The National tribune., 1908-05-14
WILKES BOOTHS GHOST.
1t Is n Terror to the Negros Along the
Rappahanneck.

Norm G. Cooper. of Brooklyn, n. Y.
has just been down to Port Royal. Va,
helping, along with other comrades to
! celebrate the 10th birthday of his old
Captain, o. j. Jennings. Co. E, 24th n
Y. He says they certainly had cir
Gus" and all chuckled to think they
were on deck in 1907. Comrade Cooper
thinks it hardly possible that Congress
will fail 10 increase the pension of wild
ows from sS to S12 month, and in
his opinion the limit as to the income
of the widow ought to be wiped off the
face of the earth. Comrade Cooper
brings back this good story, which has
a heap of local color" in it. Capt.
Jennings tells the story: 40
"One afternoon in June Phil my coll
ored boy, came to me and said, 'Capt'n,
/ want to go over home tonight:
carnt 1 get off little early?' Yes /
said; do up the chores and get away
about Z. How Will that suit your
Dat suit NE frs rate replied Phil.
who ran off to his work About s
o'clock 1 noticed Phil still about, and
said, why. Phil. 1 thot you wanted to
go home tonight. You'd better be off
at once, for it's getting late to go down
the cut and over the creek
Oats les what Fz been studyin'
bout, boss, an amt gwine.'
what; you're not going TO let
little dark prevent you from going, are
you?'
Well. sub, I amt gwine. Has you
ever been thru there at night?'
"'Yes. Phil; Eve driven thru there in
the night
Well, den, has'n you ever sper-
fenced any strange sights or had
chooses talk to your
No, Phil; 1 can't say ] ever have
ha tta f,rS dot
ever went down thru that cut and cross
de bridge after dark what haint had
Jack O'my Lanterns follow him, and,
sub. it's fac, they's led many poor
niger off in dem swamps dats nebber
been heard of since.s Tze had sper-
ience wild dem Jack O'my Lanterns,
and If / hadn't knowd jes' what to do
you wouldn't have me wukkin' here
now. an dey come powerful nigh get
tin me den. One night / was goin'
down dat cut, and jes. as get to
de bottom 1 fms myself afOllowin'
of dem Jack O'my Lanterns off in de
swamp JUS as quiet as If l had a blin'
bridl on me. Presently, / sort 0 cum
to, and got my senses jes' as it was
ieadin' me thru some sof mud, and I
jes' rach down and grab a big han'ful.
and den / tuck off my hat and done
turn it wrong side out an put de mud
On Uf tOp VI IT. anu, sun, 0dI JACK
O'my Lanterns, he jes' stop right dar
and go out. Den / waller fri de
swamp bac' to de road, and Went up
dat Rollins hill mighty quick; and
when I'Ze bout where Abram Holmes
lives, an jes cross de road from where
Wilkes Booth was killed, / heard q
kind o. rushin' sound, an lookin' over
the lef' shoulder to see what twas.
someone say kindly sof, "Phil, JUS you
an I tonight" Well, sub, de fus' step
[ tooks ! went right out from under
de hat, an l run jcs' about as fas' as
a houn' do when he fus' breaks out a
fox. 1 couldn't keep up dat lick long.
an presency / gin to slac up. an fus'
ting ! knowed he was right long sid
o. me and sayin', ".Phil, it's Just you
and nae tonight" Good Lor'. wasn't
/ skeertd. / jes' lit out agin, but I
couldn't gain a bit on him; he tes'
keeps alongside O. me. and soon's r
slack up any he say. Phil it's Just
you and me tonight a" over agin. Den
l bus right out cryin'. and say. "'What
you gwine do wild me-" but all he say
is, phil. it's just ,ou and me to-
night" right over agin. Well, sub,
dat turn me 'stracted, and de fus' ting
knowed was when l wakes up on de
haid at home. and my old nanny she
say been sick and 'stracted for
days"
"'wen, Phil. did yeu have any idea
who II was that frightened you so
badly?'
Yes. sun, Tze always thot twas
dat wilkes Pooth, and Fze nebber bin
by dat place after dark since dat
night y. Jennings. Port Royal, Va