The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-03-27

members are drawn from different Sec
tons of the south and they bring to-
gether an Interesting variety of ex-
r%iences. They use the word ghost in
the name of their organization, but
they always use "ha'nt," pronounced
hadn't and a contraction of haunt, as
the general designation Of the super
natural things under discussion. At the
previous meeting Samuel Jackson had
captured the priZe-a prize is awarded
regularly-and it was believed that his
story of the kind-hearted ghost that
had filed his oyster boat while he was
down with the rheumatism could not be
surpassed.
But HI Washington was present
primed for a recital. He was allowed
to begin, after the usual preliminarles
were out of the way.
me by a preachah,' he began, without
impressing his logic very heavily upon
his fellow members.
"Preachah's word no better'n any
body ~else's," said a member.
But dis happened to de preachah
hisself,' insisted Hi. Dis .preachah
lived in a little house down by de crick.
= was oil ~ liz lOllCSOlIlC Gil 10
2 pusson ner a dog ner a cat ner any
Twin thing in dat house but him And
he went de rounds three times lockin
de door, boltin' de winders, putin
chairs where dey'd do most good. Den
bein' sure of de house he went up stairs
to de front room and commenced to
write his sermons, and he writ n he
writ untwell it were early in de morn-
in n all of a suddint what did ne
hear?'
What did he hear?' asked a member
eagerly.
"Yas, sab. what did he hear?" asked
HI in sepulcral ones What did he
hear? I tell yo' what he heard. A man
walkin' right in de door,
DE door h was locked and
btlted?"
DE door dat was locked and bolted-
right in dat very same door," He
paused so that they might take it all
i'll. And dat was jest de beginnin'-
vas, sahs, jest de beginnin''. Fur de
ha'nt stomped right up de steps, maxim
a noise dat shook de buildin' and den
ne went right straight into de next
rccm and throwed down a turn of
wood"
What did he do den?" they asked
with awe.
H stomped right down agin and
byme by de preachah heard him acom-
in de second time
when a AN comes de second time
de same night it means a funeral
said the president wisely.
Nov you're talkin' de truf,' ex-
claimed Hi.
What did de preachah do?" asked
Il another member.
What was he to do? Dare was de
ha'nt a-comin' de second time; dare
was de hous wild only n staircase.
Dare was de second story window.
Dare das de ground. What vas he to
do? What would you coPod genermen
do? OATS what he done. He drapped
out OBJ de window and as he clared the
fence widout techin' de top rail. he
shouted back:
"A1 right, Mister Ha'nt, but eff you
takes a second turn of wood into dat
room you's got to build yer own fire.
Hi Washington stepped down amidst
much solemnity and a shaking of
heads. There was a spell of quiet
which was broken by the deep voice of
q very black n powerfully built MEM
Der from North Carolina.
"Mistah President, sub. bein' a new
nembah, sub, I'd like to request some
~elucidation sub. Does you hab to
'splain your ha'nts or does you take
'em jest as 70 git 'em?"
This is an experience society. sah,'
I'd tHc pIeSluell, III we uOll L uOuDl
nc gentleman's word ner ask him to
explain things dat can't be explained.
If you have a story sab, we will be
glad to hear from you"
ct has," said the big man, "onless
you hab all hearn tel of de Grandby
Ghost, or 1 ought to say de Grandby
Fa'nt."
Nobody had heard of it and from the
dark corner of the room the fearful
narrative began.
"Grandby Hall is on Plantation Creek
and is one of de biggest old houses left
standing for a hundred
lives in it now-all dead and gone, but
it stands dare like a great old tomb
stone. And I reckon OATS jest about
what it mought be. One time de mas
ter of it fell down de steps and broke
his neck
Broke his neck" repeated a men,
Der. Bad sign, mighty bad sign"
And a crazy sister hung herself in a
second story room."
"Wuss and more of it," said a voice.
Hanging wuss dan fallin' down."
And two men fought a due wild boss
pistols and both of 'em dropped
mo wandah folks left dat house"
"And dey used to kill slaves and
throw 'em in de cellah."
"Phew," whistled several.
III bet no man was ever fool enuf
to be in dat house after dark" said the
president.
Vas. sub, one jackmule was"
Who was it?'
Me"
You? They sat deeper in their
chairs and locke upon him with fear
not unmixed with admiration.
Vas, sub, me. The hit folks Of
fered ten dollahs to any man who would
stay in de house all highland I want
ed de ten dollahs. So I looked de chal-
lenge, n long a little after sunset L
come by wild two n~ewspapahs."
What for them papahs?" they
asked.
Use gwine to set up and read, says
l If 1 can't sleep Use gwine to read.
Anything says I, to git that ten dol
labs
80 I went to de- room and lit a lamp
and I sot it on a table and I tilted back
in de rocking cheer and I begun to