Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-02-28

- ThruagA the unshuttsrsd vindo"
Wy nnsh Il Lightning showed the claiming
vhiss ssons Of ths grave yard that almost
~rvrun3.d Tie little church Uncb Moss
.huddersd There vas ths tall marble shaft
thss married. the grave al negro trader.
Hvey night, is was sid, bis spirit walked
The Earth, tortured by the tears and groans
and broken hearts Of the mothers from
whom be bad torn babies, by the curses OF
the wives be bad torn from their husbands
armS Even bell would not bold 30 vie
soul There was the tiny grave Of an unhap
tiped infant who cried because it could not
enter heaven There, horribly distinct in the
Cash Of binding light, was the unmarked
grave of q man who murdered his brother.
There was-God in heaven, what was that
Wild white face at the windowf The old man
staggered to his feet, but the apparition was
gone. He would 60 out again into the night
Better the widest storm than this ghost
haunted place
He turned toward the door, but there,
Standing in the gallery that ran across the
back of the church, over the very door
through which be must pas, was the white,
ghostly thing.
Uncle Moses heart stood still with fear; his
trembling limbs would no longer support hun
and he fell on his knees
"Oh Lawd God Almighty" be prayed, ''ole
Nose amt neeer been LAX desc year common
uisEers dats always a pesterin' you for some
thin or n'er. Ole Nose amt never boddered
you much in all desc years, but Lawd he got
to the eend Of his row now, and dey amt nc
turn to hit De fros' done cotch de ole man
lak o stalk Of hacker standing out in de patch,
en- wen you come to stem him an strip him
for prizin up dar be won't be nothin' but Tugs"
The old mans voice died out in sob, and
he bowed his head, waiting for the awful
something to come But suddenly across his
fears broke familiar sound-Juba's deep, de
termined, unimaginative bark when he had
freed something. Uncle Nose opened his
eyes again on the world he had never ex-
pected to behold more, and there, plainly re-
vealed in a flash of lightning, was Juba with
his ''chawedr ears boldly erect, deliberately
freeing the ghost in the church.
In all the years be had known Juba Uncle
Noses confidence had never once wavcred in
tuc enS,1NAtN d&lu obiAAty Va Lis Aos,, anu tliS
was no time for half measures now. With
cry Of relief he scrambled to his feet and
with a bound cleared the church door, leav-
ing the awful presence in full possession
What was iti
The next morning crazy woman who had
escaped from a neighboring asylum was
found dead near the church, with her long
white garments soaked with rain and there
were those who suggested she must have
been the apparition Nose saw in the church
But he rightly refused to accept any such
himsy theory.
~ tell you" he always maintained. hit
would been all up wild de ole man eff Juba
hadn't freed dat ghos'."
There is little faith, however, that is proof
against ridicule, and by and by it came to
pass that the old man was shy OF telling his
ghost story to unbclievers, and it was rarely
be could be won to speak Of 1t at all after
Juba died When some irrevercnt stripping
would ask, with suppressed laugh, ZINC
Nose, whut wuz dat tale you used TO tell bout
Juba en- de ghosf" the old man would answer
testify:
Tail taili Dey want no tail bout Jaba;
he wuz de bob taildest dog yo' ever SEQ IN yo'
bawn days.n-Elizabeth NJ Gilmer in New
Orleans Picayune.