Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1854-10-07

grave yard, with whole heap of ieIlers,
who went TO see him to the gate.
Look out now, Bill-you know that
ghosts is monsuous dangerous things, 'sed
tie boys, as they was about to leave him.
'Never you mind ses Bill. But re-
member, I'm to shoot
Yes scs all of 'em.
Bill marched into the middle of the
grave yard, singn Shiny Night as loud
as he could, but monstrous out of tune,
and tuck seat on one Of the grave
stones.
The night was pretty dark, and Bill
thought it was very cold, SO he kept takin
drinks every now and then to keep him
self warm, and singin all the songs and
sam tunes he knOw'd to keep himself
awake. Some times he thought he
heard something, and then his hair would
sort o crawl up, and he would grab hold
of his pistol, what he held Rocked in his
lap, but il was so dark that he couldn't
see nothn ten steps of. Two or three
times lie felt like backn out, but he kno' d
that wouldn't do; so he'd take another
drink and strike up another tune. BY
and by he got so sleepy that he couldn't
!elI whether he was singing Lucy Neal
or the Promised LanG,' and by and 10y
he only sung a word here and thar,
'thout bein very perlickler what song il
belonged to.
Bill was so abominabIy sleepy and cor
ned together, that he couldn't keep awake,
and in spite Of his fears lie began 10 nod
a little.
Jest then something sneezed /!
Ugh = ses Bill; whats that ?
But he soon cum to the conclusion that
he must been sneezin' in his sleep, and
after seem, that his pistol was safe and
takin another drink, lie was soon in the
land of Nod again.
Bout this time old Mr.. Jenkins gang
of gotes cum out of the thicket, whar
they had cum thro the gap IN the fence
and with old white Belshazzar in The
lead, cum smelin bout whar Bill was
walchin for the ghost.
Old BeIshazzar is one Of the ouda-
ciousest old rascaIs in all Georgy, and
secin Bill setin thar all alone by himself,
be goes up and smells at him. Bill nod
ded aggn. The old feIIer took it for a
banter, sure enuff, ,and back he went a few
steps, and rasin up on his hind legs a
little, he tuck deliberate aim, and, spank
he tuck Bill rite between the eyes, nockln
him and the pistol both off al the same
time.
Bang goes the pistol, roarin ont on thn
still night air like young five pounder,
so every body heard it,and that mint you
might hav heard Bill holler murder ! mur-
for more'n mile.
The whole town was out Of bed in a
mint, and every body that could 60 was
out to the grave yard as quick as they
could git thar.
Thar was Bill Wilson layin sprawIcd
out on the ground, with his nose Knocked
as flat as a pancake, and his eyes bunged
up so he couldn't tell daylight from dark.
The goats were scared as bad as he
was at the pistol, and was gone tore be
flirly touched the ground; Bob Moreland
and Tom Stallins, what had gone out thar
TO scar Bill, and had seen his encounter
with old Belshazzar, was standin by him
raped up in their white sheets, laflin as
if they would burst their sides.
Bill swore that he was wide awake /;
and that when the ghost cum up TO him,
he tuck fair snap at it, when all at once
he was struck with a clap of thunder and
lightnn.
Bob Moreland tried TO explain it to
him. But it was all no use. He swore
the ghost was six foot high, and that he
seed the lightnin jest as plain as he ever
seed lightnin in his life.
Bill claimed the stakes, and every body
sed he ought 10 have the money. But
you may depend he wouldn't have such
another ghost fight for all the money in
Georgy. The fence was mended whar
ii was broke in the thicket. and thar was
never any more ghosts seed in that grave
yard sense.