Democratic Sentinel, Volume 15, Number 48, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 December 1891 — He Knew His Friend. [ARTICLE]

He Knew His Friend.

A lot of the boarders at a private boardery on Second street brought a medium into the fold one night last week and had a seance. When the lights were so low you couldn't find them without striking a match a spirit appeared and hovered over the star boarder. “Whose spirit are you?” inquired that personage. “The spirit of Bilnap,” came the sepulchral response in a squeaky voice. Bilnap had been a friend of the star boarder’s until he (Bilnap) had died with the jim-jams, and the star boarder became interested. “No; you don’t say?” he exclaimed. “Yes,” squeaked the spirit, followed . by a dozen raps. The star boarder wheeled around and sniffed the air. “By thunder,” he said, “you’re off your base. I can’t smell either brimstone or liquor. If Bilnap is dead there’d be brimstone on him, and, if he isn’t, there’s bound to be liquor. I know Bilnap, dead or alive, and you can’t work any snap smell of cologne water or musk on me for Bilnap. Not muchee,” and rising, he made a swipe at the spirit that smashed the seance down the front and up the back and in at both sides. The medium hasn’t been back there since, and they don't put up any more jobs from the other world on the star boarder either.—Free Press.