The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-11-05
BROTHER GARDNER.
He Has Something to say About
Ghosts.

MY ~frens," said Brother Gardner at
the last meeting of the Lime-Klln club,
fdar am a heap o. ak gwine on Jest
now about ghosts, and I have riz up 70
say a few words. In de last week bout
ten different members have come TO me
20 ak If I believe in ghosts.
Let RE say dat I does.
Il has seen 'em wild my own eyes.
Il has heard .em groan-
Il has seen EN- float to and FRO via
yes of fire"
A wave Of sensation passed over the
members present as the president maze
this acknowledgment. 1t was Known
that he was going to speak on the SUD
1ect Of ghosts. but 1t was DeIeFed Ihae
he would deny their existence.
II was only bout ten years old when
I saw my first ghost" continued the
old man. i had been sent 10 dc SION
wild a Jug arter 'lasses. 1 tarried around
de stOh for an hour and den started lor
home. 1t was a dark night and a sour
wind was BLOWN. I heard a daWg now
"a mewl bray rs I walked along L
had made half de distance when a ng--
ger riz up in front of me and gurgied
at me.
My blood IN cold!
my knees wobbled!
my heart jumped into my mouI anu
& cold sweat run down my back!
"Befo' I could axe out a nickel ana
Omer to buy dat ghost off a sWltcn b5-
gan to fall on my shoulders, and II MT
me ten times a second for the next
twenty seconds. I was licked cleaI 70
de door OF de cabin. and I was licked
arter I got dar. and when 1 got oDer
bein' licked I was SO pale DAT my Muu-
der was afeared I was gwine 10 turn
into a white boy and not amount 70
shucks.
some of de white folks who say dey
don't believe in ghosts have trlea 70
make me believe dat it was my 1adaeI
who met me on de road ana prayed
spook. but dey can't fool me Wnen
dar am a ghost around dar am a 1alnt
perfume of lilac, and I smelt 1t dar dat
night.
zone 'ebbin' last month, as most Of
Ms know. Brudder Jones haq
a GURUS dream. He dreamed DAT an oIo
Indian man come to him ana toid MN
20 Rit up and walk up a sartln aAey-
When he woke up and related dc
dream to his wife she agreed wild MN
that he orter go
He dressed hisself and set out he
had gon two blocks and was keeplh
his eyes open when he saw de doah OF
q hen house open He was about 10
spring forward to investigate when a
ghost riz up befo' him. OATS one good
thing about ghosts-dey allus riz up
befos instead of behind you. Dis ghost
was draped in a white sheet ana ap-
Deared to be a woman. She stood oar
and pinted wild her long arm and Whis-
pered to Jones to skate back home, ana
he was lest wise huff to do it.
Next day he found out dat de white
man who owned dat coop had set three
traps inside and prepared a torpedo
and had he gone in Oar to make qe
acquaintance of de pullets he would
have been first eatched and den blOwed
into a thousand pieces. Brudder Jones.
stand up and let de audience see you.
Brudder Jones arose and bowed right
and LETT and sat down. while a sort OF a
chill cantered up and down h han.
When you are looking at a man who
has seen a ghost you can't help but
feel a bit shaky.
Il was a young man of p when I saw
nv second ghost" continued Brother
In three miles away I sot out one
moonlight night to gO'n see her. I was
gwine along, whistlin' and singin' and
as happy as you please, when a white
hgger come walkin' out Of de bresh
alongside de road. At first I thought it
was Kurnel Saunders white COW, bat
when / OOk closer 1 knOWed it for a
ghost. I was minded to lake to my
heels and run, but de ghost smiled at
me. Dat gin me courage to ak why
she was dar and what she wanted, and
she pinted down de road towards de
cabin whar my gal libed, and shook
her head. Dat meant I was not to go
on. I took a step forward. but she
waved me back and cOntinered to shake
her head.
MY frens. what would have happen
ed to me II [ had not seen dat ghost?
I should have gone on to see dat gal
and ak her to be mine. and run up agin
q big buck niger wild an ak. who was
Jealous Of me and waitin' to cut me
down. Yes. sab, in fo'ty rods mo- he
would have jumped out and split my
head OPEN"