The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1881-03-03
Oh loe'S Gi).t.


Of dis laying hi nself NJ the hero
that he would not bing 'oith from
nnd afterwards display himself with
II the gusto for which the colored
race " so we'll .qual to.
Nov one evening y party OF halt
grown boys sat round the Dire in tue
rude little cabin where old Joe liv
el alone since the death Of Aunt
Jady, bis wife. who had died two
years before. after living for many
years toiling, cheerful lie, aud
there we're few who did not remen-
ber the jolly fat ebony face that car
rIed home aud brought back the
weeks wash in manya family.
Often when Joe was dealing rath.
or too strongly in some adventure
in which no b re the prominent part
July's warning voice would intur-
pose.
Now, you Joe, dar don't you
think de good Lord hab ears and
eyes, aud you'd better cut down dat
or be may call you to count
On her death boil Jldy hal made
him pomise to try TO reform from
his habit, aud to do him justice Joe
dill try for awhile, but years hal
bedded it too deeply for it to be cas-
Il, overcome, and it WAS uot long be-
'ore he forgot ala his promises to his
good Old wife, and AN afraid
boas'e | worse than ever.
7 '-nigbt he was in his glory, tell
ing how he lad played u prominent
part in nights adventure where
ghosts fignred quite extensively.
One mischieveous youngster said.
"Joe, if Judy would come back
she would say that yon were telling
yarus,'
Now, mars Frank. dis darkey
neher tule a truer story, and il Jul,
, should come from her grave | woul |
not take back one wori.l
Just then there came heavy
,tooos on tue door, aud u shrili voice
called ont, Joe, Joe, reniembtr
your promise"
There was silence in the room for
a few inmates, while Jpe's eyes fair.
y rolled in their sockets.
'Oh, lorlv, who can it be ?" he
reclaimed, while the sweat poured
luwn his face.
Then the latch was lifted and n
tiSnre which was rubed in white aud
looked 'earfully large in the dim
lire light st1ud IN the door way aud
pointed towards Jue's covering
form. The face was concealed 10,
hands of white, though enough was
disclosed 10 show the black skin M
heavy lip Of q darkey.
Slowly i; lvanced until il almost
, touched Joe's shrinking form.
With bound Joe spraug 10 his feet
aud moving backward, with eyes
. that seemed ready to ,pring from
their sockets, he reached cpluer
OF the r'om, aud sinking Oh bis
knees ne cried ont.
, "Ob, Judy, if You forgib dis dor,
key dis time IN promise dat m
neber. neber. speak anything bu, de
truf from dis time forard.
Hold mp your hand, joe said
the spiri "and promise that when
, cher yoI feel like de ole habit is on
you you will say $50 help no Tort
Joe did as he was told aud when
: he had doue, the spirit shook its
finger solepnly ut him ami slowly
retreated towards tue doJr. Thee
= I lnrned and said.
II shall come back to haunt yuu
# You break the solemn promise yon
hab made
Then IL vanished
The Buys had all ran of. appa
ren,ly as much frightened IS old
Ioe, but q smotbered noise thai
sounded very much like laughter
might have been heard not far fr,u
the house when the spirit after d.
ves,ing itself OF sheet, padding
bandages and false faces disclosed
the merry rolliokiug face Of Tom
Brown, one OF the village ways.
From that time Joes exploits wer,
y no, SO plenty, and il tie ol hahi'
I 'r,pped out AS / wouli sIm-iine>
a, hnnv visara SynnlI nh, nm nsh ,