Winchester gazette. [volume] (Winchester, Va.) 18??-1826, 1821-11-24

f1aus van Nippefs 6uu every other
nigsardIy patron, aad kick ahy itiner-
ant pedsgogue OUT of doors that dared
TO. call him comradel
/ Old Baitus Van 'rassel moved a
bout among his guests with face di.
lated with contents aud good humour,
round and jolly assthe has vest MOON
His hospitable attentions were brief,
but expressive, being confined to
shake of ths.hand. a. slap on the SAUL
der, loud laugh, and pressing invi-
tation to 'rsach to- and help them
| selves g
And now the sound of the music from
the common room and hall, SUMMONED
tn the dance. The musician was@ an
cid grey-headed negro, who had been
the itinerant orchestra Of the neiShbor-
| hood for more than half a century,
| His instrument was as old and batter
| ed as himself. The greater part Of
the time he sscrspeJ away on two or
three strings, accompanying every
movement of the bow with motion Of
the head; bowling almost to the ground,
ard stamping with his foot whenever
| a fresh couple were 20 start.
Ichahod ptided himself upon his
] dancing as much as upon his vocal
powers. Not limb. nor n fibre about
him was idle, and to have seen his
| loosely hung frame in full motion, and
gathering about the rnom, you would
have thought Saint Vi,us himself. that
blessed patron Of the dance, was Gsu-
ring before you in person. He was
the admiration cs all the negroes, who
had gathered, Of ELL ages and sizes,
from the farm and the neighbourhood,
stood forming a pyramid CT shining
black faces ut every door aud window,
gazing with delight at the scene, roll
ing their white eye balls, aud showing
! grinninS rows OF ivory from ear 10 ear.
How could the flogger OF ure,ius he u
,herwise than Joyous: the lady or his
heart wss his PARTNER in the dance
she smiled sraciousiy in reply to
all his amorous og;ioss, while Brcm
Bnnes, surely smitIen with love and
Jealousy, sat brooding by himself in
one corner
When ths dance was n En- end, lch-
abod Was attracted 10 knntof the sa.
tVfkSs WIZ WIN p'u dS'Nl.
sat smoking at one end of the piazza,
gossipping over former time.. aud
drawing ont long stories about the
war.
This neighbonrhooI. at the time Of
which Az, speaking, was one of those
highly favourel places which ab6und
with chronicle, and great men. The
British and american line mad run
near itdurins the war; it had therefore
been the scene Of marauding. and been
infested with refugees, cow boys, and
all kind of border ehivalTy. just suf>
fcient time had elapsed to enable
each story teller TO dress up his tnle
with little becoming fiction, and in
the indistineiness of his recollection,
TO make himself the hero of every ex-
plot.
There was the story ofDuffue Mart
lirg, a large blue bearded Dutchman.
who had nearly taken British frisafe
with an old iron nine FOUNDER from
mud breastwork. only that his gun
burst at the sixth discharge. And
there was an old gentleman who shall
be nameleas, being too rich mynheer
to tie lightly mentioned, who in the
battle of WhitePleips, being on ex.
celscnt master Gf deferee, parried a
niusket ball with small sword, inso-
much that be absolutely felt it whiz
round the blade, and glance OFF at The
bilt; in proof Of which, he was ready
at any time TO show the hiIt little
bent. There were several more who
had been equally great in the field. not
one but was persuaded that he had con.
siderable hand in bringing thu war 10
e happy termination.
But all those were nothing to the
tales OF ghosts and apparitions that
succeeded. Reconsideration is rich
in legendary tfeasurey Of The kind
Local tales aud Expectations thrive
best in These sheltefed long settled re.
treats; bht they are trampIed under
foot, by The shifting ,hrong That forms
the popuIatinn Of most of our country
places. Besides, there is no eDcour-
agement for ghosts ir>the generality
OF our villages. for they have scarce
had time take their first nap, and turn
themselves in their graves, before their
surviving friends have travelled away
from the neishbourhood, so that when
they turn out of night 10 walk the
rounds, they have no acquaintance left
to call upon. This is perhaps the
reason why we go seldom hear Of ghosts
exceptingin ouriong- established Dutch
communities.