HOMER'S
GHOST (A Commentary)
The Banks Observer, Wednesday, May 30, 1888
Homer, Georgia
One of our young men was out late one night last week, and
in coming home met with an unearthly object on the hill above the Presbyterian
Church, and as it seemed to be ready to stop and talk a few minutes the young
man entered into a conversation with it, and a
dismal click came from its throat.
On being questioned as to what was the matter he replied:
"If you
must know, I am a ghost, and"______
At this moment the young man was struck with abject terror
and amazement and started to run, but the ghost waved its hand in an imprecating
manner and another click came from its throat. The young man stood riveted to the spot, as
as the ghost proceeded with its story he became filled with interest and pity
and the ghost related the following strange story, as it limped with much
difficulty towards a level spot of ground with its bones creaking and its
joints popping.
"You know
I have been laying down yonder in the old cemetery for a long number of years.
I rested peaceably for a long time behind the old Presbyterian Church
with the large oaks swaying and swinging in the breezes.
One a year the Presbyterians came over there where the public square
is now, and held a campmeeting. The singing and shouting of the congregation
was music in my ears, and I was happy. But
after awhile Dick Hooper and Col. Turk and a few others among them the inferior
court, got in a big row about putting a new courthouse here. This lasted for a long time, and at last they
began to cut down the trees around here and to build. This did not disturb me much but when they
moved the old church away and I could no longer hear the singing I began to
feel lonesome."
Another click in his throat and the ghost remarked,
"I have
not had a drink of water in twenty five years."
The young man made another start but another wave of the
hand stopped him, and the ghost preceeded,
"After
awhile the old graveyard began to be much neglected, and the cattle came and trampled around and grazed in the cemetery
and slept there and great holes began to sink in the ground. At last a flood of water came and filled up
the place where I lay, and I attempted to get up and make my way out of that
dismal place. In doing so my foot
fell into one of the neglected graves and I broke my thigh. I could do no better and crawled down into
the hole and found that a darky had been buried there. I stayed there until my thigh got well and
the darky told me that the white folks had quit burying there, and some of
our neighbors had been taken up and moved to the new Presbyterian grave yard
on the hill.
One day some
boys in town got after some chickens and they ran into our hole and we subsisted
on them until now. I have started
out to find the new cemetery. Can
you tell me where it is? I think call
my old neighbors in the old cemetery had concluded to leave for more respectable
quarters. Can you give me directions
please?"
But the young man was so terrified that he ran for life and
the ghost moved off saying, " I will pick an opportunity to meet some
of the little boys one of these nights. Maybe
they will tell me? I always make it
my business to go everywhere at nights."
Transcribed as printed 2004 by Jacqueline King
