Madison Whig advocate. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1839-1841, 1839-11-09
say, of Bully Hen in bye-lane or an !

distance from home, they were AZ sure
to give him leg bail for II. az THOUGH he
we're Wild cat or stray panther: and
well might they, for once in his clutches.
It were fortunate If they escaped with
out visible marks Of his flageIIaiing skill.
or perhaps ducking, almost to death.
in mll-pond: and as to the old ones
seeking redress from him, what was to
be the consequence ?-why. scarce q dav
or two would pass off, but the cider-nress
would be found unfit for use, the plough
and harrow broken, not an egg in all the
numerous nests OF the setting fowls. and
So forth
Now this same mischiepons chen had
taken an unaccountable Xix ny. Il ap
pcared, TO myself-whe b i was n
listened attentively TO his long $50. los
about the ..walking man Of the woods.''
who. he averred, was never seen but at
moonlight, or in the day time during a
thunder gust, and that his uncle. Deade-
rick Hut, had more than once encoun-
tered this strange man at late hour of
the night. who glided by him through
the bushes. followed by an animal, the
like of which was never heard of. whose
head was a sharp-polnted spear. and
from whose sides and back sparks of
blue fire were constantly issuing--s,r
whether II was that praised his ssxf..ri-
ty IN moaning The iofsiest trees and
backing the widest colts. or III -l,iirss.
Farmer Thresher's vicious red COW.
know not--but so it was. he would make
me his boon companion through many a
ramble along the borders Of the Wissa-
hlccon. even to where Robeson's Falls
present 10 the eye Of the adniring pas
senger along the Ridge Road one sheet
OF liquid silver, from shore TO shore of
that romantic stream, which. passing
over this last of it's many miiI-dams,
gurgles over bed of rocks to the ada
cent SchuylskiIl
frequently remarked, however, that
there was one spot on he banks Of this
stream that Hea uniformly avoided In
all our ramb.es to and fro, | observed
hal Whenever we approached certain
small bat much dilapidated bridge, h.
would rike OF Immediately n direc-
ton fron he water. and, by circuit
oua aaih Of foli half mile. extend his
walk, tomy great wonder sometimes, no
matter whai urgent errand be might have
been sent on by his employer, or what
might have been his own inclination for
haste in arriving al his place Of destina
tIon nor would ne ever reveal to me his
reason for this singular maneuvre, SO
regularly repeated, until one day, very
tired with clambering over rocks and
precipices, begged he would not 90 the
round ray home, but keep straight on
wards by the margin of the stream.
He looked at me for a moment in fear
full astonishment:-sWhy, for sartain,' =
said he, ssvou don't want TO 90 by the
m 4 mole Y77 / inquired.
'sCotne along, boy the Pike Hole.
Don't you know the Pike-Hole'n
.Notn
sWhy then you don't know nothing
Come on-I'll tell you when we get
round this path"
Taking me by the hand, he quickened
his pace as he spoke. and not many min
utes brought US again in sight of the
stream. and not very far from our homes.
s.And you don't know nothing about
the Pike Hole said he: ..Goshi if you'd
ever 90 that ere way. lyou'il never want
no more apple-butter this side o Christ
mas, know. That's where old Satan
kept his fish along ago-and tarnation
sight % pike he had there, can tell YOU
Dom you know the white house t'other
side OF the creek. Just over the bridge 2
well" he continued, lowering his tone
almost to a whisper, ''that's where he
ed 10 stan and carry his fish there o.
rights bar noboiv neves could tell what
n. did ha 20 tos % fire pcr light wa
ever seen Their. p once. when M
Gle Deaderick spied. IN window up
stairs. two large fiery bslls thai he wsss
sure was old Satan's eyes. looking FIJI
at him, as he put one foot on that ere old
bridge, to cross over. one moonlight
night, after stray heiler.-But. gosh,
| guess t'other foot did not go after II
though. for something knocked him fiat
through the old bridge into the creek,
and glad was he to get out alive. and
make the best way honee.n
sand does he stay there still, Henri
Inquired. in the same suppressed tone of
voice.
..Stay there still, boy ?-Umph. GO
that ere away and you'll soon see,
warrani-bnt they do saw he's YET
been seen for long while. az b.
there's no more pike Their -ns
Iola blacksmith al the falls, went a fisH-
ing drunk. aud threw his hook in thai
Ierc nole--and. gosh! something laid
hold Of his hook, and jerked line, and
rod. ami psot GiFley. down to the bottom
I-if It has any bottom. that is"
s.Bus. Hen. maybe he fell I'M
sFell in your granny-l tell you. boy.
he was ierkeda in. don't il--ani M hing
bus his hat has ever been seen OF him
since. and that smells birthstone to this
day..
b. this time we had reached the mill,
Hens place 81 employ n1ent and abode
and. rnnlina'iug on my uncouth compan-
,e,,'s strange stories about the Plke-fiole,
seen onnd myself beneath the shelter
1cf parents projecting root.
parent. Mat q train Of reflections
does tina word bring forth! " o that
~. .,xs.. =. -, 4, r, she'd n The maternal