The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1893-03-11
THE ORCHARD GHOST.


dead.
He was very popular divine, ant
It had been his boast that he hat
plunged mo- dirty sinners in de Mis-
sissip'" than any other brother min
lister in the state. Naturally he hat
great following in the colored com
munity in which no dwelt, and wheI
the tidings OF his sadden decease be
came generally circulated there wa,
much wailing abroad in the land. His
cabin was soon thronged with visitors
and lamenting friends from all part.
OF Green Turtle bayou, who had hur
ried in to pay their last sad respects
to the memory of Exodus Sarcoxie.
About half score Of friends vol
unteered to remain and sit up with
the corpse, which was not to be in
tered until tho 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 a maiden past 80,
with stout,rotund figure, and crown
OF jetty kinks covering head always
held defantly 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 20. But Miss Sarcoxie had
no ambition to appear younger than
she really was. The ridicule Of being
an old maid had mover 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-
coxie's nephew from Alabama, was
employed to help with the cotton and
the yams on the little cultivated
patch over on the hillside.
Job and Venus, thrown almost con-
stantly together, formed warm at
tachment for each other, At every
campmeeting, or place Of amusement
which she attended, the Alabama
darkey was her shadow. When the
girl gave up dancing and joined her
uncle's church, the lover followed
suit; and if, MS his associates dared
assert, Job had "gal religion" the
time had been when he had made
some powerful prayers.
job and Venus, with the full APP
proval OF uncle and aunt, became en-
gagged to be married. But a trihing
quarrel ruf1led the surface OF their
stream of love, and they foolishly
drifted into the frigid sea Of estrange-
ment.
Dispute the honest, il laundering, EFF
forts of the Rev. and Mrs. Sarcoxie to
bring about reconciliation between
the separated lovers, the gulf widened
and the engagement was declared off.
Venus returned to her homo among
the hills, and Job consoled himself by
backsliding and "going with" other
bellies of Green Turtle Bayou.
Venus Sarcoxie had never married,
but Job took for wife one Of the sa-
BILE daughters of the neighborhood,
and for eight years he had been
wretchedly hen-pecked. At last death
had removed his dark Xantippe, and
the young widower was again strut
ting about with all the freedom OF a
man rid Of an incubus which had un-
mcrcifully held him pinned to the
wall for eight remorseless years.
Now, Job Robson, too. was one Of
the watchers at the Sarcoxie cabin.
Since their disagreement 10 years be-
fore he and Venus had not met. Al
though they had brushed against
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 quaffed literally from 9
big gourd dipper, he remarked:
miss Venus, beliebe," and he ap
preached her.
Venus looked up from her mcdita
ton.
II low no ones amin to hinder
yo's from beliebin' It, she returned
unencouraglngly.
Job had been through tho mill. III
had been subjected to far sharpe
things from woman's tongue thai
that. else no might have gone ava
without making a further attempt I
open conversation, for Miss Sar
coxie's tone was decidedly cool.
"But yo's must member dat IL
been or powerful scnce rs done sa'
yo's las, Miss Venus" he pursue
In his most deferential manner
Couldn't be quite sho' dat 1t wa
yo's until yo' speak. Yo's hahn
changed much In all desc ycahs, eel
TO grow mo- beautifuller."
Don't yo's tink rs change
muchw she asked, half-plscat<
by HE seductive compliment. Blu
III 0UI0kIv ron0lvinU :, ~ ~ ~ ~wcu -.