Central High School - Mirror Yearbook (Birmingham, AL)

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Ole Marse John’s Spook “W’ellum, ef vo’ is jes‘ gwiner lib in dal house anahow, all right, hut I'se gwiner tell vo' bout tie carryinons de’s had dcre fcr de las' two yeahs. Ole Marse been dade two yeahs las’ November. an'when he died I jes knowed sumpin wer' gwiner happen ca'se he died on er Friday, Fr long erbout dark dat ebenin' I beared er screech-owl holler an to’ I could git dc poker in de fine he wer' dead. Arter Ole Marse died Ole Miss low I gotter come up an' sleep in de big house fcr company. I done hab some moighty |uare feelins' ’bout sleepin’ in dat house, but didn say mullin', ca'se 1 knowed Ole Miss ud jes laugh an say ‘go way frum lieah wi l vo' foolishness. Huldah. “Wellum, when Ole Marse done been dade nearbout er yeah an’ I ain't seen nothin' ob de spook 1 'low he ain't got none. But when de night conic when he done been dead a yeah hit sho’ wer col' an’ dark an’ rainin' outside. I jes couldn't go ter sleep dat night ter tryin’ ter fergit what wer’ on my mine. Vel-luni. 1 reckins 1 wer' speckin' sumpin ter happen ca’se when 1 beared er big commotion out on de fron' po’ch hit didn’ s’prise me er bit. Hit sounded jes lak somebody wer’ draggin’ er great long chain ovah de po’ch. 1 wer hopin' he coulden git in ca’se I been moighty kcerful ter lock dat fron’ doo’ an' put de key undali de mat. But dat ole spook open de doo’ an' come right on down de hall still draggin' de chains. How did he look? Miss, 1 didn keer how he look jes so he didn tech me. But as fer as I kin rekermember he wer tall an’ white wid erbout er mile er chain. lie jes' kep' right on down dc hall an' up de stairs. Arter he done staid up dere so pow'ful long time he come back down, went out de fron' doo’ an slict an’ locked hit: yes. maam, he sho’ did, ca’se I beared 'im lock hit. “When T tole Ole Miss erbout hit she say 1 wer jes’ dreamin’. Anahow we ain’ beared mullin' ob dat ole spook till de same night ob de nex’ yeah. I made Ole Miss set up wid me. I wer near-erbaut ’sleep when 1 beared 'im make er noise jes' lak he did befoh! Ole Miss wanted ter go see wliut 'twas. but I wouldn’t let her, ca’se I ivus scade ter stay by myse’f wid dat ole spook eround. When he see we was settin’ up fer him wid er lamp he rattle he chains an’ leave. Ole Miss say er long time arter dat dat hit wer some ob deni boys, but I knows bettah. No, Ma-am. vo' don’ ketch me eround dere. 1 done low when Ole Miss died 1 wer gwiner stay way frum dere, an' I sho’ is ” Malcolm McArver. 13.

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augmented by several lusty negroes, eager for work. A little time elapsed when the silence of the night was broken by the voice of Tamer Jones. ‘Water ’ he cried, “and still no gold ! “Joe, did you see dat? whispered Uncle Dan at the same moment. “What?” asked Jim, another of the. darkies. “Dat!” said the black man, pointing toward the cluster of trees at the edge of the farm. “Lawdv! Lawly! Save me! Help! shouted Jim, throwing down his spade. With the speed of a prairie tire the cry was taken up by the other negroes who almost stampeded the white men. The latter turned toward the forest and beheld three white figures with the heads of cows and glaring eyes, crawling straight towards them. Reason left them as well. All was confusion and the sole ambition of each seemed to he to get away from the haunted farm as soon as possible- The next morning the story of the ghosts was the topic of discussion among the people of the surrounding country. Some scoffed while others believed, but Perkins determined to investigate the matter for his own satisfaction. This was the cause of his presence on the veranda of the farm house from which he had so ignobly run the night before. “Ciood morning. said an old gentle- man with a cheerful voice as he answered the knock on the door. “Good morning,” replied Perkins. “Is Mr. Sims in? “Mr. Sims! repeated the stranger. “Oh, are you Mr. Perkins? “Yes, sit , that’s who I am. said Perkins smiling. “Well then, here’s a letter for you. Mr. Sims asked me to deliver it to you.” Perkins took the envelope and whistling a merry tune, opened it. “Well! I be --------he exclaimed. dropped the letter and walked away with bowed head. As Perkins disappeared behind a curve in the mad. the old gentleman picked up the sheet of paper and read: “My dear friend Perkins: I want to thank you and all my neighbors for your kind assistance in digging my pond. Mr. Harrison, the gentleman from the city, who gives you this letter, did not want to buy the farm unless it had a pond. So T just decided that I better dig one: but as labor is kinder high. 1 thought I might get my friends to do the work. The ghosts? Well, they were Jim Carter and Harry White. I ’m going to Montana and hope that if you ever happen to be around that country that you will look for me- Your old friend. Nat Sims.” Ben S. Gross. ’ 11.

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The Bachelor Girls’ Camp Now for ibe simple life! Two solid weeks of rest and comfort! cried Maud jumping down from tile wagon seat. “Oh, won’t it he glorious! chatted Marion. “To think of the peace of mind! No trial balances to worry— “Nothing to think about but nature, not a single person to mar the land scape. interrupted Mabel. By this time all three had scrambled over the wheels to the ground- The fourth member of the party was a white-haired negro, who had been driv ing the mule. “Now. whar is all them things goin.’ ma'am. lie nodded toward the rear of tlie wagon which was full to overflowing. And ’specially, ma’am, this here ’mi. He’s a Icetle bit oneasv, ma.am. ’ “Bring Clincher out first. Uncle Mose. commanded Maud, and forthwith there appeared the squatty figure of a determined looking bulldog. Uncle Mose warily lifted him out. “Now for the tent. continued Maud as she began pulling it out. “Uncle Mose and I’ll put it up. Mabel, while you and Marion unpack the stools and dishes. Soon all were busily engaged and only Clincher had time to observe the surroundings. Yes. it was an ideal spot for a camp. The tent itself was being set up in a little clearing which was surrounded by a forest of tall oaks. About ten yards away there was a bub-ling spring and nearby a ledge of rock, an excellent place for a kitchen. Clincher at once explored this wing of the establishment . tasted the water and pronounced it quite to his liking. W hen he returned to the sleeping apartments, everything was ship-shape. I’he tent had spread itself over nearly the whole clearing and afforded ample quarters for the three girls. Inside there were three cots, three camp stools, a big goods box in the center for the table, and another on one side which was already piled up with brushes, combs and powder boxes. “Now dosen’t it look just perfectly scrumptious? exclaimed Maud survey ing the harmonized effect from the doorway. “Only. added Mabel over her shoul der. you might pull your cot a little nearer the bureau. Marion. That’s it, and put that yellow camp stool by the table instead of the blue one. Now that gives better symmetry and harmonizes the colors. Yes, it’s perfect now. “Well look, girls, there’s no wav to hang up the mirror. moaned Marion. “I’ll never get my collar pinned straight or the powder on smooth. What will we do? And she anxiously held up an irregular piece of broken looking glass. “It ought to be just so high. I know. cried Mable, “W e’ll take turn about holding it up for each other to dress by. “Well, what’s the use of it anyhow?” said Maud. “Who cares it our hair is in puffs and there’s not any man around to see if we even have on collars and powder. Uncle Mose. those arc the groceries, aren’t they? Well, just put the box over there, and put the dishes and pans right by it. That’s everything, you say? Now let me see, today’s Monday. Well, come next Monday and bring us some fresh bread and some cake. Don’t forget that two-pound box of chocolates. Uncle Mose,” came from Marion, who was still trying to arrange the mirror. “And don’t forget to ask Mrs. Brown to send my tube of sepia and my new brush that I left. added Mable. Yes’m,” said Uncle Mose, “I ’members an’ I’ll be hyar nex’ Monday. 18