Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1901-11-09
MARSE BILLY'S GHOS'.

ing court.
Along with his love and admiration of
himself and Becky (the disposal of these
detectives is advsedJ, Allen loved and
admired his master and his master 5
wardrobe. BY long and careful practice
he had attained darky 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 | wuz goin' coffin in
dis yuh coat or desc britchesT ordinarily
resulted in the transfer of the article to
his possession. But of all his masters
sartoral belongings Allen most revered
and coveted the blue military uniform,
which tbn 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 a So
Jef 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
his toilet had reached the stage for outer
vestments this dialogue was unfailing:
form dis morning. Marse Billy|
And the general would give grave re-
ply, with twinkling eyes
No. not this morning, Allen"
One luckless day for the family and its
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
away his masters clothes in a chest i'll
the garret, 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.
He began to slick" longingly and linger
desirously over the black satin and vel
yer waistcoats, the soft doeskin
dered and hemstitched shirts. And long
est and fondest he gazed upon and ca
ressed the military uniform. On top
Of ali this was laid, and after a slow low
eljng of the lid, with stealthy peeps to
see that 1t 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 ,Gabriel's trumpet" he would
unYaryngly say. Il sot de sojer clothes
on top. Marse Billy'll be wantin' dem
de very fuS ting ter march again de deb
6il an de angels oh 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
ncbuddy could see en-" he often said TO
an shinin' light, an Miss Rachel com
binated 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
ana BRASS buttons, and epaulets and
stepping round, perforce, like the gin
| eral hiSSef "
Intense longing and thought soon
brought action. One Sunday evening
Allen stole up to the garnet, donned the
| UNIFORM ana sailed forth on his formal
weekly visit to the invincible Becky.
Dat gar be scairt ter def wen she
opens de do" he chuckled on the way.
Shell tink Marse Billy's sperret done
come back sho'"
Becky was startled; but. like kind.
wise woman, she kept Aliens secret. and
for many a Sunday evening he wore un-
detected the glorious dress. One cloudy
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
| buzzing and terrified with stories of the
gnoSt. Now 1t was seen in the cornfield.
Now 1t traversed the cotton field. and
once the ghost became so hold-but this
was wholly untrue-it was discovered one
| noontide stopping and drinking from the
! spring that had furnished the general s
! favorite draught. Its exit was usually
IN flash of red or blue lightning. but
once 1t just quietly dissolved into the
darkness AT cry from 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
| tfaintingl Immediately thereupon. and
when he came 10 life again found Marse
Blliy bending over him in tenderest solic-
ltude. 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 concmsivclv the
| heavenlneSS of the "Sperret's" abode.
Becky, too, admitted. with laughing ewes
and an enviable display of fine teeth.
! mat 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 biacKness of hair
and eyes the prototype of his grandsire.
| But now, with his hollowed cheeks and
| eye-Sockets and CHASTITY pllor. 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 n remedy.
| 1T is only one OF the negroes who is
wearing grandfather's clothes" he posi-
| lively decided, The only way to stop
| the nonsense is to catch the fellow red
handed, and expose him to the rest. -
and learning they favorite walk OF the
| ,.hoSt, the next Sunday evening after
sunset hetook himself hither.
About $50 O'Clock his watch was re-
| warded. Footsteps came, and hy the
rapidly waning twilight he saw an
preaching a person clad in the wcll.re-
memhereG uniform Of the majo general.
1t was a negro, and to find out the des-
hn Ill ~