St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1889-10-12


end of the patch. By this time clouds had
overcast the sky. and even the faint star
light was no longer visible, so to Jerusalem
it seemed an unnatural blackness had
fallen over the world.
With his heart humping violently, and
his hands trembling 50 he could scarcely
| use them, he began to let down the bars
Suddenly two fiery eyes glared at him
from the melon patch, and the boy fell
back limp and cold fIom fright. Then a
prolonged meow, told him it was only
Judge Martins cat out on her nightly hunt
for field mice.
1t took him several minutes to recover
his courage, then the thought that Lemuel
| was probably at that very moment feasting
on delicious melons avercame the fears
that had beset him, and he finished letting
down the bars, feeling that in case of sud
! den fight or danger he should wish clear
way before him.
Like soldier who has recovered from
the first frightful feeling of panic upon
the battle field, his spirits rose more rap
idly than they had fallen. He even began
to have relish for his adventure, simply
because it was wrong and he was defying
his mother so into the patch he went.
and pulling out his old jack knife, was
soon cutting out and eating the heart of
| luscious melon.
How good it was-why, it fairly melted
in his mouth-and how quickly it was
eaten Then he crawled over the vines on
his hands and knees. feeling around in the
| darkness for another, chuckling to him
self over the success of their raid, in spite
of his mothers dire prophecies, and in his
mirth failing to hear the tread of feet on
the yielding ground behind him.
Suddenly, without moment of warn
ing, some dreadful thing caught him up
and sent him flying through the air, and
before he had fairly alighted, again tossed
him up, and as he fell the second time, his
head went through an enormous melon, and
he was half blinded by the juice. Too
frightened even to scream, he sat rubbing
his eyes, half s5upefed by the suddenness
OF the attack, and trembling in terror. A
little break in the clouds revealed what he
firmly believed to be the prince of darkness
himself. Glowing eyes, sharp pointed
horns, hoofs and strange vestments that
were black as midnight, appeared before
him, and then the monster plunged for
ward again.
Desperate and maddened by fear, Jeru-
salem made one frantic leap for life, and
his paralyzed throat recovered its power
once more. Such shrieks as penetrated
the still night air then startled even the
boot owls as they searched for birds or
chickens.
All at once an answering screech came
back to him. Lemuel's voice made hoarse
with an awful horror, and Jerusalem, in
his longing for human companlonship,
rushed wildly to the other end of the
melon patch, screaming as he went, and
guided in his reckless speed by the walls
of despair quivering from Lemuel's lips.
Like black meteor, Jerusalem came
upon his cousin, who with chattering teeth
and wide oistended eyes, apparently IN
able to stir, was gazing upon a hideous
creature of giant proportions, gaunt form
at least seven feet high, with long flowing
white robes, eyes, nose and mouth emit
ting streams Of fire, and long ears or horns
that stood up fiercely on its dreadful head.
1t waved it's ghostly arms toward them,
and a voice in sepnlchral tones was giving
vent to threats of terrible punishment to
come.
One glance was enough for poor Jerusa-
lem, wfo felt that he had only escaped
one conflict with the evil one to encounter
him in another shape. Clasping hands,
and unmindful of the loss of their rimless-
ola Strd" HaLS. tH6 pONS lieu VIII tAc
swiftness Of, superstitious terror, never
pausing for rest or breath till they fell
exhausted in the open doorway of LeEo
uePs home, where they told a startling
story of being chased by ghosts and devils
by the score, as they were walking inno-
Gently past Judge Martins.
Lemuel's father listened somewhat skep-
tically, it must be confessed, shrewdly
suspecting that the famous watermelon
patch had something to do with the perse
cutting specters.
Meanwhile, Judge Martins eldest son,
who, with sheets, hollow pumpkin,
carved to resemble hideous face and
lighted with candle, had personated the
goblin, was laughing systematically as he
related the effect of his prank upon the
two little colored thieves, though he knew
nothing of the opportune appearance of
their black "hooking" COW, who had added
to the success of his plan by walking in at
the open bars and tossing Jerusalem over
her head, as she found him crawling over
the ground.
The two little black culprits vowed to
each other that night as they lay trem-
bling on their straw bed, covered up head
and ears, that ''ef de Lawd would forgib
dem dis time dey'd neber steal anudder
watermillion as long as dey libed; p and |
rejoice to say they kept their promise.
The next morning, unable to escape his
mothers cross questioning, Jerusalem, in
deepest penitence. finally told the whole
truth about the matter. She shock her
head wisely and said: 81 done Iole you
boys eff you tried to steal dem millions de
debble would git you, and he did. l guess
you'll min yo' ole nanny after dis
And to this day Jerusalem thinks he
saw and barely escaped destruction by his
satanic majesty, belief that has given
him wholesome reverence for his moth
ers advice and has often kept him out Of
temptation. Laura j. .Rittenhouse, in
Western Rural.
Old Memories.