Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-10-07
TIE Fourth street Ghost and she
Chicken peddleys

GnHfk&p tsH00h6ks
Late ON Sunday night a spry negro,
who seems 10 understand the supersti-
tions of his race, finding Q religious old
darby acting in the capacity OF servant
TO a respectable family on Fourth street,
tied white handkerchief around his
head, covered his shoulders With white
sheet, and determined to play the ghost
to some purpose. Thus shrouded he pro-
ceeded to the rear Of the house where the
old darby lay snoring, and by the aid OF
some instrument opened the shutter,
raised the window, and entered the
kitchen. In cropping about in the dark
he struck against something which caused
noise loud enough to rouse the old darby
from her slumbers, but as soon as she saw
the white -shrouded figure through the
dim light of the room she covered her
head with the bed-clothes and COM
menced praying, her teeth chattering at
almost every second syllable she uttered.
This was Just as the ghost desired and
finding the owners of the house were not
moving, he took of his winding sheet,
filed it with all the groceries aud pro-
visions he could find, and coolly and
quietly disappeared with the plumber. As
soon as the morning sent b few s,reaks
of light into the kitchen the old dsrky
ventured to uncover her head, and eau
tiously peering out, with eyes as large
as saucsrs, failed to discover the least
sign of his ghostship. She nevertheless
trembled with fear las she afterward re-
lated), and kept her eyes turning in every
direction as she put on her clothes.
Folly dressed, she made her way to the
room of her mistress and told long tale
about the appearance of the ghost, whom
she said had six heads and was covered
with wool as white as snow. The lady of
the house, of course, only laughed at the
story, but on descending to the kitchen
she found to her great annoyance that
nearly all the groceries and provisions
she laid in on Saturday had been stolen.
| There was no use in trying to hunt up
q ghost, and no more than giving the old
darby lecture on her cowardice and
superstition was said about the matter.
About eleven o'clock on Monday sharp
| looking negro raped at the front door,
and, on it being opened, asked to see
"the lady of the house" The lady in o
few minutes appeared in the hall, and
the negro, after bowling and pulling lock
of wool over his forehead, asked if she'd
| like 10 exchange some old clothes, if she
had any, for chickens, as the duds we're
| Just as good to him as money. The lady
ssid she had an old coat of her husband 8
she would give for dozen chickens,
but she desired to see the chickens before
she brought out the coat. The negro
said: 20 never mind, missus; give me
the coat now and I'll fotoh the chickens
| in ten minutes, sure" But the lady re-
| fused to transact business in that way,
and the negro had to curl up and quit
without the coat. About two in the
afternoon the lady and her servant, on
their way to store, met the same negro
on Adams street, when he had the impu-
dence to ask the lady if she should like
to see the chickens. She told him to be-
gone, or she would have him arrested.
He then whispered into the ear of the
servant, "How did you like the ghost r.
| The old darby screamed, Oars de thief
wot stole de things out OBJ de kitchen !"
Mistress and maid looked around and
saw the sharp-looking negro leaning
against lamp-post, laughing. 70 you
thiefl" cried the old darby, when the
sharper put his tongue out about ten
| lnehse at her and slid out of sight No
doubt be vas the fellow Who played the
ghost, and although he didn't succeed as
an exchanger of chickens for old clothes
in the house on Fourth street, it is ru-
mored that several other parties have
been bamboozled in that way by him.