Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1878-01-28
quent proceedings with the air of to-
tally disinterested observer.

tally disinterested observer.
'Clar to goodness, now," muttered
Uncle Zeke, "wisn't 1 un'stood bout
dis ting. Can't be no spring-trap like
de las time, kase how he gwine to
spring froo de do? Ke ke! Done
bodder Mis- Smith shy 'nuff when he
find dat ole rat-trap sprung and muffin
cotch. High Can't fool dis yere
chile wild no traps. No, sar !! Done see
too much for dat
Uncle Zeke paused, scratched his
head meditatingly, and then resumed
his soliloquy-
"Well, declar, eff dis yere don, beat
preachin' ! Mus be a gun in dar. Ef
amt no gun, den dere amt muffin dere
all foos'hnesss. Anyway, rs gwine
for try him.
Uncle Zeke threw his bag to the
ground. stepped to one side of the house
and with his pole struck sharp blow
on the brass knob nearest him. Moth
ing followed. He pried against it with
a stick, but still without effect. He
went to the other side of the house and
repeated his experiments on the second
knob, but still all remained quiet.
|
Uncle Zeke now drew from his pock-
ct skeleton key, mounted the ladder,
and in trice had opened the paddock
which held the door.
"Dar, now, JOS is I fought. De
boss done humbug dem fool niggers,
make um tink dis yere house witched.
Amt muffin dar, sho' 'nuff."
The old darkey reached up and eau
tiously turned the handle. The door
opened a little, and, casting away all
fear. Uncle Zeke boldly reached for the
other knob to steady himself while he
swung back the door,
Literally like flash OF lightning the
electric discharge passed through him.
The muscles of his fingers contracted,
and he could not release his hold of the
enchanted handles. At last his feet
slipped from the ladder, and the weight
of his body tore his hands adrift. Like
a log the old man dropped to the ground
and lay groani ng, praying, and general
ly bewildered.
"Oh, de Laws Cor A'mity Oh, my
Heabenly Marsterl Who eber t'eught
o dat! Ny conscience done wake up
My conscience done wake up! Hearn
MY -heapenly MarsJer !! Ell you let's up
on me dis time Uncle Zeke neber touch
muffin no mo-. 'Clar to goodness, Is a
change man fom dis day. B-r-r-r-r-
r" And what with the shock, the
fright and the fall, Uncle Zeke's senses
seemed leaving him.
Ezekiel" said solemn voice. In
stinctively Uncle Zeke answered, "Here
me-" and looked in the direction of the
sound. Oh. horror. A figure clad in
white was nearing him with slow and
solemn steps. AS the mysterious visitor
approached it seemed to rise until it tow
cred to the height of at least ten feet
The wretched Ezekiel, on his hands and
knees, his eyes protruding, and his jaw
dropped, remained paralyzed.
Suddenly the phantom bowed itself
and its head descending with incredible
swiftness, smote the unfortunate Unel,
Zeke senseless to the earth.
Three days later, as poor Uncle Eek
lay, racked with rheumatism and tor
mented with spiritual fear, upon his bee
in the single room at his cabin. the doc
opened and in walked Mr.. Smith, Q
Bellevue.
"Good morning, Uncle Zeke. Why
what's the matter with you, old man 2
"Oh, Mis- Smith oh, Mis- Smith,
done had some turrible sperenees latel,
De angel oh de Lord done wrastle wi
; me, an my conscience done woke, an
. oh, my Heabenly Marster ! Is one su
! ferin' sinner. Mis- Smith, is you bin
is you done-is you m-miss any tir
wild dat ar c-corn-house O. yourn p
No, indeed. Uncle Zeke nobody bet
near it. Everything all right now"
! "An' nobody done touch the lock
h Do look ebery mornin' p
q "You, indeed. Why, who do y
" think would touch it, old man ?"
4 Uncle Zeke answered not, but /
lips moved convulsively, as he mute
. ed, "Knock me down fus, an den loc
de do an took de key. Now I kno
+ it was de angel OBJ de Lord" ."-T.
M' Cready, IN Harper's Magazine.
er An elderly, prim, spectacled spins'
recently took passenger train at CHI
IL ter station, on the Grand River Vail