Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1828-08-04

cold. was obliged every now and then to lei
go the reigns to blow my fingers, which
thought would drop of, and, on touching my
horse, found he was as cold as myself, yet
the stranger looked no, the least af cted by 1t,
for his cloak remained strapped to the saddle
behind him, aud indeed his jacket was Hylng
open, aud his shir, collar unbuttoned as before:
This looked very s,range.-,here was some
thing my,erious about him, so resolved 10 De
QUIT Of him as soon as possible; but the faster
| rode, the faster rode he; and though my
horse appeared as powerful again as the one~on
which he was riding yeti found that when l,
came 10 the push, his pony could have passed.
me easily. But that was not his intention; Tor
when slackened my pace,he slackened,-S on
my pulling up, he pulled up also, still he never
looked at me, and there we remained side by
side, and nearly frozen to death with cold.
Every thing around US was perfectly quiet;
anI / felt this silence becoming quite apPai-
ling; at length, ! exclaimed, Sir. YOU seem de-
lermned we shall not part company, however
il may be the wish Of one OF us" he slran
ger, after making slight inclination OF his
head, expressed in the most gentlemanly mans
ner, his sorrow that il Should be thought he
had in,ruded himself upon me, and his earnest
desire tina, we nigh, proceed together (seeing
that our course was The same on better terms
This was said with SO much politeness, that !
really could not refuse; being moreover con-
WINGED, tia. if had. il vas totally olt of my
power TO enforce my refusal; so we Iroted on
| together.
The stranger Immediately began talking most
fluen,ly, but continually shifting the srbJ CT, and
a, length conlpg to a full stop, he suddenly ask
ed me wha, W S my own opinion OF all this? /,
who had been dreatf y effliCttd by the cold,
so as TO have been disable d from giving any al
! tenlion, felt quite at l. S. villa, to say:-at
length, as well as was able (ior my teeth chat
, tered so much could scarcely speak plainO ]
! stammered out whether he did not think il
was very cold?" immediately bis dull eyes
Egh,ened up, and shall never forget their fiery
and unnatural light, as turning suddenly around,
ne sared me flu | in the face, saying IN the most
| Joyous, mild, and melodious tone Of voice,
" Perhaps you will accept OF my Cloak and
adding with peculiar emphasis, " he was sure
| | should be warm enough then" Instantly be-
| gan to unsrip i, from rehird him. In vain !
declared could not think # accepting it, tspe-
cial!y rs he was more :hinly clad than myself:
he began TO irf.rm me vi The same peculi~r
rxpressou, " that he never fell cold, and that
ht wuulG be most happy il would do him the
pei ,isting Till a, las he became so mpor,una,r,
that rudely pu>hei it from me, SAYING" tina,
won id not dc ept Of it," O! ify u could have
seen the change IN his manner and appearance!
Instead OF the mild, placi look he had hi'h-
er to worn. his face contracted bv the strong
est feelings frage and disappointment, his eyes
flashed fire from under his h. a,v kni 5rows;
his mouth wa slr'ed with HI d Of sarG"nic"
e in; and hastily adlus ing the cloak about him;
he said with the most sinister expression,
/" Perhaps W u do him the honor aGoher
,ime?" Then d sh:ng the spurs into his beast,
he was out OF sight in u moment ..s-,.-rr
sheafty onrthTng-borridk unnatu al .bou,
the stranger; his hollow voice, pale complexion,
and heavy eye; above all, tie strange co'dnes SIS
that Came over me! felt rcjniced that was
thus rid of him; and that I had not accep.ed
has Offer Of The cloak, as then in a probability,
we should no. have parted SO soon;) and now,
so little did need it, that vas compelled L.
intuition my coat, aud take my thick lambs
wool comforter fir IN nv neck
Who could The stranger be!
rcm.mbered to have heard, that the Ger
man who was hung N chains, and whose g,b-
bet had passed, E2d suffered the nence Of
the Jaw, FIR ha,inc burnt house, AID murder
ed in he most cruel and shocking manner, a
person, whom hr stranglrd with his cloak
NV. il was also currently reported, but OILY
believed by the Idle and superstilous,) that this
man did not t1eu die: for il was said, that The
devil, 10 whom af err lis condemnation he had
sold himself, had, whii'' h. wa, suspended, in
some way or oihrr, support aim; * had after
ward, Il him on he gibbet, IN The form of
raven, until the fastening decaved, u that he
could release himself when he substituted the
BODY Of person whom he murdered Tor the
purpose!
inete were many persons now alive who
had sworn 20 having seen the raven there, morn
ing, noon, aud 10 have heard its croakiug even
at midn' gh'. Many accounted for rh,a, ~ saw
ing 1t came there 10 feed on t BODY; but ole
OF the villagers, who was known - be STOUT
fellow, having occasion to e" by the gibber one
twi''gnt, declare'!, that he heard the man talk
Ing with he raven, but in language he could
no, understand, hat at first he supposed he
was deceived b, his own fancy, or the creak-
ing OF tie IRON fas,ening bu, on approaching