The Ghost

There's a house across the street That nobody goes into; Say it's haunted, yes, they do; Ghosts livethere, they say, or meet: Saw one in a winding-sheet At a window once, and took To my heels and ran and ran, Never gave another look, Till I met a nigger-man. And I told him. And he said, 'Dat ole house am ha'nted sure. 'Deed it wuz a ghost! a pure Sure nuff ghost, I am afred. Better run home; git ter bed; Or he'll kotch yer. Lawzy me! I won't pass dat house ter-night. Onct I pass dar: whut'd I see? Why, I seed a walking light. 'Yep; an' it went up an' down Like a fire-bug. I wuz skeer'd Wus'n you wuz. An' I heer'd Chains a-trompin' all aroun': An' I laid dar on de groun' Skeer'd to def. An' den I seed Whut'd yer reckon? seed my lands! Seed a skel'ton! yarse indeed! Hulding up two skel'ton hands. 'Den I run'd jest like you did. Ought ter t'ar dat ole house down. Hit's disgrace ter dis yere town Dat's my sintimints an' rid Us ob all de ghosts, instid Ob a-letting 'em cavort 'Roun', an' skeer folks lef' an' right! T'ing ter do would be ter start Bonfire in it some dark night.' Then he turned and went away. And I hurried home and told Father, and he said, 'That old Negro-man has had his say; Mine I'll have another day. Come with me now. Let us see If that ghost of yours now goes: If it's a reality, Or a fraud as I suppose.' And he took his walking-stick, And I followed. Sure enough, At the window was that stuff, Sheet, or piece of old bed-tick, Waving in the wind. And quick In my father went. And why, Heard him laughing; and I saw That he had the old ghost by A long string that he could draw. Was n't anything at all But an old white window-blind, That the folks had left behind, In the window of the hall: Had got loosened from the wall And the wind kept flapping it. I laughed, too; but was almost Just put out a little bit Wanted it to be a ghost.