Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1852-09-24
Vol xxxVTE.-WhoIe No. 1896.

the whole country rose up against him; and
finding himself too closely beset in his island
to hope for extrication, he was compelled
to surrender at discretion, and to implore
the mercy of Queen Elizabeth, then upon
one of her progresses on board the admirai's
ship at the More. The queen, it is said. not
dsnclined to show favor TO a man whose
personal valor. determined perseverance,
and fertility Of resource were interesting.
on account OF the air of romance which
characterized his adventures, offered to
grant his life upon terms in keeping with
the wild tenor Of his lawless career. The
conditions were that he should swim on
horseback three times round the flagship;
and should he escape the perils incidental
to such trial, his sentence of outawry
should be reversed and general pardon
extended to all his offences.
The Knight of Sheppy agreed to the
terms; armed at all points, he bestrode his
tavorlte companion, whose spirits he IN
vigorated by copious draughts of brandy
-plunging at once into the foaming tide,
the sieed and his master swan galIantly
round the destined ship. The second eX-
traOrdinary evolution was performed with
equal skill and bravery. At the third lit
tie more than the heads of the horse and
lis rider could be perceived bufeling with
the watery waves, which seemed at
every instant TO threaten their annihilalion ::
slraining each nerve and sinew to the ut
most, the gallant animal ceased not to strug-
gle with the interminabIe billoWs until the
painful task was completed, and his wea-
ried limbs rested on the shore.
The place OF landing was wild and desc
late; a lofty cliff overhung the narrow
beach, and concealed every human habita-
lion from view. NJ friend or relation hasten
ed TO meet the successful adventurer with
congratulations on his safety, and no sound
could be heard save The harsh croak of the
raven from his eyrie, answering the dull
murmur of the waves below but the mo-
ment that the exhausted charger gained d
firm footing on his parent earth. a withered
and decrepit hag, whose tangled eli-locks
and taltered weeds streaming in the wind
Ill concealed the hIdeouS deiormity of her
squalid form, started from recumbent at
utude, and raising the shrivelIed finger
with which she had traced unhalIowed
spells upon the sand, shrieked out an ill
omened prophecy.
Beware Of that horse = cried the beidam
with a triumphant laugh of malice; al
+, though he has now saved your life, he shall
be the cause Of your death.
Thou liest, fend of mischief = cried the
brutal and superstilious knight; thus fall
sify thy dark prediction and drawing his
sword, he plunged it into the body of the
of the faithful animal, which fell dead upon
the beach.
Several years of uninterrupted prosperity
passed away; but, atiength. being acciden-
tally led to the scene of his most extraordi-
nary adventure, pointed out to friend the
skeleton Of the slaughtered horse, which,
bleached by successive winters, still lay
extended on the sand; repeating the proph-
ecy Of the witch, he laughed derisiveIy
and, spurning the head with his foot, sep
arated 1t from the body by the stroke. He
did not perceive, that in The act small
sharp bone had penetrated his buskin; the
wound was sinconsiderable, and disregarded ::
but becoming more serious, il ended i'll a
modification, which speedily carried him
TO his grave.