The North-Carolinian., 1843-12-02

cTeditable excuse for your tumble from Brown
Robin.'
"George," said, ssyou love jest, but this
is poEe Will you ride with me Tomorrow
aid ut the same hour, and in the same di-
F. 81 :"
Fhat will l, most valiant Tom,'' laughed
fNe6sge; Sc and if this black man be civil, |
will ask him to supper
"George,'' said |, solemnly, tsyou will not
laugh ia this way a, this time Tomorrow"
This redoubled his midh: how ever, he pro-
missed to keep my adventure secret. We
agreed to dine together at the neighborInS
town, aud to pass across the moor in the same
direction, and at the same hour, as had done
the n ight previous.
Accordingly, twelve o'clock found Us turn
ing from the highway on to the path over the
common: before doing so, we looked search
insly in every direction, but saw signs OF
nothing living; yet we had not been upon
the moor one minute, hen, on again look
ing back, we perceived tall black figure
following u.s. 1y'ns on his shoulder a long
..There he is, George, w ih the indenticaI
hoo1!''
ssThere surely is some one, Tom! Now
let US give him some exercise; )" and we put
spurs to our horses.
Five anuutes at a hand gallop brought us
to the ebbe but the black man there
as soou, aud laying his baud on Chester's
rein, he said, -s'Yon ride hard, gentlemen
but hiuk am in time"
CIV ride apace, old boy; but you fly"
"Mr Chester, shall want your horse,'
said The man, as be commenced the work Of
hooking down the corpse.
George laughed scorululy. ''Shall [ walk
tilat you may ride!"
:sNay, then, ride also, ifyou will I" And
the man, as be said these words, SIove TO lift
the body (Which had fallen into his arns) on
the horse before George Chester.
George drew his pistol, and fred right in
the Stewards face My horse, frightened by
the report, fled across the common in fe"
moments, | had reigneG him in and returned
to he githet, beneath which | fonnd my
frienn extended, senseless the man, the body
and the horse, were gone!
Some time elapsed before George recover
ed his consc iou>:iess: when he did so, could
not induce him 10 proceed home: he would
vail and see the return Of the body, for we
doubted not it would return. We paced back
wards and forwards beneath the gibbet, for
some hours, and then seated ourselves on the
grass. and leaned against its foot, keeping
sharp look-ou To the right and the left We
remained in this position until the first sreak~
of dawn, when we were startled by low
neigh from my horse (whom l held by the
bridIe,l and q slis sat noise of chains behind
both rose at oHce-the corpse was swing
ing violently overhead, as IL ftom the impulse
OF sudden je,k. Georges horse, all reeI1-
Jog with sweat and foam, stood close be-
hind him :; but the black man nowhere to
be seen!
As we rode slowly home, we agreed to tell
no one of our enterprise, and to pursue i, on
the following evening.
In the course of the day we went secretly
to a priest in the town Of w., a priest of
the old faith, and we asked him for charm
to charm evil spirits from the corpse Of one
who died in sin, and holy water to preserve
the watchers from the assault of the fend
we obtained wha. we desired, and when even
ing fell, we proceeded to the gibbet on the
commons.
We first sp inkled ourselves, our horses,
and their furniture, pleniluliy with the holy
water; we performed the same operation on
the cotp>e and the glbbei, and in addition.
George climbed the latter, aud attached the
chain securely to the neck Of the fclon.
We then returned 10 the town, and again,
at the hou, OF twelve, entered on the moor,
and again, OH looking back, saw the black
man, and again he overlook lis, and again,
laying his hand on Georges rein, he said
.sGeutlemen, you ride hard bu, think am
in tisne-but hoy is this - for he found he
could not check the horse.
We drew up by the gibbet, and watched
his proceedings: his face was full of rage
be tried, Intellectually to lower The corpse. 1t
was ftghtful sigh, the black man pushed
and hooked with all his strength the whole
gibbet shouk h his efforts, but the corpse
was i'nmoveablc.
"Good nj eht, old boy' shouted Chester
" Ha ha! ha you have met your match
l think"
The black maj: turne ed 10 Chester; he shook
his cleuchcd fist at hn,, with slow, yet an
g,y motion, and muitered-s: We shall meet
again"
ss am glad to hear it, old fellow any ci-
Witty | can shew you, pray command. limo,
engaged, will you sup with Us tonight ?--or
VIII you borrow my roam hunter aud rIde with
us 10 Cover to morrow p
81 will borrow your roam hunter, but not
Tomorrow. Fear me not we shall meet
again. And he was gone.
''As George aud rode home, we agreed
to name oui adventure to no one, not even to
Our loves, aud to take notes Of the whole af-
fair.