The Arkansaw traveler., 1883-12-01
THE WHITE STEER
African Ike Tells Young Mulkit,le . Ghost Story y--Of Course the Boy
 is No, Frightened.

Ghost Story-O Course the Boy
 is No, Frightened.
 An old negro known as African Ike moved into a small cabin situated m back lot near Mulki,tle's house. and when the youngster discovered that man Of such historit distinction had h,- come neighbof. he paid the old man a formal visit. The acquaintance thus be- gun soon ripened into friendship for the strongest ties of regard sometimes grow up between an old negro and white child. One evemns, Whlic the Meikti,ie family entertained si>itess. the boy slipped out and vea, n the ald negfo's house. The o.a man W..s s.'ins by the lire, huu mlns .ane when he boy en- tered.
 "C-lad ,et see ,es. honey si1d Ter sec yer. sho : yer bon. K 9,t down
 They've eo, en.pes a' the hea>e an l come oset . s.ay Ni,h Yol. Dad you wan, me
 Dat did harey l,s cd. >he's yer bo n. did
 Won; you iei, ne sop
 "Whu, sor,er story honey Bout ghosts.
 "Doan like ter talk boat ghosts honey, case da sometime skeers me, IL knows in reason da, dad skeet sioh 4 !i,,lc tetier as yerse't Is
 No. l won; ei, scared don't be. lieve there Is any shes:s. for ny pa says there amt,
 Oats whar yer $ lowed yer fodder ter fool ye- ohle,n sad the old man reiiee- lively. for he cid not relish the idea of anyone usurping tlc authority io say that ghosts do not really e>ist. "one tune. durin' de hris mus" the old man be. gan, punching the chunks m the ire place until they blazed brightly, l go; a ] 'duc,ion ter ghosts da, wli las me my na,ral life time l)e san had ies' gone doan on de Chiis mas ege. when ,led Up some apples in a biz rei hAnker ! cher and started fur ,ay wlt-s house
 Wasn't your house your wiie's house lhe boy asked
 l Cose X twan,. Yer see ~e lonSed Ter de white fokes Tn dem da,s, an ~e had ter let cui wye, stay on 6ar nar>,eI plantation, Wal. put tie app.es m de hankercher an started gis, 'bog, de tune de sun hid hisse'f went long down through de bottom, on le saw-!n.. road. bimeby l come ter d iule fe! wha, some O de boys had cleared fa- pateh 0 dar own. go; up OF ce feaoe an So; d,r restln, holen my banker her U ap- pies dis way. when suthln tues egn oa.en my han By dis time de moon ~as shinin an could see es as pain as can see yerse'f se;,in' dar ba: c3aldn' see nuihln whu, tuck dc apple seed de hankereher gwine long, bu; Ieouldn make ou; what was a ,oa,.n r. 1T, l ter ketch |, but de fas CT l went, 3c;as'ef II went. went On d rot anl | went en ,ro;. l went on sallop an i; ~eai on s4llop. 8Ineby l stop3ci n den ,, s'op2ei. t.;y soon D c3Ec q wnt- see e;. commenced Ter dance an slne hs tai gn n iron; O de hsrkercher Den ou, coeac one 0 de apples al o' d sudde7men'. an blp < tuck me on de head, aa CT lip. l: vert Ia k ar flea T de steers mout. Ia; Ras ! mighty su'is  perceedin'. ar fore eould un ers;An gis, ho. l, sas done. bip anudder apple tuck me on de head, ar flip, |, ven, back an went inter de steers mogf. %o~ dis acted on me powerful. fur neber had seed nu,hin' like dis befo'. an 1T chlvned me up mighty. Wall, de apples kep on CT bippin' me, an er fippin' inter de steers uouf tell ca aas all gone. an den de rcd handkerche, come C. foppin' 'roun' aa' finally gun ter pop ne T de face. D.s was indeed too much fsr ne. an de ,dea Q uaeella popped a;o my head, so turned ,oln and run. Gee-whilkins. no man eber did run so f4s Here ser.. .oa..ety. booke,y. boose,y, ober logs an cross paths. mong de green briAIs an through Ge broom sage ncl' Now. thinks l. de whee steer IS lef fur benin an I'll stop runnin 4n' take anuder star; far my wif-'s house. but, bless yer lite, honey. when stopped was standin' in de bery place whar