The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1879-05-28
LAYING ! GHOST.
WHY A TERRIBLE APPARITION NO LON
GER VISITS AN ILLINOIS Ne
eros CID CABIN.

bottom, near East St. Louis, and
rents it in small lots Of from two tr
ten acres to farmers and gardeners
relates an amusing scene that oc
Cured a few days ago between two
of his tenants. One of his ten acre
lots has comfortable house on i,
and is rented by. thrifty German
and his wife. Adjoining is two.
acre lot, on which is q small cabin,
which the owner had some difficulty
Il renting, but q short time ago
found tenant in the person of a
sable son of Ham, recently from the
South, and possessed Of all the SUI
perstitious feelings Of his race
Near the two houses is an old grave
yard, which was long since aban,
doned as place of burial, and dur
ing the winter many of the bodies
were removed. In exhuming the
bodies fragments OF collins and head
boards were left behind, and these
the thrifty wife Of the German con-
verified into kinalipg wood to the
horror of the African, who regarded
the act as the worst kind Of sacri-
lege. The German and the negro
were not very neighborly, and the
former conceived the idea of fright
ening the latter from his cabin BY
working on his snperslilious fears.
Oae night, as the negro was prepar-
ing to retire to his couch in front Of
his fire place, the door of his couch
was thrown open and a tall figure,
clad in white, with arms outstretclied
stool before him in threatening
attitude. The poor negro was fright
ened out Of his wits. He supposed
the visitor was the spirit of one, oil
the tenants Of the graveyard whose
coffin had been converted into kin
ding wool, and falling on his face
he begged piteously for mercy.
80, good Mr.. Ghost" he exclaim
ed, cit wasn't dis niger what done
it. For Coils sake, let me alone, il
want me, deed it want. Go way
from me, and go artcr dat Dutcl
oman over dar. She's de one who
burnt up your coffin. 0, Mr., Clos
IT,, spar my life; Use innocent, 'deet
is. 1t wur the Dutch conan wha
made kindlin' wood of your coffin
The ghost disappeared, leaving tn
negro more dead than alive. Til,
next day the negro went to see til,
owner of the land, and told hin
what had occurred, and informed
him that he wouldn't stay in til,
cabin another night for a million o
dollars. The landlord. knowing hi.
German tenant was, anxious tt
brighten the negro away, assured
sambo that the ghost was Harmless.
and could not hurt him. He tolt
him he had been trying for a Ions
time to capture a ghost for the ana
tomical museum in St Louis, anf
would give him fifty dollars if III
would catch one.
elbow / gwinc to cotcll 'em?' in.
quired the darkey, feeling a return
of his courage at the prospect Of
making fifty dollars in a 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 muzzle through the crack
in the door, and when the ghost
comes, pull the trigger; but mind
you must aim low and shoot him In
tue legs, beca use he must be taker
alive. You shall have the fifty dol
lars as soon as ! get my hands or
him."
"Foh God, I'll do it.. I'm no
afraid of ghosts, no how"
The landlord called on his Ger
man tenant and informed him of th,
arrangement he had made with til,
negro to shoot ghost, and request
ed him, he should hear shot fire,
to go over and help his colore,
neighbor to secure the ghost by put
ting its head in a bog. The Germa
expressed doubt as to the negro
ability to shoot, but was convince
when informed that Sambo. ha
served among the colored troops VIII
fought nobly during the rebellion.
] 1t is needless to add that the n,
j gro has had no more visits from th
| ghosts, aud that the landlord sti
retains both his tcnants.-[St. Lou
Globe Democrat.
I .-TnE WHITE, HOWE, Improve
SINGER. PEERI ESS and Nrw VIZ,