The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1847-02-13

were forthwith at our disposal, and we
were soon, to our hearts content en-
gagged in every character oi exciting
chase. sal .eata y 4af -Gs.ae.
One, day we had all turned out for a
deer-drive. This hunt. in which dogs
are used for driving the game out of the
timber, scatters the hunters very much;
they are stationed at the different
Islands," which are sometimes miles
apart, TO watch for the deer passing out;
for this reason the party seldom gets
together again until night. We divid-
ed IN the morning, and skirted up oppo-
site sides of wide belt of bottom tim
ber, while the ''drivers'' and dogs pen
etrated it, to rouse the deer, which ran
out On either side by the stands, which
were known to the hunters, We were
unusually successful, and returned to
late dinner at our hosts, the planters
house. By dusk all had come in, ex-
oept my friend, whose name was Henry,
and man named Stoner, one of the
neighbors, who had joined our hunt.
Dinner was ready, and we sat down to
1t, supposing they would be in, in few
moments. The meal was nearly over,
when Henry, who was a gay, voluble
fellow, came bustlng into the room. and
with slightly furried manner, address
sed our host:-"Squire, this is strange
country Of yours! DO you let crazy
people range it with guns in their
hands" -,.a s..I .gvf. ...-
"Not when we know it. Why?
What about crazy people? You look
excited"
swell, think I've had enough to
make mo feel little curious"
"What is it? What is it?" exclaimed
everybod y, eagerly,
"W hy, have met with either the
Old Harry himself--a ghost--or mad
man;--and which it is, | am confound-
edly puzzled to tell!'
"Where? How2"
He threw himself into chair, wip-
ed the perspiration from his furehead,
and continued :-"You know, Stoner
and myself, when we parted from you
all this morning, took up the right-hand
side of the bottom timber. Well, Sto-
ner accompanied me to my "stand,"
where we parted; he to 60 on to his;
and have seen nothing OF him since.
Soon after be left me, deer passed out;
| shot it--wounded it---and jumped on
my horse to pursue 1t. The deer had
staggered at my fire, but was not so
badly wounded as supposed, and led
me of. until it suddenly occurred to
me that might get lost, and | reined
up; but | soon found that this sober sec
ond-thought had come too late, and
that was already out of my latitude.
wandered about nearl y all day, though
taking care not to 60 very far in any
one direction, before ! came across
anything which promised to set me
right again. at last came upona wag-
on trail, and felt relieved. for knew it
must take me to some point where |
could get information. The trail was
narrow, leading through scrubby thick
cts; and | was riding along slowly, look
ing down, in the hope of detecting the
tracks of some of your horses, when
the violent shying OF my horse caused
me toraise my eyes. And, by George!
it was enough to have "stampeded" a
regiment OF horse! On the left of the
trail stood very tall skeleton-like fig
ure, dressed in skins; one loot advanc.
ed, as If he had stopped in the act of
stepping across it, and long heavy
gun, just swinging down to the level,
bearing on me. Of course, my heart
leaped into my throat, and my flesh
shrank and crept. Before could
think of raising my gun, my eyes met
those fthis strange figure; and such
eyes! Surprise at their cold, unnatu-
raj expression, suspended my action;
burning with chill singular briliancy
in deep-sunken sockets, they looked as
if they never had winked. Dwelling
steadily upon my face for moment,
they seemed to be satisfied, and the
gun was slowly thrown back upon his
shoulders; and plucking at long girls
y beard, with an impatient gesture Of
his bony hands, the figure made stride
across the trail, and without speaking
a word plunged into the thicket. was
SO 'confounded by this curious dumb
show, that he was nearly concealed in
the brush before found my tongue to
shout to him to stop; but he kept on,
not'even turning his head. ! was pro.
voked, and spurred my horse in af:er
him, as tar as | could penetrate, butt he
kept on, and lost sight of him in
moment, and whether he can talk at all
or not, is more than | can tell" .,y"
you look at his feet, Henrya'
interr1nted one of tho nsrfy sst nv