St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1896-08-29
see,n rh,axs .t Night.

Beein Things ut Night.
I'm my heart and general feelins I om
still as fresh and sprightly as right
young girl, Rufus, but here lately I
got into q strange and pecurious way
of seein things at night" the old lady
went on as she knocked the ashes out
of her pipe and changed the subject
all Of q student like. "You never
would of thought of it, and don't
reckon anybody else could make you
believe it, but woke up one night last
week and found Q strange man IN the
house.
ANDREW Jim he had went OF that
night to some sort of political rallifica-
tion and left me and the children there
at home to sink or surrender as best
we could. Way long in the night I
woke up and bless the heavens there
was . man standin right there by the
dinin room door. The general shape
was ruther dim at first, but the longer
I looked the palmer could see the
man. I could see the hat on his head,
and for . little more do believe would
of saw q gun in his hand. On the first
flush I thought it mought he Andrew
Jim prankin around tryin to make ME
act Q fool. But / didn't move. could
feel the cold chills chasin up and down
my back, and was sweatin great drops
of perspiration as big as horse apples.
The silence was SO tremendous thick
and heavy till bless gracious it seems
to me like you mought slice it up with
your pocketknife. couldn't stond it
no longer. Somethin had to come.
I'm the main time / had cut new
bresh broom that evenin, and remem-
bercd me now that I had put the
hatchet under the bed. So went down
soft and easy as could after my
hntchct, and then opened up on the
man.
"'Who's that? says I, in q strong and
manly voice, tryin' to make out like An
drew Jim was at home. But the man ne
didn't move.
"'Who's that, I sayr I went on, talk
in loud and mad and angry as could
But the man he didn't move.
"'You are playin with death and dig
gin your grave now scys 1. as ]
rix from the bed, and waved the hatchet
In the air. But the man he didn't move.
"'Funerals are all the go in this set
tlement now and you will soon lie in the
fashion, says I, as started across the
floor with my hatchet drawn back. But
the man he didn't move. And by this
time was standin in three feet of him.
"'n you don't talk out will split you
wide opcn!" says l. and let drive with
the hatchet a. hard as the Lord would
let me.
.But didn't kill the man, Rufus. So
far as I know the hatchet didn't hit
in three miles of man. There want
NO man there. There want q man on
the place. In the house, or anywheres
around there except in my mind. I'm
beknowance to me Andrew Jim had
hung his Sunday clothes on Peg there
by the dinin room door, and then hung
his hat ON nail right over the clothes.
And out Of them harmless old duds I
had made me . man and then got
skeered Of him.
II didn't mean to give out the facts
away from home, Rufus. but in the gen.
eral hurry and darkness aud confusion
ment that night had took the hatchet
and cut hole in Andrew Jim's Sunday
coat as big ss your hand. and he il now
spreadin Of the news far and wide.
Somethin marvellous has come over
the general spirit ofthings when Nancy
Newton can look At . few old clothes
till they take the shape Of man. and
then ret skeered Of him. Old age must
be crecpin up, Rufus. Ieastwise l doo't
Hike this strange and pecurious way Of
seein things at night"
But old age or what not Aunt Nancy
Newton amt gone nowheres. And
would love to hear her tell the news ana
give in her opinions for . hundred yvsrs
- come