The Carolina Spartan. [volume] (Spartanburg, S.C.) 1852-1896, 1857-11-05
Bill Slike Acting Devil.

| o'us nho DllI, anu Win Dill there was no.
body like Hazel. We were both what
would be termed hard cases, in this day and
age Of the world. II any mischief was done
in the .neighborhood, Bill aud were sure
to come in for our part Of the blame.
About Christmas times we always had n
deal Of fun, such as building rail-pens and
putting calves and pigs in the upper story,
hanging plows, big kettles" or anything
we could lay hands on. high up in trees, to
perPlex the owners, and all such tricks as
that. NoW such acts would be looked up.
on MS an unwarranted outrage, and tho per.
petrator would be hauled up and fined; then,
they were only laughed at as "Chrismas
tricks"
recolIect one Christmas Eve, Bill and I
set out to have n rich time Of it, Bill was
to nix up, and act as devil, and we were to
60 around and frighten the youngsters out
OF their wits Accordingly, we arranged a
grnm looking red cap with horns on it. and
placed 1t npon his head, and then made a
false.face for him out of red fl ,nneI, wrap.
ped him in a white sheet. and started. There
were several boys with us, and by them I
was unanimously elected to go before and
| give tire old folks at each house n hint of
what was going on, so that we would not
| get ourselves into a scape
Tho first house in our route was Uncle
Jack Bonds. went in, made some errand,
and as soon as possible slip Jed the Joke to
the old man and old woman. 1t was all
right with them, and so | went back and
reported to my companions. In short
time Bill, alas devil, poked his singular
looking head in at the door, and, urea,
scrampuon! such Settlement as took
place. Girls, boys, cats, and everything
else, excepting the two old ones. tumbled
up stairs like an earthquake. In we all
hustled, and such laugh as we had; and
how the girls slapped us on our faces for
frightening them SO badly. This was glo.
rlous beginning, and so we were almost era
zy to get 10 the next house
After partaling OF some doughnuts, and
other little cakes iha, had been cut ou, with
a thimble, and which the girls call kisses
we started for Major Aliens went on as
usual, and knocked n, the door.
Come in" said sweet voice. / obey.
ed the command, and found Jane, the Ma.
jor's daughter, all alone.
"Where's the old folksl" asked /.
"Gone over 10 grsndfalher's," she replied
as sweet rs sugar.
avery sorry" said l. "for l had impor.
tant business with the old man."
She assured me that they would be back
IN short time; and iiIling n plate with
"hominy" from large kettle, where il was
boiling OH the fire, she invited me. with one
ot the prettiest smiles you ever saw, to ST,
| down md ,;ll ., Ii IL
some with her
looked at the big, plump grains, all
bursting open in the plate, and inhaled the
delicious odor t'Iat arose from them, then
looked at the sweet face and sunny smile
OF my would-be-enter,ainer, and you'd bet.
Ter believe wished Bill and the rest OF the
boys IN Owns. felt sure that all the fun
We could see would he nothing to compare
With eating "homny" with Jane Allen. We,
dared not act the traitor. SO pretended
tha, had no time to spare, and bidding
her good evening, hurried back to nv
companions
"Boys,N said ], James all alone by her
sell. 1t wouldn't be right to scare her 80
bad-let's go on to Brown's"
No, by gum" said Bill, 81 wouldn't miss
that chance for hundred dollars. She
sighted me at singing school, and now I'll
pay her back forit."
still demonstrated, but in vain. Bill
was reso!ute, and 50 bad to give in.
As we neared lIe house, Bill said:
Now, boys, whatever you do, don't say
word, nor laugh, nor nothing, and ar,cr
I've scared her. we'll all slip Oft, and shell!
never know who, nor what it was
ave all agreed, aud after we had been
stationed around the chimney to hear her
scream, Bill walked in.
Good evening Mr., Devil said the same
sweet voice that few minutes before had
bid me to come IN; good evening Isuppose
you are used 10 warm fluids" and forthwith
we heard "splnrge" rs ii n eourd had
found lis way into the pot of boiling homi-
! ny. and then came a splash and crv. not
such one as we had expected to hear, but
one OF Bills real, genuine squalls on the
highest key. We all ran in and saw The
hot water dripping down from Bills crani,
um, while he was stamping around like
madness, tearing the horned cap am! false
face from this head. Jane, the mischievous
little elf, was standing up by the cupboard,
IduShIHS as thouglI she would 90 into
| spasms. Fortunately, Bill had received no
lasting injury, but | assure you it put nm
end to our fun for that night The Joke
had been turned upon lis when we least ex.
pec'ed 1T, and so we went home, feeling ra-
lher done for. The story soon got OUT, and
for long time Bill went by the name OF
Mr.. Devil.
| PANIC SroRy.-There is an old story in
the East of a man journeying who met a
da'k and dread apparition. "Who are
yout" said the traveller, accostinr the spoc.
ire. 81 am the Plague" it replied "iud
where are You going!" reioined the travel
Ter. IL am going to Damascus 10 Kin
three thousand human beings" said the
spectre Two months afterwards, the man
returning, met The same apparilion at the
! Int ,l