La Junta tribune., 1913-04-19
SANS GHOSTS
LWer Lip sam - Big. Exceedingly "
Black. and Game. Strives fer
Easy Money

| Liycr-Llp sam was Dig and eI-
ceedingly black. and az game a negro
as ever shook 'possum out OF a
persimmon tree He was the only ne
gro In the county who ventured iuto
the woods at night with his hound
I dog and ief, the lantern and torch
Al home.
When Major Pursell Offered s. TO
any one willing to stand guard from
! dusk to dawn In haunted house
on his Bitter Swamp plantation. sam
promptly claimed the opportunity
The major nominated a starless night
and specified that the candidate must
/ leave his dog behind. otherwise the
reward might be wasted In eucour-
aging an impromp,n 'possum hunt in
the nearby swamp.
sam found a comfortable rocking
cnair In the dining room OF the de-
serted mansion AS night came on
I IL. lighted the oil lamp and calmly
took up his long vigil with a mind
strictly to the benefits accrumg from
tina, easy s.
/ When at length he Judged that
| the hour must be nearly g Of the
morning. be- opened window and
looked out for the expected grazing
I Of tac sky The night was still
pitch dark Then he heard afar off
[ In tho town the slow tolling Of the
miiuigh, hour
"na, co'tchouse clock am mighty
slow" unused sam. "or else de- sun
done been delayed somewahs"
He turned around. and there be-
side the lamp sat huge white cat
with red eyes Its tail was wrap
ped about the chimney
You and mc" said the cat IN all
.frleudlIncss "oro the only ONES
aore."
"Ysssauf" sam agreed heartily:
"au' as soon A. An gets froo dis
viudah. yoraH am gwine to be de
ouy one hyah'"
He leaprd 20 the ground and start
cd ruuulus toward town. Inside OF
o. bali mile ha had to pass the grave.
yard Here Boz met man stumbling
alongside the n1ad Sam thought him
one OF ia, white trash habitual
druukaris from over back yonier in
tu, foUthfu settlement
The muu carried mis- head under
his arm. Tie head spoke admir-
ingly
Niger" IT declared. you sure
are some runner"
"Mehbc 50, mistah,' Sam conoed.
cd. pAntingly. "hu, da, was !. walk
compa'ed TO what Ann wine show
yo-all now"
He III out on his ,iptots
After lbout a mile of record break.
INK sam sank down on a log to puff
and fan himself with his lat. Look.
ing over his snouldcr h. saw fix
urc sitting beside him D. too. was
putting and tanning.
sam noted with start that he
corld see right through the strang.
cr TO white birch sap.Hs in the
background. just as II DIS neishbor
va, made OF glass
'Yassah," sam relolued. dat was
i a nice IN contest white fllks. but
muffin like de- one veal am gwine
TO nav right now"
This tine he spru.cd away faster
yet IN abott two lngut.s he over.
took An anuc-e,l firE'nia White tail
dr"- going In fle SIN direction
and badly frightened.
Said the deer sympathe,irally: I'm
pace you. brother"
"Gangway'' yelled Sam as he leap
ed ahead. "dey aln't no COW In dis
whole worl' what cain put a rockin'
chair on her haid an lead me when
Ah'm in a hurry"
Sam did not stop until he reach.
ed Major Purs.ll's town house There
he awakened ais crstwhil6 smploycr.
and the major came down 10 the
door.
Wei, well, Liyer.Lip'" he ex.
claimed testify. 4 thought You were
going 10 stay all might IN the Bitter
swamp house lt's only ton minutes
after y Why you're an on, Of
breath Did anything frirtien you.
COON"
Who. me. sab" cspostullted sam
Indignantly NO. sab. AhtD not a.
scared oh muffin nohoN' Rut Al
earned dat money so easy up tin
midnight dat Nh thought q only
fair To run right down h,ah boss.
an save yos.au To-, d.U.t .,<