The native Virginian. [volume] (Orange Court House, Va.) 1867-187?, 1868-11-06
THE DEVIL IN BRACKEN COUNTY, KEN
TUCKY!
BRooLsv1LLE, KY, Oct. 10. 1868.

BK0OLSYILLE, hY., Oct. III. 1865.
A wonderful phenomenon has recent
" made its appearance on Willow creek,
in Bracken county. about two miles
from Brooksville, and has been seen by
quite n number of the worthy citizens
of our county. Our people have been
i'm constanC state of excitement since
it first made its appearance.
On the 10Th instant, as one of our cit
izcns. a prominent tobacco merchant re-
siding in Brooksville, was returning
home from the southern portion of the
county, where he had been buying some
crops of tobacco. and, being belated,
was riding along the road. when sudden
ly he beheld a frightful object i'll the
road, Immediately in front of him. l
will give yOn the description of it as |
heard it from his lips:
The object was about six feet vim
height, and walked upright. The face
was at times that of man, very pale,
with curls OF flames falling over his
shoulders; eyes of sulphurous blue,
changing constantly in size, one mo-
ment large as tin cup, and then grad
ually decreasing in size until IL was al
most invisible. Its arms were those of
a man, and hands deadly pale. In one
hand it held a torch, and in the other
sword that seemed to be about four feet
III length. Its lower extremity was
that of a horse, with legs well propur-
toned, and hoofs as those of a horse -
Its tail, which was about three feet in
length, was flame. It's breath was a
solid sheet of fire, which vibrated with
the heavlngs of its breast like the pen
dulum of q clock. 1t was certainly the
most frightful object ever beheld. 1t
walked off to the side of the road and
vanished. When 1t disappeared i'm
mediately put spurs to my horse and
galloped by the spot where had seen
it. When l arrived at the summit OF
the hill, about two hundred yards off.
looked back and saw the object in the
spot where I first beheid it. | stopped
my horse and watched it for moment;
it walked over TO the lett side of the
road. and. mounting rail fence that
stood there. commenced running toward
me. did not stay to see the remainder
of the drama.
He Immediately rode to town, and,
having told the adventure to some of the
citizens, they Immediately formed par
ty and started out to see the strange
visitant. Lawyers, doctors, preachers
and traGesmen, armed with guns and
pIStOlS. tIldue IlelT way eH WuSSc W inc
scene of this strange adventure. When
they arrived at the spot, some of the be-
held the spectre and others could not
see it. twas, when they saw it, on the
fence, and, running rapidly along up
aud down, il passed the crowd for the
distance of quarter of mile. AS it
passed the crowd several times fired at
1t, but with no effect.
About eleven o'clock it vanished. and
was seen no more that night. Since
then it has been seen every night at the
same place. Hundreds OF visitors have
been on hand every night, and the ex-
element is at a very high state now and
is increasing. The cause of this is be-
yond human conjecture. 1t has been
only about year ago since it was seen
in this country before. The county is
astir, and the people are eager to get
rid of their unwelcome visitant. This
is the whole narrative.
win not some philosopher explain the
cause of this wonder?--C Cincinnati En-
Quirer. Yours truly,
JOSEPH PEYTON.
Lucius Langdon, Jonathan c.. Soule,
and James 5. Wolfe unite in a certifi-
cate before justice of tie peace, that
the above statement is true.