The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1901-11-08
MARSE BILLY'S GH0S'.

to the plantation, while, in fact, he was
merely valet to his master, totally worth
less, and secondary socially to tall,
handsome mulatto, Becky by name, to
whom he made assiduous and unadvanc-
ing court.
Along withs his love and admiration of
himself and Becky (the disposal of these
detectives is advised), Allen loved and
admired his master ond his masters
wardrobe. By long and careful practice
he had attained darby imitation of the
generals stately carriage, and by means
both fair and foul a goodly share of his
wardrobe. In justice to Allen it must be
said that the way was usually fair, for
the master was lavish to his servants,
and Aliens Say, Marse Billy, don't you
think it's bout time l wuz goin' co'tin in
dis yuh coat or desc britches;" ordinarily
his possession. But Of all his masters
sartorial belongings Allen most revered
and coveted the blue military uniform,
which tho general donned only when per-
forming his function Of major general of
the Georgia militia.
Had Allen had his way the general
would have worn them always; and by
his deductions as the ''gineral was So
jer Of the Lord,' martial garb was at
least his appropriate church dress. So,
despite unnumberable disappointments,
on Sunday morning the generals waken-
ing eyes were greeted by his war equip
ments in conspicuous display, and when
vestments this dialogue was unfailing:
you amt a-thinkin' OBJ wearin' de uni
form dis morning. Marse Billy?'
And the general would give grave re-
ply. with twinkling eyes.
No, not this morning, Allen"
u ! IL
parti-colored flock of dependents the
master died. His coffin was borne to the
little hillside family burying ground by
a chosen coterie of his slaves. and be-
fore them, too grieved to strut or take
pride in his mourning habiliments,
walked Allen: And it was he who aft,
erward!.. at his mistress bidding, packed
the garnet, and at stated periods there
after aired, brushed and replaced them.
Time tempers all griefs. Before a
twelvemonth had slipped away Allen no
longer sorrowfully performed his office.
dee sS over the baef Sa{n ana and vs
vet waistcoats, the soft doeskin
breeches and the fine tucked, embroi-
dered and hemstitched shirts. And long
est and ,fonde:st he gazed upon and ca
ressed the military uniform. On top
Of ali this was laid, and after a slow low
soc that it did not. touch the precious
garments, Allen would lock the chest and
carry the key to his mistress.
They're all breshed an packed, Miss
Rachel, an ready an waitin' for Marse
Billy an Gabrielst trumpet" he would
on top. Marse Billyi be be want WSnti1 e'o de@
de very fus' ting ter march again de deb
bill an de angels OBJ sin. An | robbed
dem buttons tell dey shine like lightnin'
bugs"
1T was clean against all intention to
shet dem clothes away, in de da'k whar
nncbuddy could see 'em," he often said to
himself. They wuz meant fer great
an shinin' light, an Miss Rachel com
blnated deadly sin in not sendin' den.
to Marse Tom (the only SOM to war
or glib UNI to somebody dat would And
in fancy Allen loved to see himself ar
rayed in all that splendor of blue cloth
stepping round, perforce, like the gin
Intense longing and thought soon
brought action: One Sunday evening
Allen stole up to the garnet, donned the
uniform 1, and sailed forth on his formal
Dat gal'll be scairt ter def Wen she
opens de do" he chuckled on the way.
"She'll t'ink Marse Billy's sperret done
come back sho'.'
Becky was startled; but, like kind.
wise woman, she kept Aliens secret, and
for many Sunday evening he wore I'M
detected the glorious dress. One cloudy
moonlight night, however, he was en-
countered by two negroes. The far-down
tilted hat hid his features; but the dress.
the walk, were Marse Billy's, hence it
was his ghost that passed by them.
Again and again it was seen, till the
whole black portion of the plantation was
h1101 %1~ I'd ~
ghost. Now it was seen in the cornfield
Now it traversed the cotton field, and
once the ghost became so bold-but this
was wholly untrue>it was discovered one
noontide STOPPING and drinking from the
spring that had furnished the generals
favorite draught. Its exit was usually
in flash of red or blue lightning, but
once it just quietly dissolved into the
darkness at cry from a frightened be-
holder.
Allen was not behind with stories of
the uncarnate visitor. He solemnly de-
clared he had seen Marse Billy; had
shaken hands with him, 'drappin'" dead
(fainting) Immediately thereupon, and
Billy bending over him in tenderest soiic-
itude, which sight instantly caused an
other lapse into oblivion. The hand that
had touched the phantom palm remained
cold for several days afterward. and this,
Allen reasoned, showed conclusively the
heavenliness Of the 'sperret's' abode.
Becky, too, admitted, with laughing eyes
and an enviable display Of fine teeth,
that she had seen Marse Billy, or some
thing that looked mighty like him.
In the height of the excitement there
came to the plantation a grandson, in
stature, features and blackness of hair
and eyes the prototype of his grandsire.
But now, with his followed cheeks and
eye-sockets and CHASTITY pallor, the re-
suits Of long Sickness his grandmother
pronounced him the ghost of the rich,
dark, youthful beauty of his grandfather.
The grandmother had become a little
petulant of the unallayable terror Of
the negroes, and the foolish stories that
were spreading over the county, and inn
mediately upon the grandson's arrival,
applied to him for a solution of the
mystery and a remedy.
1T is only one OF the negroes who is
wearing grandfather's Clothes" he posi-
lively decided. 1.-THE only way to stop
the nonsense is to catch the fellow red
handed, and expose him to the rest"
and learning the favorite walk of the
ghost, the next Sunday evening after
sunset betook himself hither.
About $50 o'clock his watch was re-
warded. Footsteps came, and by the
rapidly waning twilight he saw ap-
preaching a person clad in the well-re-
mQmhpfp6 Uniform If tho m astronomical /