South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1835-07-04

he steered directly Tor tue chufCn wv
had not proceeded many PAGES when
he was startled by savage and unmuA
steal boo booing sound in the tone OF
the deepest bass he ever heard. Lift
ing up his eyes he beheld furious
bull making at him with all speed and
believing like mad. 1t is needless to
say that he took to his heels the bull
made after him and Ichabod put on
with all the ffeetness he could exert
Four legs are better than two & it was
soon evident that the quadruped would
win the race. Ichabod found he could
not reach the wall before the bull
would be up with him.
"Now," thought he, otis all over
with me !" His shoe flew off but the
bull kept on. He dropped his hat, but
the starsagem did not take; the bull was
not to be make a fool of. He threw
his sermon behind him, but with no
better success the bull was not to be
reasoned With, he gave the manuscripts
a whisk with his tail and scattered il
to the four winds
PPM gonel Pm gone!' said Ichabods
for the bull was close behind him;---
at this instant he spied an apple tree
close at hand, and summoning all his
remaining strength he made desper.
ate leap, and was fortunate enough to
spring into the tree at the moment the
bull was at his heels. Here was an
unlocked for deliverance, but unluckily
the bull was not so easily got rid off,
Though disappointed in his prey, he
kept abou. the tree with such a menace
ing disposition that Ichabod dare not
descend.-It seemed as if the malicious
animal knew that he kept a congrega-
ton waiting, he stuck to the spot with
such pertinacity. For two mortal hours
did the unlucky Ichabod sit perched
upon tree in sight ofthe church. Every
minute seemed an age to him. Ha
heard the bell toll, toll, toll, and each
stroke seemed funeral knell to his
hopes.
He pictured to his fancy crowded
congregation waiting in anxious suspense
and lost in wonder and amazement at his
non-appearancs. -"Alas!" said he to
himself
II hear a vote: ye cannot hear,
Which bids me thus delay,
Isee the horns we cannot see
Which force me here to stay"
He saw the congregation come out of !
church and scatter hither and thither like
sheep without shepherd, yet he burst
not leave the apple tree because there
was--not a lion--but bull in the way.
The congregation were at last fairly
tired out. Two hours had they waited. !
and no parson came. The sexton left of h
tolling the bell, and indeed it was quite I
time for he had nearly worn the rope off. \
The people all came out of the church,
having after two hours debating upon the H
matter, came to the conclusion that there \
would be no sermon, and that there was
ground for alarm as to the fate Of the \
minister. They sent off parties north,
east, south and west, to explore the coun.
try, aud presently Ichabod discovered a
crowd advancing along the road headed
by the Deacon and Sexton. Ichabod,
mustered all the strength of his lungs, g.,
bawied out to them, like seven watchmens
upon tower. The whole party came,
to halt and gazed around in astonish-
ment and fear; at length they sped'
something snugly roasted in the applet.
tree; they took 1t at first for huge
black turkey-cock, but on a nearer ap.'
proach they found it to be no other than
the Reverend Parson!
Now the bull just at that moment hapA
pened to be paving and snaffling with his
nose close to the ground on the other sid@
of the tree, SO that he was hidden from
the party by thorn bush at its foot
The people seeing Ichabod perched oil
high in that strange manner were stsucl
with amazemant for a few moments Il
Was the man bewitched? or had he ruiz
mad ? or what possessed him to spend th
afternoon dangling like scarecrow o
the bough of an apple tree instead d
holding forth godly discourse in I'll
pulpit. For some moments no one daI
advance step further, or speak singH
word. At last Bill Mugs, the Ssxtol
plucked up courage and advanced to th
stone wall. file was an old sailor, WI
within few years had taken his lane
LcChS duUuIu anu S5ttg5O AilIiStli up
the bush: he took up the trade of a SCI.
ton because it consisted in pulling rops
And he was one of these smooth tongue
long yarn'd fellows, that are found
most ports; he was not backward
boasting of his former exploits, caimif
to have seen every strange thing. he ey
heard of, and made some out of who
cloth as he related them. On this o.
casion he undertook to be spokesman
the party, for the Deacon was absolut;
ly frightened. Bill put his head over Il
wall, clapped his hand up to the cornerf
his mouth and sung OUT