The southern sentinel. (Winnfield, La.) 1883-1910, 1885-05-22

ing matters-killed on the spot Quite
50. 1t was I. Yes, am what you
would call a ghost. although we do
not consider that Just the correct
term among ourselves-we have bet
ter word for it. Now / have told you
what am, You will, doubtless, like to
know what 1 want. Very good; you
shall see.'
The ghost in my body then began to
feel in nv pockets, from which he drew
out INV meerschaum, which he filled
from nv pouch and lit with one of my
matches.
.Ah." he proceeded. putting like a
steam-engine. ''you smoke very good
stuff-natural leaf and Old Judge; not
bad mixture, though l prefer little
Cavendlsh with it myself. Not at all a
bad body yours. either" he went on,
eyeng the form in which he was sit
ting; mot at all bad body; and it
fits me to T, only little short in the
arms. By the way, / find one of your
front teeth a little loose, so don't go
and say did that when you come to
yourself again; and your nose is little
long for me, but / dare say it blows
none the worse for that" shuddered
as Isaw him take out my pocket-hand-
kerchief and use it on that cherished
organ of mine.
Eyes, I dare say now you feel the
cold little; l did at first, but it s
nothing when you are used to it. /
find your body very warm-being
heavieE than am accustomed to wear;
but it won't be for long. require it
positively for this night only, as you
say in your play-bills; and will return
it uninjured by the time We get to Ash
bourne by the by, let me beg of you
to be a little careful how you throw
yorr arms about so much as you did
Just now, for my body is of more del
icate construction than yours; and be-
| ing so thin in substance. am afraid
YOU will chafe it under the arm-pits.
You will observe, ladies and gentle
men," he went on. in lecturers style,
THAT if take lighted match and in
| sert it in the corner of the patients eye.
he win feel no pain" Saying this. my
dreadful companion proceeded to illus
trate his remark by making dive at
my shadowy eye with burning match.
I certainly felt no pain as the match
burned in my head.
You will allow, after all you see.
that my shape has its advantages, the
ghost proceeded; ''but it also has its
disadvantages. Try the pipe now" l
tried to take the pipe-it dropped
through my vapory fingers. He placed
it in my mouth; / could not hold it,
nor get Whit from it. ..Prec sely so, !"
said the ghost. Now, this is just what
has brought me here tonight. A great
smoker ali my life, doing my twelve
pipes day regularly, have been de-
funct these two years, and during all
that time haven't had smoke! Not a
blessed draw. miss my 'bacca dread
full. There is q provision made for
smokers down with us, you will un-
derstand; but we are governed by a
Board Of Directors whose general in
capacity equals that of many of your
CITY boards. There is stock of bod
les kept for smokers. so that if you
want to enjoy pipe you must go into
one of the bodies to get it. But if you
win believe me. the supply is so mo-
| tOriously insufficient to meet the de-
| mand that there is no chance what
ever for q new ghost to get a smoke.
| When / entered the society all the
| bodies were out in use. and booked for
three years in advance. My name has
| been down ON the books for two years.
and there is no chance of my getting a
body allotted to me for twelvemonth.
Fancy two years without q smoke!
Why, sir, the Incompetence of our
board is something awful. l can only
explain the reason why we put up with
such gross Encouragement in the other
world Is because we have become SO
| used to il in this. Our constitutions,
however, are being undermined to that
extent that the board has at last been
coerced by popular feeling into passing
. measure, empowering ghosts to rem
der themselves visible to single in
dividual at time, in order that they
may effect q change of bodies for short
periods, always with the consent of the
person in question. for the purpose Of
indulging in habit which the directors
sav they can not, however. but char
acterize IS pernicious and injurious.
George III. and George Washington.
both members of the board. opposed
the measure; they, however. were left
in ridiculously small minority. Under
this new act, I obtained your body. !"
you never had my consent, fiendr'
/ cried.
at is vulgar to call names, my
friend" the ghost replied. smoothing
my mustache with my fingers; "but you
are trif.ng. I asked you to changt
places with me. and you agreed, as you
must be well aware. But, dear me
here we are 1t Ashbourne; but, how.
ever, I must finish my pipe-think o.
two years. and not blessed draw, my
friend!''
i The train was slackening speed. Ny
companion leaned out of the window
! pumng fast and furious.
'.Plenty Of time to change bodies.
he said; 1T shall b done in an instant
q soon - the train stops. and he con
tinued blowing great clouds of smoke,
till We pulled up at the depot HI
hurriedly knocked out the ashes of tn,
! tobacco. as the conductor cried
'.Change here; all change here
please"
A sudden glow OF warmth seemed t
pass over me Is rubbed my eyes, ant