Plymouth banner. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1852-1855, 1854-03-30

A conversation sprungup of which the
pile. of course. was anecdotes Of hunt
ing and Indian fighting, and queer dreams,
which had been ominous. ossSS lied lit
orally. Each OF the pair ofVd hunters,
who were known respectively as wild
cat Ben" and Buffalo Dave" so called
for certain wild exploits with the wild
animals whose names they bore. had told
a tale of powerfully strange doings,'
when Carroll, who had won The honorary
titl- of Devil Dick, at which he revol-
ted, bu: to which he ubmit;ed-caused
a general movement of interest by saying
abruptly, i had a h of a dream last
night. and want all your interpretations
Of IT, for it has bothered me all day
What was il like? inquired all at once.
Like said he. like dream. but plain
as fact and he told the story of what
happened while on guard. avoiding men
tion of having received blow.
BY the living said Wild cat Ben. in
husky voice. when he story was done.
'it was the White HGg Of the Woods l
saw her once myself, and believe she is
the devil. lis bad sign as sure as we
are alive
But do you mean 20 say that ;here is
in these woods such monster as dream
ed saw, called the White Hagg
Why to be sure. Hav'ni you heard Of
the cussed creatur befors?'
No. thank God!' was the earnest res
ponse.
Well you'll hear of her enough IL we
get up another war spell with the red var
mnts; she's human devil. il she's hu-
man at ALL
Has she ever been known to strike. to
kill any body?'
No
We'll, look here boys do you sec ilatr
and plucking off his cap, Carroll pointed
to the wound on his head. If am not
asleep. or crazy. or dead. she struck me
there las. night With a stick blazing from
The fire.
The hunters gathered around and look
ed at the wound. and it Yves plain that
the blow had been severe one. dealt with
fiery club too. for the hair about The
men were for moment dumb with hor-
ror, and regarded each other with stare
that meant more than was ever told in
wc.ds.
The silence was broken by q shri!i
screech of laughter, more demoniac and
wfut al that moment, than the howl or
scream OF any wild beast that inhabited
4 ~
late. lingering yelp: q panther's internal
shrek. or an owls dole ful boot, it would
have been bearabe, because in some de-
gree to be expected, but that laugh. that
mad. chattering, human yell-the men CT,
the fores. no had never quailed at the
whistling of the rife ball. or the war hoop
of the Indian, or at the fangs Of infuria
ted monsters of the wild. covered. and
shivered in every nerve with uncontrola- /!
bic fear.
The laugh was echoed dismally through
the black woods, and presently low jeer-
ing chuckle was heard. as ii The being that
had laughed was enjoying itself at the
expense Of those on whom it had inflicted
such grizzly horror. Before his com
panions knew what he was about, Carroll, |
as if out of his senses with terror. or urg-
ed by sheer desperation. ran headlong In
the direction of the sound. The crash of
quick desperate footsteps among :he .
leaves, was heard for some minutes, grow
ing fainter constantly as they receded, /
and then all was still. The hunters look
ed upon each other stupidity for an in
slant, and then without exchanging a
word, ciutched their rifles. gathered up
their blankets. and retiring beyond the fire
shine. paused and held whispered con-
versation.