St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1882-01-07
sfmmys' Congratulates Himself.

urea 10 do what was right, | would hit |
1t some day; but at last pretty nearly |
gave up all hope, and was beginning to
oeheve that no matter what did, some
OF the grown-up folks would tell me
that my conduct was such. But have
done real useful thing that was just
what father wanted, and he has
said that he would overlook it this
time. Perhaps you think that this was
not very encouraging to a boy; but if
you had been told to come up stairs
with me my son as often as | have
been, just because you had tried to do
right, and hadn't exactly managed to
suit people, you would be very glad to
hear your father say that for once he
would overlook it.
Did you ever play you were ghost?
L don't think much of ghosts, and
wouldn't be bit afraid if | was to
see one. There was once a ghost that
used to brighten people dreadfully by
hanging himself to hook in the wall.
He was one Of those tall white ghosts,
and they are the very worst kind there
is. This one used to come into the
spare bedroom of the house where he
lived before he was dead, and after
walking round the room. and making
rs if he was in dreadfully low spirits,
he would take rope out of his pocket,
hnd hang himself to a clothes-hook just
opposite the bed. and the person who
was in the bed would faint away with
fright, and pull the bedclothes over his
head, and lie in the most dreadful ago
ny until morning, when he would get
Ii NV how
dreadful you look your hair is all gray
and You are whiternany sheet One
time man came to stay at the house
who wasn't afraid of anything, and he
said: ''Ill fix that ghost of yours; I'm
terror on wooden wheels when any
ghosts are around, am So he was
put to sleep in the room, and before he
went to bed he loosened the hook, so
that it would come down very easy,
and then he sat up in bed and read till
twelve O clock. Just when the clock
struck, the ghost came in and walked
up and down as usual, and finally got
out his rope and hung himself; but as
soon as he kicked away the chair he
stood on when he hung himself down
came the hook, and the ghost fell all in
a heap on the floor, and sprained his
ankle, and got up and limped away,
dreadfully ashamed. and nobody ever
saw him again.
Father has been having the front gar
den walk fixed with an askfelt pave
ment. Askfelt is something like mo-
lasses, only four times as sticky when
it is new. After while it grows real
hard, only ours hasn't grown very hard
vet. I watched the men put it down,
and father said: '.Be careful and don't
step on it until it gets hard or you'll
stick fast in it and can't ever get out
again. I'd like to see half dozen med
dlesome boys stuck in it and serve them
right" As soon as [ heard dear father
mention what he'd like, | determined
that he should have his wish, for there
IS nothing that is more delightful to
good boy than to please his father.
That afternoon mentioned to two or
three boys that knew were pretty bad
boys that our melons were ripe, and that
father was going to pick them in day
or two. The melon patch is at the back
of the house, and after dark [ dressed
myself in one of mothers night-gowns,
and hid in the wood-shed. About eleven
o'clock / heard noise, and looked out,
and there were six boys coming in the
back gate, and going for the melon
patch. | waited till they were just
ready to begin, and then I came out and
said, in hollow and protuberant voice:
"Bewaren'
They dropped the melons, and started
to run, but they couldn't get to the
back gate without passing close to me,
and knew they wouldn't try that Sc
they started to run round the house to
the front gate, and / ran after them.
When they reached the new front walk,
they seemed to stop all Of a sudden, and
two or three of them fell down. didn't
wait to hear what they had to say, but
went quietly back and got into the
house through the kitchen window, and
went up stairs to my room. [ could
hear them whispering, and now and ther
one or two of them would cry q little
but thought it wouldn't be honorable
to listen to them, SO Invent to sleep.
In the morning there were five boys
stuck in the askfelt, and frightened
most to death. / got up early, and
called father, and told him that there
seemed to be something the matter witt
his new walk. When he came out anc
saw five bows caught in the pavement
and an extra pair of shoes that belong.
ed to another boy who had wriggled Out
of them and gone away and left them
he was the most astonished man yor
ever saw. / told him how I had caught
the bows stealing melons, and had playee
I was a ghost and frightened then
away, and he said that if I'd help the
coachman pry the boys out, he would
overlook it. So he sat upon the piazzs
and overlooked the coachman and me
while we pried the boys out, and they
came cut awfully hard, and the askfel
is full of pieces Of trousers and things
1919 l,oI;n.ro e rri1l eyer he q hand