The Shreveport weekly news., 1861-05-06
Selected Expressly for the Ne'es
The Murder Hole.
An ANCIENT LEGEND.

In remote district of country be-
longing to Lord Cassillis. between
Ayrshire and Galloway, about three
hundred wears ago, moor OF appa-
rently boundless extent stretched
several miles along the road, and /
wenrried the eye of the traveller by
the saneness and dissolution of ITS
appearancc-not a tree varied the
prospect-not n shrub enlivened the
eve by its freshncss-nor a native
flower bloomcd to adorn this ungeniai
soil. Strange rum"rs arose, that
the path Of unwary travellers had
been beset on this "blasted heath
and that treachcry and murder ha"
Intercepted the solitary stranger as
il. trayers.d its dreary extent
When several persons, who were
known to have passed that way, mEs-
,eriouslv disappeared, the Inquiries
of their relatives led to Il strict and
anxious investigations; but though
the officers of justice were sent to
scour the country. and examine the
inhabitants, not trace could b" Oh
tanned OF the persons in question. nor
of any place Of concraimeni which
could b.. Il refuge for the inwiess and
-irr;,rrate 10 horde IN. ct, as IN
,.rrirv lecaine strictcr. and the DIS
nnoe,ranr. of individuals more fire.
uuellt, IL. simple inhahi;"nt, Of the
i.righborimg hamlet were :'Sl'at"d hN
I'll. ucst fearful nppr"h"n>l"As.:-
Some declared that ia" dra'h-hk'
s;illnc.;. ot tl,, ni.3.i was of'rn M
,..rup;ci by rlr snha"n !f" o,''''r-
nature! eric: ~ i.!"r.' tiinu mot ''H-
1.risi,. whict, s+,cinr.! - Irio" IN 'ue
distance: and ! shepherd one even
ing. who had lost his way on the
rnrnr. declared he had arpr"achcd
three m>ste:i"rs figures. who seemed
struggling against each other with
supernatural energy. TIL at length
one of them. with Il frigh;tui scream
suddenly sank into the earth.
Gradually the inhabitants deser
ted their dwellings on the heath, anf
settled in distant quarters, titl a
length but one of the cottages con
tinued to be inhabited by an old W"
man and her two cons. who l"udi,
la,ncnted that poverty chained then
to this solitary spot. Travellers "h
frequented this road now general,
did so in groups {" protect e;~
other: and if night overlook thHI
they usually stopped at the humbl
co,tar.. of the old woman and he
two sons, where cleanliness compcl
sated for the want VI luxury. an
where. over, a blazing Grs OF pea
the bolder spirits smiled at the imas
nary terrors of the road and In" MOI
tinid iremblei as they listened
the tales of terror. md alright wi'
which their hosts entertained thtl
One gloomy and ternpestuous mig
in November, a pedlar-boy hasii
traversed the moor Terrified I" III
himself involved in darkness am rd
ia bouudicss wastes, thotisal
frightful traditions connected ",
this dremry scesle. dartcd across
mind-every blast as it swept
hollow guests over the heath, seem
to teen with the ghosts OF depart
spiri.s-and the birds, as they vi
red their way above his bead,
pcared, with loud and shrili cries,
warn him of approaching dang
The whistle with which he nsua
beguilcd his weary pilgrimage dI
away into silence, and he groul
with trembling and uncertain ste
which sounded too loudly in his e;
The promises of Scripture occur
to his memory, and he revived
courage. Il will be unto thee a
rock in the desert, and as an hid
place in the storm" Surely, thou
he. though alone, am not iorsnk
And prayer for assistance hove
on his lips.
A light now glimmered in
distance which would lead hun
renjectured, to the cottage of the
woman; and towards that he ca
" bent his way. remembering a
h-stened along. that when be
,~itited it tho year before. it wa
company with a large body Of
.~ellan who had beguiled the e