The Bessemer indicator., 1893-02-25
THE ORCHARD GHOST.

Green Turtle bayou, in Arkansas, was
dead
He was very popular divine, and
| 1t had been his boast that he had
| plunged mo dirty sinners in de Mis-
sissip'n than any other brother min
| lister in the state. Naturally he had
n great following in the colored com
munity in which he dwelt. and when
the tidings OF his sudden deceasc be-
came generally circulated there was
much wailing abroad in the land. His
cabin was soon thronged with visitors
and lamenting friends from all parts
of Green Turtle bayou, who had hur-
ried in to pay their last sad respects
to the memory of Exodus Sarcoxie.
About half a score of friends vol
untcered to remain and sit up with
the corpse, which was not to be in
TERED until the following afternoon.
Among those holding this solemn
vigil was the good mans favorite
niece, Miss Venus Louisa SarcoXie,
who had come 40 miles from her
home up in the hills to gaze her last
upon the venerable face OF her uncle.
Miss Venus was u maiden past 80,
with stout, rotund figure, and Il crown
of jctty kinks covering head always
held deiantly high. Like all OF her
race she did not look her age, and
had not her friends possessed fertile
memories, she might easily have
passed for 30. But Miss Sarcoxie had
no ambition to appear younger than
she really was. The ridicule of being
an old maid had never disturbed her.
Her intimates had always feared her
caustic tongue too much to attempt
passing jokes on her age.
Ten years before Venus had passed
several happy months in the Rev.
Sarcoxie's household, assisting his
wife in various domestic duties. At
| the same time job Robson, Mrs. Sar
coxic's nephew from Alabama, was
employed TO help with the cotton and
the yams on tho little cultivated
patch over on the hillside.
Job and Venus, thrown almost con-
5tantly together, formed u warm at
tachmcnt for each other, At every
canpmeoting, OF place Of amusement
which she attended, the Alabama
darkey was her shadow. When the
girl gave up dancing and joined her
unclo's church, the lover followed
suit; and If, as his associates dared
assert, dob had "gal religion the
time had been when he had made
some powerful prayers.
job and Venus, with The full ap-
proval OF uncle and aunt, became en-
gagged to be married But trining
quarrel rutfied tho surface of their
stream of love, and they foolishly
drifted into the frigid sea OF estrange-
mcnt.
Dispitc the honest, II Glundering, EFF
| forts OF the Rev. and Mrs. Sarcoxie to
| bring about IL reconciliation between
the separated lovers, the gulf widened
and the engagement was declared off.
| Venus returned to her home among
the hills. and job consoled himself by
backsliding and "going with" other
bellies of Green Turtle Bayou.
Venus Sarcoxie had mover married,
but job took for wife one of the sa-
bic daughters of tho neighborhood,
and for eight years he had been
wretchedly hen-pcclcd. At last death
had removed his dark Xantippc, and
the young widower was again strut
ting about with all the freedom of u
man rid of an incubus which had un-
mcrcifully held him pinned to the
wall for eight remorselcss years.
Now. Job Robson, too, was one of
the watchers at tho Sarcoxie cabin.
Since their disagreement 10 years be-
fore he and Venus had not met. AL
a l.,
each other in the cabin, had shed tears
side by side over the pastors dead
body they had never spoken to each
other.
Venus went out doors and sat down
on bench in the moonlight. job
had been to the spring for bucket
OF fresh water. Having deposited
his burden On table near the door,
and having quaiTed liberally from u
big gourd dipper, he romarkcd:
Miss Venus, beliebe,n and he ap-
preached her.
Venus looked up from her mcdita-
tion.
II low no ones amin to hinder
yo's from bcliebin' it, she returned
unencouragingly.
job had been through the mill. He
had been subjected to far sharper
things from woman's tongue than
that, else he might have gone away
without making a further attempt to
open conversation, for Miss Sar-
coxie's tone was decidedly cool.
"But yo's must member dat IT'S
been or powerful sence lis done saw
In 4
in his most deferential manner.
Couldn't be quite sho' dat it was
yo's until yo' speak. Yo's hain't
changed much in all desc yeahs, 'cept
to grow mo- beautifuller.'
Don't yo's tinle is changed
muchp" she asked, half-placated
by his seductive compliment. But,
quickly resolving not to be won over
30 easily, she changed her tone:
"Well, Job Robson. rs plumb unable
to 'ciprocate dc compliment to yo's.
Yo's changed fo' de wuss right
sma't."
There Is no telling into what chan
mel the conversation might have
drifted had not some of the watchers
Just then come out of the cabin and
Interrupted them.
Dem fall pippis.s' mighty fine jest
now remarked Job. an go down
to dc orchard an bring yo's up some
to nihble at" and catching up large
Willow basket, he walked AWAY
toward an orchard Of apple and peach
trees that stood some little distance
from the cabin.
"Job acts right to home hyer at
Brer sarcoxie's," whispered Sis
ter Johnsing to Sister jackson, rs
they watched Job disappear down the
path.
Hes or grit han to sumo 'thori-