Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1851-02-11


people range it with guns In thei
hands?' H
Not when we know it. Why
What about crazy people? You lool
excited
/ GWell, / think I've had enough tc
make me feel a little curious
what is it? What is it?' exclaimed
eve rybody, eagerly.
Why, | have met with either the
old Harry himself ghost-or a
madman; and which it is, I am con-
foun undedlyIpuzzled to tell
where? How?'
He threw himself into achair, wiped
the perspiration from his forehead,
and continued know, ,Stoner
and myself, when we parted from you
all this morning, took up the right
han d side of the bottom timber
Well, Stoner, accompanied me to my
sta nd where we parted; he to go on
to his; and / have seen nothing Of
him since. Soon after he left me,
a deer passed out-I shot it-Wound-
ed it-and jumped on my horse to
pursue it. The deer had staggered
at my fire, but was not so badly
wounded as ] supposed, and led me
off, until it suddenly occurred to me
that I might get lost, and | reined
up; but ! soon found that this sober
sec9nd-thought had come too late,
and that I was already out Of my
latitude. I wandered about nearly
all day, though taking ca re not to go
very Ear in any one dire ction, before
| came across anything which prom
ised to set me right again. I at last
came upon a wagon trail, and felt re-
ieved, for knew it must take me to
some point where / could get inform
alton. The trail was narrow, leading
through scrubby thickets; and l was
riding alo ong slowly, looking down, in
the hope of detecting the tracks of
some of your horse +, wh en- the vio-
lent shyihg Of my horse caused me
to raise my eyes. And, by George!
it was enough to have 'stampeded'
regiment Iof horse! On the left Of /,
The trail stood 1 very tall skeleton
ike figure, dressed in skins; one
DOT advanced, as if he had stopped
u the act of stepping across it, and
| long heavy gun, just swinging
lown to e,leyel, bearing on me-
)f course my heart leaped into my !
hroat, and my flesh shrank and
'rept. Before could think of rails
ne my gun, my eyes met those of
his Strange figure; and such eyes!
Surprise at their cold, unnatural ex-
,ression, suspended my action; burn
ne with d chill singular brilliancy,
n deep-sunken sockets, t hey looked
S if they never had winked. Dwell
ng steadily upon my face for a mo-
nent, they seemed to be satisfied,
nd the gun was slowly thrown back
Ipon his shoulder; and plucking at
long grisly beard, with an impa-
lent gesture of his bony hands, the
igure made a stride across the trail,
nd withou ut speaking word plunged
nto the thicket. / was SO confound-
d by this curious dumb-show, that
e was nearly concealed in the brush
efore / found my tongue to shout
0 him to stop; but he kept on, not
ven turning his head. | was pro- !
oked, and spurred my horse in after J
i'm, rs far as I'could penetrate, but {
e kept on, and / lost sight Of himV ]
4 NOM ent, and whether he can n
ak at all or not, is more than | can
elr
Did you look at his feet, Henry?' {
Interrupted one of the party. 4 ex- !
ect it was Old {
Never mind what you expect |
ear me out, he continued. I fol- II
wed the trail, which wound about, II
seemed d to me, towards all the points II
the oompass, for an hour or more; z
hen at last it led meout into a prai-
e, which | thought I j recognized. 1
stopped and was looking around to q
lake out the landmarks, when a t
orse with a saddle on burst from the t
1oods behind me, and tore offracross f
ne prairie, as if he toy had seen the S
evil 4 ]
what color was he?' exclaimed !
voices in breath. L
'He was too far off for me to dis
nguish more than that be was a
ark hOrsn--Say about rs much So "a I