
*Title: A School Story by M. R. James
Date Read: 25 October 2008
Available Online?: YES
Briefly: Two friends discuss ghost stories relating to their old schools, and one relates the tale of a teacher, Mr. Sampson who was receiving horrifying (to him) messages in Latin; first through one of the pupils in the class and then on a piece of submitted class-work from an unknown source.
Afterthoughts: This is the second short I’ve read by M.R. James for this challenge (the first being Oh, Whistle, and I’ll Come to You, My Lad), and I found it to be quite entertaining, and not a little creepy. One thing James does seem to have an affinity for though, is windows – you’ll see what I mean when you read both of the tales. ![]()
Notable Quote: “I have hardly thought of it since then!–that he had a charm on his watch-chain that attracted my attention one day, and he let me examine it. It was, I now suppose, a gold Byzantine coin; there was an effigy of some absurd emperor on one side; the other side had been worn practically smooth, and he had had cut on it–rather barbarously–his own initials, G.W.S., and a date, 24 July, 1865.”
Rating: 




*Story read as part of the 31 Tales of Terror reading challenge.





