The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1866-03-16
Volume l2-Number A

OF yours. Do you let crazy people
range it with guns in their hands?'
Not when we know it. Why? what
about crazy peoplep You look much
excited
"Well, / think I've had enough to
make me feel little curious"
"What is it2 What is it? exclaimed
everybody eagerly"
"WhY, / have met with either the
old Harry himself--a ghost--a mad
man--and which it is / am confound
edly puzzled to tell"
"Wherep Howr'
lie Then threw himself into a chair,
and wiping the perspiration from his
forehead, continued:
"You know Stoner and myself.
when we parted from you all this
morning, took mp the right hand side
OF the bottom timber. Well, Stouer
accompanied me 10 my stand when
we parted--hc to go on to his, and |
have seen nothing Of him since. Soon
after he LETT me n deer passed out
shot at--wounded lt--jumped on
my little horse to pursue it. The
fdeer was staggered at my fire, but
was not so badly wounded as sup
posed, and led me off, until it sudden
~ occurred to me that / might get
lost, and l reined up, but | soon
found that this sober second thought
had come too late, and that / was al
ready out of my latitude. | wander
ed about nearly all day, though Ia.
KING care not to go very far in any
direction, before came across any.
firing which promised to set me right
again. i at last came on to wagon
trail, and felt relieved, for knew it
must take me to some point where
could get information. The trail was
narrow, leading through scrubby
thickets, and l was riding along slow.
", looking down, in hopes of detecs
ing The tracks of some OF your hors-
es, when the violent shying of my
horse caused me TO raise my eyes
And, by George, it was enough to
have "stampeded' a regiment of
horses. On the left of the Il all stood
tall, skeleton like figure, dressed in
skins; one foot advanced as il he had
stopped in the act OF stepping across
1t, and long, heavy gun, just swing
ing down to the level, bearingNon me.
or course, my heart leaped into my
throat, and my flesh shrank and crept.
Before l could think of raising my
-
strange figure; and such eyes. Sur
prised nj their cold, unnatural OK
pression suspended my action, burn
ing with chill, singular brilliancy,
in deep sunken sockets, they looked
as If they never had winked. Dwell.
ling steadily upon my face for a mo-
ment, they seemed to be satisfied, and
the gun was slowly thrown back upon
lbi6 sAAze9aSz1assd .piucking u long
I'D, with an impatient gcs.
Sufe OF MS bohy hand, the figure
made stride across the trail, and
without speaking 81 word, plunged
INTO the thicket. / was so confound-
ed by this curious dumb show that
he was nearly concealed in the brush
before | found my tongue to shout to
him to stop; but he kept, on not even
turning his head. ] was provoked, !
and spurred my horse in ffter him,
as far as | could penetrate, but he
kept on, and | lost sight of him in Il
moment, and whether he could talk
at all or not, is more than ] can tell"
"Did you look at his feet, Henry?"
interrupted one of the party, ~ ex
pect it was old
"Never mind what tou expect.
hear me out" he continued. II fol.
lowed the trail, which wound about,
It seemed to me, INTO apraire, which
! thought ! recognized. / stopped
and was looking around to make out
the land marks, when horse with a
saddle ON, burst from The woods be-
hind me, and tore or across the prai
lie as If he, too, had seen the devil"
"What color was LcY" exclaimed
lalf dozen voices.
Gle was too far OF for me TO dis
inguish more than that be was a dark
lorse--say about as much SO as mine. :
could distinguish the pommel OF /
he saddle and the stirrups dying.
"Stoner's horse was dark BAY" .
vas whispered around the table in
ow tones, every one looking serious.
y in his ncighbor's face.
"fes," said the Squire, rising and
topping uneasily to the window
'Stoner's horse was a good deal like '
ours He must have got away from !
lin, and that is what detains him |
'ut then, the nag was a very kind {
reaturc, and was well trained. i is
Wonder that it should behave So I
"Don't believe bay would have t
lone it, Squire" said one of the men. +
Something has gone wrong. Was /
he bride down, Mr. Henry?' Il
ut was too far or for me 10 tell
followed in the direction the horse ;
ook, and soon found myself here, and 1
expected to find it here, too
"No. Stoner's beyond here;' said {
he Squire. THAT wagon trail you
we're turning and twisting about in is
road | had opened to number OF {
BOARD trees we cut aud rived out |
here; you might have followed it for
hours and not been more than a mile '
u so from the place you started from. {
That ghost of yours, by the way, may 1
,e some crazy fellow who has wan =
lered into these parts with mischief Z
n him. Did you hear no gun"
81 thought / dld--about an hour s