The Portland daily press., 1870-05-28
Bill Wilson's Ghost Story
BY JACOB SAD.

do; have seen them-one last night
1t was ten years ago; and thirty otber
were on guard in the citadel of Quebec. | wa
Number Thee, Tom Sawyer was Two, and
little Welchman was Number One on the DOS
OF the Kings Battery, where the flag stat
stands and the union jack flies-ior the pres
ent. 1t was summer time. At s O'Clock tn,
evening gun was fired, and number one tool
up his position on the first relief, while the
second and third lounoed around the guard
house, picking up the drunken soldiers as they
came N. and amusing themselves as best they
might. BY hall past all was quiet, and the
lights all out.
All at once we fellows heard a terrible
scream from the little Welshman,-you can
tell Weshman two miles ofl,-and in he
came without his shake, running as though a
woman was after him with tin dipper.
"Halloow sad the sergeant, "leIt your post
--woL's the meaning of all this?"
GA g-hCstp The Weshman jerked out in
two distinct and painful efforts.
"a g-host,' repeated the sergeant in sneer-
ing imitation of the Welshman,-" take off
your belts, "-which is polite English for say
ing you're prisoner" in the army.
The Welshman was marched into the inner
guard-house and Number Two, Tom SAWYER
and mighty pale he looked-was trotted out
to take his place.
Billy" said he to me, graspng my hand
he was Cockney, tool l wanshes in a
cloud of blue smoke, write to the old woman
that died game" ana | told him would
We'll, thele was no alarm for some time. not
for most two hours, perhaps; feel pretty sure
it was almost mindight before Tom Sawyer
screamed-and d. n't he scream!
Turn out the d-thunder-God save
the Queen !-murder!" This was the SUBJ
stance Of Tom Sawyer's remarks; but the
ghost was too much for him, and before a file
OF men could be marched out he marched in.
and no ghost was ever whittier.
"Ah, ah"' said the sergeant, "anotber cow
ard; take off your belts, Sir"
Sergeant Pipeclay," said Tom, his face
turning as red as a beet, "look at these six
medals and don't call me a coward but can't
fight with ehosts.'
But this only made old Pipeclay worse; old
Pipeciay had no medals. WHY? Because he
was in the hospital while Tom was fiobtn@
the Sikhs in India. So he put Tom in irons
for his insolenoe, and then It was my. turn
and was only recfuit-to take my place at
the Kings Battery. How nv heart did heat
How my eyes did wink! How nv legs did
shake and SILVER! Keep the right step? Whv
II was almost too much 10 keep stepping at
all. Pfo -
Take care, Number Three" said the cor
poral," take care, or I'll take your belts off for
drunkenness; you stagser like a TOOL"
want to report myself sick" said I,
"Silence in the ranks" said he.
No go;" thought l, swell. let the Ghost
come; III try and be friendly with him."
But didn't l feel queer as the stramp.
tramp OF the relief went farther away from
me? Contrary to orders and to nv first in
tentions, | got ready to do as the rest had
done-to run. l put my musket in the SENTRY
box ioosened my stock, tucked up my pant
ieSs, and was more deliberate about doing it
than most men would have been under The
Mountaineering to my temperament.
FINALLY placed myself with my back close TO
The sentry box entrance resolved to keen a
sharp look out. l don't know whether il was
The celebration with which my preparations
were made, Or what it was impressed the ghost
with the idea that l must be treated different
from the rest, but he was impressed with this
idea; perhaps he might have heard me say that
meant to be friendly
However that may be, instead of coming
up IN 'front.' as any other ghost would have
done, the first knew of his presence was Inv
nearing very melancholy voice right back of
me-ln the sentry boX-sayinc:
"Oh, Billy Wilson; don't run awav like tbe
rest" INV ''o
There was no fear it; was 50 much worse
scared than the other two had been. that
a'a nj nave run yard to save my commits
Dn-lt IA had one. But turned round
shaking Ike recruit under fire, and there, in
my sentry-box, was as sad looking ghost as
I ever saw. Wny, Sir, ghosts amt white-at
least this one wasn't. lie had three CORNER
ed nat on, such as the soldiers wore a hun
area years ago, white belts crossed ON the
breast, top-boots and white breeches. AS
soon as got good look at him. | wasn't at
all afeared. L believe there is no harm in
ghosts, il fellow treats them right.
Billy, said the ghost, "wen l was alive |
was a HIngllsnman like yourself; you see this
ole IN my cross belt;-a 'undrcd years ago to-
day bullet from a French musket made that
mark-tore through the leather and through
the lung, and when our fellows entered this
place they brought me here to die. and I
died." Here the ghost began to weep.
well my FRIEND" said II was used to
ghosts by this time-"this is very interest
ing statement, but what does it all amount
top ''''''''''
Hear me out" said he. 81 'ad been in the
service twenty years; what with, prize-monev
ana plunder pay, and stealing from the ma
yves Wherever L was, 'ad scraped together
quite sum of money, which it was sewed ND
IN the Inning OF my coat, and buried with nv
pody, close. by the magazine wall, where the
rock is covered with a little earth, not two
round store" -
wei, said impatiently, for this began to
We'll" said he, with burst of spectraIS
paSSlon,-"l was always a saving man. 7 am
saving ghost; can't a-bear to see ,h ha,t
money rustns in the earth; and besides"
sad ne, with the utmost agony on his lea
lures, II II amt dug up soon the barsted
1 ahkees VIII overrun this country, aud some
u. 9ectlcut clam.digser will get my money.
ana perhaps make my bones into cheese
knives"
Don't feel so cut up" said /.
-, cant help it, Billy said he, "whcn |
lhink OF that. Dig me up. Billy: the money
Is yours, and with that he vanished.
noW' SIR mere | was placed in a deuced /,
pretty fix BY the kindness of This gentle.
manly ghost 1 was placed in possession Of
valuable information. | knew where that |
iouhu stone was, and knew that n nioneer;S
.t, vas leaning right against it: and I
thou@nt knew that the rounds would not
come 10 my post for more than an ho,r
w men should 1 get better opportunity to 70.
eo Wv tne property OF this refined and digni- |
ied spectfeF was tempted and fell Law
~ III Ivy nine VI 'ne poN, sloped gently down
Not more than two shovelfiIls of e,rtb had
ur ned over before the officer of the pnar1 ~
ived at my post with his escort and found me
'one: l know they thought the ghost had
Vhlsked me off to limbo; because they were
. eHcited when they shouted Guard turn |
-. uuard turn out~ Corporal on the |
'uard y HE, hi, no, double q.ick!u
Yes, and as they shouted they bedM TO |
ouble-quick toward the guard-house. and
he guard began TO doube-quick towar / them
ma both had to pass where was. and riobf
rose lose to the round stone they met before +
,ouiu get out of the way; and they grabbed
ne, 1na SIT, l, the bravest of the lot. in tbroa
minutes was handcuifed in the guard -bonso
WIN my oelts OIL, and charges of scowarGico'
lnu asserting my post against nv namo
Now what do you think Of the orafi,n Jai ef
Johnny Bull? 7'"'''"'e oi
why, sir, when l was tried by n dis,r;o,
ourt-martial, they laughed at me when ta,s
mem about the ghost; they said | hadn't
Ger; ghost at all; they said that L was the
, n coward OF the three, that had sneak
may 10y rom my post to hide beneath the
an7e tt wall, so as to have a shorter dis
nust he iun 10 The guard house: thew said r
me to made an example Of and se9tenoad
prison. 'is Shot drill in the military
ha Sut 5 SIR they did believe 7 saw . Oh, =
.ound the mao go ald they want to do al,
~. and wbv did th lor in search of tbe ~
m the senfr ,-boarJ want to put this ordar
3attery?- Vi the Kings
headquarters Citadel Guard
pectels, apparitons, dogs, etc, are inos's,
ridden to Prov round the Kings Battesyah r
my pretence whatever. And ali sentinei:s On
,ow forbidden to show the least signs ~
,nIaSs ne at the approach of such PARTIES
he of1;oae latter are furnished with pass II ON
nc oLHcef COMMANDING AVN |