The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1879-11-08
Bill Sltko Acting DevIl.

When we were boys, Bill Sllkc and |,
we were great cronics. With me there was
nobody like Bill, and with Bill there was
nobody like Hazel. We were both what
would be termed hard cases. If any mis-
chief was done in the neighborhood, Bill
and | were sure to come in for our share of
the blame.
About Christmas times we always had u
deal of fun, such as building rail-pcns and
putting calves and pigs in the upper story,
hanging plows, "hig Kettles" or anything
we could lay hands on, high up in trees, to
perplex the owners.
l rccollcct ono Christmas eve, Bill and
set out to have rich time of it. Bill was
to fix up, and act us devil, and we were to
go around and frightcn the youngsters out
OF their wits. Accordingly, we arranged
rum-looking red cap with horns on it, and
placed it upon his head, and then made a
fnlse- face for him out of red flannel, wrap
ped him i'll white sheet, and started.
There were several boys with us, and by
them was unanimously elected to 90 be-
fore and give the old folks at each house a
hint of what was going on, SO that we
would not get ourselves into serapc.
The first house III our route was Uncle
Jake Bonds. went in, made some cr-
rand, and as soon rs possible slipped the
joke to the old man and woman. 1t was
all right with them, and 80 l went on and
reported to my companions. In u short
time Bill, alias devil, pokcd his singular
looking head i'll at the door, and, great
scrumption such scattcrment rs took
place. Girls, boys, cats, and everything
else, excepting the two old ones, tumbcd
up stairs like an earthquake. In we all
hustled, and such laugh as we had; and
how the girls slapped our faces for fright
ening them so badly. This was a glorious
beginning, and so VIC were almost crazy to
get TO the next house.
After partaklng of some doughnuts, and
some other little cakes that had been cut
out with a thimblc and which the girls
called kisses, we started for Major Aliens
went OH as usual, and knocked at the
door,
"'Comc in" said sweet voice. l obcycd
the command, and found Jane, the Majors
only daughter, all alone.
. "Wherc's the old folks2" askedI I.
"Gone over to. grandfathcr's, she re-
piled, sweet as sugar.
every sorry" said I, "for l had i'm
portant business with the old man."
She assured me they would be back in a
short time; and filling plate with "homi-
ny" from large kettle, where it was boil
ing on the fire, she invited me, with one of
the pretticst smiles you ever saw, to sit
down and wait till it cooled, and then cat
some with her.
| looked at the big, plump grains, all
bursting open in the plate, and inhaled the
delicious odor that arose from them, then |
looked at the sweet face and sunny smile of
my would-bc-cntcrtainer, and you'd better
bellcvc l wished Bill and the rest of the
boys in Guinea. l felt sure that all tho
fun we could see would be nothing to COM
pare with eating "hominy" with Jane AL
len, yet dared not act the traitor. So I
pretended had no time to spare, and bid
ding her good evening hurried back to
my companions.
Boys" said I, "Janc's all alone by her
self. 1t wouldn't be right to scare her 50
bad-lct's 60 to Brown's2"
mo, by gum," said Bill, 81 wouldn't
miss that chance for hundred dollars. She
sighted me the other day at singing school,
and now Ill endeavor to pay her back for
it,"
l still demonstrated, but in vain. Bill
was rcsolute, so had to give in.
AS we nearcd the house, Bill said:
Nov, boys, whatever you do, don't say
q word, nor laugh, nor nothing, and artcr
I've scared her, we'll slip off, and she'll
never know who, nor what it was. "
We all agreed, and after we had been
stationed around the chimney to hear her
scream, Bill walked in. '.." t.r
''Good evening, Mr.. Devil" said tho
same sweet voice that few minutes be-
fore had bid me to come in "good even-
ing, suppose you are used to warm
fiuids;" and forthwith wc heard a
"splurgc" as If gourd had found its way
into the pot Of boiling hominy, ond then
came splash, and cry, not such a one as
we expected to hear, but one of Bills gen
uine squalls on the highest key. We all
ran IN and saw the hot water dripping
down from Bills Uranium, while he was
stamping around like madness, tearing the
horned cap and false face from his head.
Jane, tho mischicvous little elf, was stand
ing up by tho cupboard, laughing as
though she would 60 into spasms. Fortu-
nately, Bill had received no lasting injury,
but assure YOU it put IN end to our fun
for that night. The joke had been turned
upon us when we least expected it, and so
we went home, feeling rather done for
The story soon got out, and for a long timc
Bill went by the name of Mr.. Devil.