Evening journal., 1889-03-04
JUBA AND THE GHOST.


Iegro quarters where he belonged by right n
twnershpto refer to him as an "ornery cur;r
but this contemptuous appellation was moro
descriptive than accurate, for Juba united ID
himself dozen strains Of blood and belonged
to no race Of dogs in particular.
He had the heavy lower jaw Of bulldog,
the deep intelligent eyes Of Scotch collie and
the watchfulness and agility Of q terrier but
somehow these characteristics refused to
blend tremendously in him, and bis best
friend would have been forced to fall back on
the darky's description admit that he was
"orneryn looking.
He was dog that you would have known
inn glance was Negroes dog. You have seen
a thousand such in the cane, or corn, or cot
ton fields guarding dinner pail, or doing on
a ragged old coat at the end Of the turn
row." faithful sentinels even in sleep Of the
poor treasures they arc set to watch. There
is always something q trile pathetic in the
affection that exists between these outcast
dogs and their masters-a Kind Of comrade-
ship between those who have drawn blanks
in the lottery Of life and who cling together
in community Of misfortune.
1t was JUDAS destiny TO be born on a fine
wheat and tobacco farm in Tennessee, whose
owner was a connoisseur in dogs, and who
had a scorn for a scrub dog only less than his
contempt for a horse without a pedigree. So
Juba was very nearly being drowned for the
sins of his ancestors, when Uncle Nose the
old negro oyerseer, interposed and saved him.
Whether it was that Juha looked upon Uncle
Nose as his saviour, OF whether he was natur-
ally Of nn affectionate disposition, must ever
remain conjecture, but from the first there
was a remarkable affection between the old
man and his dog.
"Juba amt a settin up to be no plumb
beauty he would say sententously when
any one criticised his pet; but he's a power
full peart dog en- mighty KNOWN. Lord, des
believe dat dog could teach a schoolmarster
grammar Of he had de use Of his tongue
II really seemed to matter little to the old
man, though, that his constant companion
did not have the 'use Of his tongue As
they trudged fieldward in dewy mornings
and in tho long evenings when Nose sat and
dreamed before his cabin fire with the dog at
his feet, it really seemed as if JUDAS love was
strong enough to bridge over the gulf that
separates the human and the mere brute
But perhaps JUDAS chief charm WINS his
satisfactorincss. He was a sober minded
dog, who never rushed Off on hair Drained
excursions on a wrong scent; he never fore
told disaster by bowling at the moon, or
freed imaginary possums up the wrong gum
tree He wGs not brilliant dog, and be was
keenly conscious of his own defects. When
tho brown partridges hid in the stubble in
autumn, and the settlers and pointers were
brought out, Juba would drop his ears, that
were greatly tho worse for having been
"chawed" in a fight, and stink dejcctedly
away.
These disadvantages, however, counted for
nothing in Uncle Moses eyes
Talk about yo pinters en- sotters en- sheep
dogs en- whut al yo' mind to, dey amt nary
one Of dem can hol a candle to Juba when hit
comes to treein possums and varmints, tho
old man would say, and then he would drop
his voice TO a whisper and add, "Lawd, dey
amt pothin can stop dat dog, not even sper-
rits en- hants en- one time he treed ghosln
When Uncle Nose remembered the postum
hunts ho and Juba had taken together he
loved him as we do an old friend who has
shared our labors and our triumphs, but
whom 10 thought Of the ghost he revered
Juba as his preserver.
It happened years and years ago and It
was in tho early fall, when the wild grapes
hang from the heavy vines in purple beauty,
when tho haw trees bend under the weight Of
f4fis
the pawpaws fall to tho ground with their
own weight and lie there in luscious ripeness,
and the persimmons gleam like ruddy gold
amidst their dark green leaves 1t is then
that the possum is fattest and most tooth
some, and that he falls the easiest victim to
the hunter. No one knew this better than
Uncle Nose, and for days, as he bent above
the heavy tobacco, now splotched with dusky
yellow and almost ready for the knife, he
chuckled to himself as he looked over at the
forest that skirted the 'new groundn and
thought about the possums fattcning in it.
you better be a sooplin' of yo'sef, ole
boy he would say to Juba, who was, as
usual, following close upon his heels down the
| tobacco row, you better bea sooplin' yo'se'f,
case possums is powerful sassy and peart in
'simmon timer
The dark Of the moon is the traditional
season among the NEGROES for possum and
coon hunting, and the night after tho turn
found dozen or more ssalwart negroes at
Uncle Moses cabin ready for the projected
hunt. Some carried torches, others axes tc
cut down trees, If necessary, or to clear a
way through the underbrush. A score or g
Of mongrel dogs yelped and sprung around in
anxious expectancy. As usual, Uncle Moss
with Juba, alert but quiet, at his heels stood
in the midst of the group, and it was he who
led, striking out down the path towards tn,
woods.
1t was picturesque group enough, as they
threaded their way through the dim paths Of
Tie forest. The light showed the 1.-THE, strong
figures of the men; it glinted on the bright
axes thrown over their strong shoulders; il
showed the glancing formso Of the dogs, hurry
ing hithor and thither through the under
lrush The sir was sweet vita sho oders Of