The native Virginian. [volume] (Orange Court House, Va.) 1867-187?, 1868-03-13
selettea Tale.
THE GHOST RODDER.

4 Ona fine evening in the Spring of Is
80 a stranger, mounted on a noble look
ing horse, passed slowly over the snow
white limestone road leading through
the Black Forest.
ust as the Sun was going to rest for
the day when the gloomy shadows were
beginning to stalk, he drew rein, as he
said: 1o aas4Iif5 l.
This must be near the spot, surely
III stop here anyhow, for awhile, and
see what can learn sita.
lie, thereupon dismounted and en-
tered the parlor of the inn, where he sat
down beside small table. qpr
'How can | serve you, Meinheer 2
said the landlord. 60
See to my horse, outside replied the
guest carelessly, but at the same time
eyeing the landlord from head to foot;
sand let me have some wine-Rhine will
do
The landlord was turning to withdraw
from the strangers presence, when he
stopped and said fi 3
(Which way, Meinheer do you tray
ELF? Aafit - ftasf - 'A
10 Nanstaet,' replied the guest. y
you will rest here tonight, sup
pose,' continued the landlord. rrFq
Il will stay here for two or three
hours but / must then be off, so as to
reach my destination there in the morn
ing. I am going to purchase lumber
for the market. BOD u
sAnd you have considerable money
with you, no doubt p asked the landlord
innocently. b s Nss EV0g
sYcs, considerable, replied the guest
slipping at his wine disinterestedly.
'Then you will take my advice said
the landlord, you will stay here till
morning. go 81 ~. ..a...,.s5
'Why?' replied the stranger looking
up curiously. r09g aa agfgF
Because? p whispered the landlord
looking around as ii he were disclosing
a great secret, and was afraid of being
heard by somebody else, every man
that passes over = the road, between
this and Nanstadt for the last ten years
has been robbed or murdered under
very singular circumstances.
sWhat were the circumstances? asked
the stranger, putting down his glass
empty, and preparing to fill it again
'Why, you see, the landlord went on,
while he approached his guests table
and took a seat, VI have spoken with
several who have been robbed; all
could learn fromthem is that they re-
member meeting, in the lonesome part
of the woods something that looked
white and ghastly and that frightened
their horses so that they eithera ran
away or threw their riders; they felt a
choking sensation and smothering,
and finally died, as they thought but
awoke in an hour or SO to find them
selves lying by the roadside robbed of
everything y
'Indeed,' calculated the stranger,
looking abstractly at the rafters in the
ceiling, as though he was more intent
upon counting them than he wasinter-
ested in the landlord story. w 8
The inn-keeper looked at him in as
constituent. Such perfect coolness he
had not witnessed for long time,
You will remain then?' suggested
the landlord, after waiting some time
for his guest to speak.
~ cried the stranger, starting from
his fit of abstraction as though lie was
not sure that he was the person adj
dressed. '0h, most certainly not. I'm
going straight ahead, ghost or no ghost
Tonight.
Half an hour later the stranger and a
guide, called Wilhelm, were out the
road, going at q pretty round pace to-
ward Nanstadt, g.... .a,-- ,
During flash of lightning the stran-
ger observed that his guide looked very
uneasy about something, and was slack
ening his horses pace, as though he in
tended to drop behind.
lead on cried the stranger, don't
be afraid ifa.
I'm afraid l cannot replied the per-
son addressed, continuing to hold his
horse until he was now at least a length