New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1857-01-05
Ns6 Orltalrs lailp Crtsteat,
THE PHANTOM HORSE.

though the affair happened as long ago as 1856.
The Chateau Beauvoisin was situated about
league and quarter nearly four miles from Pari
q little apart from the St. German high-road.
that time the house was kept in excellent repair We
always nsed residence all the year round, savin
for month or two in the summer and autumn time
and its extensive gardens and grounds were laid gu
with unexceptionable taste and kept in irst-rat
order.
The Marchioness de Beauyoisin, though still young
handsome and rich, had been three years widow
and was much given to romantic habits solitary wan
behring's and musings about her estate, long evenin,
vigils at her boudoir window, and other simila
demonstrations. As it happened twas the Marchion
ess herself who beheld the apparitlon in the frs
instance.
twas beautiful evening in that pleasant time ftht
year when spring is fast merging into summer sweet
Light dews were falling the moon. and stars vert
shining, and the marchoness was al her window sur
veying with pensiye pleasure the long heavy masses
of ancient foliage that gave beauty and dignity to ei
domain, and now silVered over and etherealized by
moonlight and mist. Suddenly she was startled by
seeing something moving with prodigious velocity up
certain lane which skrted side ofthe grounds Of
the chateau, and conducted from the Paris highway
into the rural region. Away, and away, and away.
ell up the lane she could perceive large animal rush
ing with fearful speed and yet though she was Ger
tain her eyesght did not deceive her. she could not
hear the faintest sound. Raising her eyeglass She
saw beyond Question tlat the object of her alarm
was large 1iaek morse; mere was saddle on its
and dry and the night quite STILL not the slightest
sound orecho could she catch Of its hooffalls
Tie marchioness cried out in terror, and her maid,
ON coag to her side found her to be in state OF
violent nervous agitation. The handsome young
widow was indeed in an ecstacy of wonder and Of.
fright She despatched Antoine, the woodman, and
the rest Of her male servants, in all directions to
make inquiries as to what accident had happened to
account for the horse being running away sad
died and brided, but riderless. The people went
forth-north, south, east and west; but without re-
suit No one had heard Of any accident in any quar-.
ter, and no one had seen the horse without rider
1t was late in the evening, indeed and the country
people were mostly in their houses preparag for bed;
and as for PASSING Travellers very few travelled the
highways At ngat in those times, save in numerous
parties. In sine, every believed that the mar
chioness rust have fallen asleep at her window and
dreamed all this OF the horse without rider. The
marct0ness, however, had not been asleep, nor had
she been dreaming She crossed herself with a pious
shrug, and halt feared she had bee!d the Evil One
in the form Of black horse. For day or two the
marchionesss " dream was the joke of the men
and maids, both the indoor and outdoor menials of
her ladyshp but very soon her strange narration
ceived Confirmation strong" Antoine, the wood
man or keeper antoine himself, the most hilarious
of the skepcs was the next who beheld the appari-
ton. Only q few days later, he was coming down
the avenue or lane towards the chateau at late hour
in the evening when he behed the large black horse
approaching him at a terrific pace. It's long wild
name was tossing and flying in the air, and Antoine
fancied its eyes shone with supernatural fire. The
bride was over its neck and the saddle on its back
but no rider! And what was more strange, more
darkly suspicious than all the horse sped along the
hard road in mysteriousy silent manner its hoofs,
n fact not making more noise than those of goat.
surely, alter ALL the marchoness had not been dream
fools. 80 ~ - NssAeal's0 Aef nau peeh 'he
. The honest woodman was stricken with supersti. |
tlous terror at the phenomenon. Though almost |
frightened out of his wits he still looked after the w.
ing horse, expecting every minute to see the earth
open and the creature leap into its stables in Hades
amidst and smoke But the creature went straight
On up the avenue neither turning to the right nor the
left neither rising into the air nor descending into
The bowels OF the earth for Antoine looked after and
watched It as long as he could the waving of its
ample tail
Afterthis there nothing talked fat the chateau
'eanyosin but the phantom horse and while the ex.
tement was still reigning in the minds of the fair
nj stress OF that household and her several retaners
I'M ONE made special journey Of inquiry into the
nat f proceeding straight up the village at the end
# it, and calling upon all his acqlantances and gos
Ups mere But the whole affair was quite new to
hem they had never seen or heard ANYTHING about
his IN rise nor had any one heard of an accident
aEns pace, SUCH as would account for horse being
zen va tlout n rider As for the said horse running
without making any noise, all Antoines friends |
cratched their heads aman and thought that rather,
100 good not to be considered as Joke Antoine had
many wrestling argument with them on the subject
md as argument Is rather dry work many a Gun of
vine was drunk while the subject was being discussed
70 the latter circumstance must be ascribef the fact
mat Antoine did not set out upon his return until the
evening was somewhat advanced, notwithstanding |
that his route lay down the haunted avenue unless he
disposed to make crcnit of several miles. The
wine while it had tempted him to prolong his stay |
had also impaired to him some measure OF hazy eff
feryescent bravery. Hs broke away from his crones
with laugh and boast and to all their taunts and
Jokes about the haunted lane and the phantom horse
declared that he should be only too glad if he could
meet the Evil One himself for then perhaps his dark
majesty would be kind enough to explain to him the
mystery of the whole affair.
On Aptnina cat ont rnop b;s l,o,,a,rorl ,-oIl-
was growing dark, but the stars peeping forth
and it was the time of the new moon, and promised
to be an evening at least light enough for to walk
home in comfort The people all retiring within
their houses As he passed along the struggling vii
lage streets many jalousies were closed, and many
candles lighted. Notwithstanding the wine, Antoine
soon began to think that it was dreary thing to be
out late by ones self and to wish that the chateau
ing cold qualified more and more the dauntless mood
IN which he had set forth, he began to look forward
with considerable discomfort to that part of his jour
ney where he should have to strike into the avenue
wherein the equine apparition had been behed by
both himself and his mistress. With every step that
brought him nearer to the spot he grew more serious
lill he might be said to be in state not far from
downright trepidation.
:, Antoine crossed himself many times that night.
w hen ones nerves become excited it is astonishing
how much may be found to alright in the cammonest
sights and sounds. The swayng Of a branch in
the wind, the signing and murmuring of the air
siuiust tIe LEAVES, gam Il new slgnlhcanCe In twill
light hours, and when heard by ears prepared for
alarms
The honest Antoine was in such state by the time
he found himself at the top of the dreaded avenue
that he walked on muttering his prayers aloud and
shutting his eyes every instant for fear that the next
step might reveal something horrible straight before
him. dark, dismal looking house. surrounded on
three sides by ancient sombre treesone of the con.
tryseats of the Du Fonvert family but yery little
used as residence for many years past-stood by
the side of the road a little way down. Antoine
passed the gloomy mansion in particular dread and
was just beginning to breathe little more freely as
he cleared the deep shades OF its surrounding trees
when suddenly he saw before him something aiyan.
eng up the avenue with wild swinging action
winch he but to well remembered. 1t was the phan
tom horse. Antoine rushed aside and stood ouakinp
beneath the treeS. The creature came on, bounding
tearing, tossing eyes shining, name and tale flying
bride and stirrnps swinging rider on its back |
no noise from its hoofs. 1t was gone past and awav
in an instant. Sick with terror Antoine looked after
1t, expecting every moment to behold some terrific
denoue,nent; but what was his establishment when
he saw it stop right in front Of the old house of the
Count du Foinvcrt, and paw at the great wooden |
gate OF the porte coche1e uterng at the same time
short impatient neigh And what when almost
Immediately, he beheld one leaf of the gate opened
from Within as If in obedience to the summons of
the daboeal horse, which thereupon tossed its head
and walked in as proud and confident as lord enter.
ing his own castle. The devil has taken apartments
in the Chateau Foinyert!n exclaimed Antoine q No
wonder the family have not been able to live there all
these years past: this accounts for II This il Tho