The Shreveport weekly news., 1861-05-06
!Seireicd Expressly .for the Ne,es,
The Murder Hole.
AN ANCIENT LEGEND.

In a remote district of country be-
longing to Lord Cassillis, between
Ayrshire and Galloway, about three
hundred years ago, moor of appa-
rently boundless extent stretched
several miles along the road. and
wearried the eye Of the traveller by
the salneHess and DISSOLUTION of its
appearanct-not a tree varied the
prospec,-not a shrub enliven.d the
eve by its fresiincss-nor native
flower bloomed to adorn this ungenial
soil. Strange rumors arose, that
been besct on this ..hlasted heath, -
and that ircachcry and murder had
intercepted the solitary stranger as
he trayersed its dreary extent
When several persons, who were
known to have passed that way. mvs-
teriouslv disappeared, the inquiries
OF their relatives led to Il Stric; and
anxious investigation; bat though
the officers OF justice We're sent to
scollr the country, and examine the
inhabitants, not atrs,cc could be- OBJ
tanned OF the person, in question. nor
of any place OF concralm"nt which
could b., 4 refuge for TIE inwl,S' and
desperate TO horde in. Yet, as in
.Inirr became strictrr, and the dis
nppe1rauc. of individual. more fire.
uue,t, ti," simple inhabi;ant, "frhe
lrighborimg hamlet were a-itatcd by
tl. most fearful apprrh"u-irHs.-
Some d. clar.d that the d"atii-lili"
Stiffness OF t!i.. ui.ilt Wa often IN
fc-rnp:cs! Sv III. sudden .t.tt' of';'r~
natural erie. %, i!nrr cham mot an
cuisi,. which S.'oinr.! 1, .!r!sS in DE
distance; ana. = shepherd one even
ing, vi la had host his way on the
moor, declared lac had approached
three m, sr.:in';- Figures. who seemed
struggling against each other with
supernatural energy. Ill AT length
one of them. with u frigh,fnl scream,
suddenly sank into the earth.
Gradually the inhabitants deser-
ted their dwellings, on the heath. and
settled in distant quarters, till at
length but one of the cottages CON
tiuued to be inhabited by an old wn-
man and her two sons. who loudly
lamented that poverty chained them
to this solitary spot. Travellers who
frequented this road nov geurrally
did so in groups Ia protect each
other: and if night overlook them
they usually stopped al the humble
cottage of the old woman and her
two sons, where cleanliness comp-u-
stated for the want Of luxury, aud
where, over, Il blazing Grs of peat,
the bolder spirits smiled at the inagi-
nary tcrrors of the road and tie NOR.
tinid trembleh as they listened II
the tales of terror, mud alright witt,
which their hosts entertained them
One gloomy and te.npestuous ighl
iii November, pedlar-hov hastily
traversed the moor Terrified to find
himself involved in darknc amidst
its boundless wastes, a Thousand
frightful traditions connected with
this dreaiy scc1le. darted across ki.
miud-every blast as it swept ii
hollow guests over the heath, seemed
to TEEN with the ghosts Of departed
spiri:s-and the birds, as they win
ged their way shove his head, ap
pcared. with loud and shrill cries, t,
warn him Of approaching danger
The whistle with which he usual,
beguiled his weary pilgrimage dice
away into silence, and he groupe,
with trembling and uncertain steps
which sounded too loudly in his ears
The promises of Scripture occurre,
TO his memory, and he revived hi
Courage. Il will be unto thee Is
rock in the desert, and AZ an hidin,
place in the STORM" Surely, though
he, though alone, am not torsaken
&nd a prayer for assistance horere'
on his lips.
A light now glimmered in til
distance which would lead him, h
renjectnrsd. to the cottage of the oil
woman; and towards that he eager
" bent his way, remembering as h
FASTENED along. that when be ha
,~itited it the year before. it was j.
company with a large body of ira
~ellorr who had beguiled the even