The Worthington advance., 1879-04-17
LAYING A GHOSr.

wy y ASSSsoto dpPQfses01 NO Longer
VtStts an IttjnOts NeQro's Cabin.
/ =, =. [st. Louis Globe -Democrat.I \
Agentleman Of this city who owns tract
of land in the American bottom, near East
st. Louis, and rents it in small lots of from
two to ten acres to farmers and gardeners,
relates an amusing scene that occurred few
days ago between two of his tenants. One of
his ten acre lots has comfortable house on
it, and is rented to a thrifty German and his
wife. Adjoining his two-acrelot ON which
is small cabin, which the owner had some
difficulty in renting, but short time ago
found tenant in the person of q sable son
of Ham, recently from the South, and pos
sessed of all the supersiitious feelings of his
race. Near the two houses is an old grave
yard, which was long since abandoned rs q
place of burial, and during the winter many
of th. bodies we're removed. In e1huming
the bodies fragments of cofins and head
boards were left behind, and these the thrift
ty wife Of hae German converted into kim
ding wood, to the horror of the African, who
regarded the act ~ the worst kind of sacri-
leee. The German and the negro were not
very neighborly, and the former conceived
the idea of frightening the latter from his
One night, a. the negro was preparing to re-
tire to his couch in front of his fireplace,
the door Of his cabin was thrown open and
tall figure, clad in white, with arms out
stretched, stood before him in threatening
attitude. The poor negro was frightened out
of his Wits. He supposed the visitor was the
spirit of ooe of the tenants of the grave
yard whose coffin had been converted into
kindling wood, and, falling on his face, he
begged Piteoaay for mercy.
80, good Mf. Ghost" he exclaimed, ''it
wasn't dis mig gar what done it. Fo Gods
sake, let me alone; It want me, deed it want.
Go way way from nae, and 60 arter dat Dutch
'oman over dar. She's de one what burnt up
your coffin. o, Mr.. Ghosty, spar my life; Ps
innocent, deed is. It Wur the Dutch
'oman what made kindiin' wood of your
coffn.''
The ghost disappeared, leaving the negro
more dead than alive. The next day the
negro went to se<, the owner of the land, and
told him what hat! occurred, and informed
him that he wouldn't stay in the cabin an
other night for m illion dollars. Thesland
lord, knowing his &c. rman tenant was anxious
to frighten the negro away, assured Sambo
that the ghost was ha. unless and could not
hurt him. He told hi. n he had been trying
for long time to cap ture ghost for the
anatomical museum in st. Louis and would
give him fifty dollars if be would catch him
one.
Chow gwine to cotch 'em?" inquired the
darky, feeling return Of his courage at tho
prospect of making fifty dollars in single
night.
''You can catch him easy enough. I've
got an old musket, and I'll load it with
horseshoe nails, and you just poke the muz-
zle through the crack in the door, and when
the ghost comes, pull Il .e triggez7 but mind
you must aim low aud s. hoot him in the legs
because he must be take alive. You shall
have the fifty dollars as oon as I get my
hands on him -
''t'oh God, I'll do it. I'm not afraid IT
ghosts no how"
The landlord next called on his German
tenant and informed him of the arrangement
he had made with the negro to sht 'ot ghost,
and requested him, if he should he ar q shot
fred; to 60 over and help his color ed neigh.
Dor secure the ghost by putting it's head in
bag. The German expressed doubt as
to the neero's ability to. shoot, but vas con
vinced when informed that Sambo had served
among the colored troops who fought nobly
during the rebellion. -.
It is needless to add that the negro has had
no more visits from the ghost, and that the
landlord still retains both his tenants.