The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1879-12-04
BROOKHAvEN. MSS THURSDAY. DECEMBER 4. 1879.



! .M:sreilsnv =.
Bill Shke Acting Devil.
When we were boys. Bill Sliks
and I. We were great oronies. With me
there was nobody like Bill. aud with
Bill there was nobody like Hazel. We
wers both whst would be termed hard
cases. II any mischief was done in the
,neighborhood, Bill aud I was sure to
come in for our share OF the blame,
About Christmas time we always had
dea, of fun, such as building rail pens
aud putting calves and pigs in the up.
per story. hanging piows. "big ket-
tics,7 or anything we could lay hands
on. high mp ia trees. to perplex the
owners.
recollect one Christmas eve, Bill
and set ont TO have a rich tilns OF it,
Bill was to fx mp. aud act a. the devil.
and We were 10 g. around anl frighten
the youngsters out of thir wits, As,
cording.y. we arranged grum- looking
red capt with horns on it, and placed it
npod his hesd, and theu made . false
face for him.,,ist of rel f.nnei, wrsps
| pati him inssa whire shest, and started.
There were sever boys with us, aud BY
them I was unanimously elected to go
befora aud give the old folks at each
house n hint Of what was going on, 80
that we wouli not get ourselves into a
scrape
/ The frat house in our route was Ua.
clio Jake B,si'a. I went in, made some
erran,i, and ~ soon rs possible, slip
ped the joke 10 the old man aud womsn
Il was all rig8t With them. aal 81 I
vent on and reported to my compan-
ions. In short tima B IL. alias devil,
poked his singular looking head in at
the door, arau. great scrumption! such
a scatterment as took place. Girls,
boys, eats aud everything elss, except
ing two old ones. tu,nbisd up stairs
like an earthquake. In we al bustled,
aud such laugh as we had; andj how
the girls slapped our faces for fright
ening them 80 baliy. This was glor-
ions beginning. aud 40 we were almost
crazy to get ts the next house.
After -part;.king OF some doughnuts.
and some other little cakes that had
been cut out with q thimble, and
which the girls called kisses, we started
for Major Aliens. / went on as usual,
knocked at the door.
''Coma in, said q sweet voice
obeyed the con'nand. and found Jane,
the Majors oaly daughter all alone.
where's tho old folks?" asked I.
"Gone over to grandfasher's, she
replied, sweet rs sngar.
Every sorry,y' said I. 'for had im>
portaot busilsss with the old man,"
She assuredme they would be back
in short time. and filling plate with
"hominy" from large kettle, where it
was boiling on the fire. she invited me,
with one OF the prettiest smiles you
ever saw. to sit down and wait till it
cooled. aud then eat some with her.
l locke at ths big. plump graine.
all onrstling open i'll the plate. aad in
hailed the delirions odor that arose from
them. thcn l icoxsi At the sweet face
aud sunny emile of my would bs-en-
tertainer. and yon'd better believe I
wished Bill aud the rest OF the boys
in Gninea. I felt sure that all :.tbe fun
we could see would be nothing to com
para with eating. "hnniny" with Jane
Allen. yet a.rsi no. act the traitor.
ST. pretend y. Ieiiad no time to sprre,
and bidling har COOL evening. hur>
riei back 20 nv companions.
"Br7s." sail l. D4ne's all alone by
herself. 1t would mt be right TO scare
her!so bsd-let's 90 to Brown's?'
"No. by 2n,u." said Bill. "I would
not miss that chance for . hundred
dollars. She sighted me the other day
at singing school. aud nowIil endeavor
to pay her back for it."
/ still demonstrated. but in vain. Bill
WAS resolute, so I had TO give in.
A we neared the house. Bill said:
"Now, boys. whatever you do, don't
say word. nor laugh, nor nothing. aud
after I've sc,rsdss her. veil slip OFF
and she'll never know who, nor what it
Was"
We all agreed. AMI after We had been
around tho chimney to hear
her scream. Bill walked in.
"Good evening, Me-. DaviI." said tha
same sweet voice that a few minutes
before had bid me to coma in; good
evening. suppose you are used to
warm fuids;" and forthwith we heard q
"spluge' as ifa gonrd had fonnd it's
way into the pot ::of boiling hominy,
and then came splash and cry, not
such one as we expected to hear, but
one Of Bills gennine sqnalls ou the
highest key. We all ran in and saw
the hot water dripping down from Bills
cronium. while he was stamping around
like madness. tearing the horned cap
and false faca from his head. Jane,
the misohievous little elf, WAS standing |
mp BY the cupboasl. laughing as |
though abe would 60 into .pasus Fr
Bill had received no lasting
injury. hnt [ assure vou IT mt an and
10 our fun f,r that night. The IKE hal
beeh turnrd npon US when We least .x-
pected it. and 80 VS. went home. feeling
rather done for. The story soon got
mt. and for along time Bill went by
the name OF Mr.. Devil.