sweet fruit. .

After the feast they all collected to listen to a playlet performed by Stella Brown, Beth Thomson, and Valeric Sherridan. Everything went splendid ly till five minutes before the end Suddenly Gillian Marsden heard the pattering of feet coming towards the gym. Quickly she extinguished the lantern and all the girls scattered them selves round the room. The voice of Joceiyn Parker, a sixth-former broke the stillness

"It's all right girls," she whispered to

several other of her friends who were "crowding in behind her. "We'll start our feast now"

"Well!" gasped Stella Brown. "Fancy the dignified Sixth Formers coming here for a feast We'll rush them." she whispered to Pat Johnson and word was soon passed round to all the Fifth Formers.

Suddenly twenty black shapes appeared as if from nowhere, and rushed with waving arms towards the Sixth Formers. They were so startled that

they dropped everything and rushed from the room and they did not stop til) safely in bed- Meanwhile in the gym, the Fifth formers, helpless with laughter, were collecting their belongings and hurrying away.

Once in their dormitories they undressed quickly, and not a moment too soon, for ten minutes later Miss Grout entered the room. However, she did not find anything suspicious much to the girls' relief.

For ever after the Fifth Form had many a laugh over that memorable evening, when they frightened the Great Sixth. ,