The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1871-11-16
SOMETHING MARVELLOUS.
A Dead PedIer.

bany Standard, surpasscs anything yet
reported from there, and seems like a re.
turn to the days Of the Rochester knock
ings: From letter from friend at the
little town OF Huron, on the Ohio and
Mississppl Railroad, we learn the particu
lars OF some very slaug hter spiritual mani
festations. Our correspondent states that
hiteen or twenty years ago, pedler was
10 the habit of passing through that coun
try. selling notions, who drove a two
horse team. That one night about niue
O'Clock be passed the house of Mr.. Ru-
beck, who lives some miles east of Har-
risonville. Oh the Bryantsville road, going
toward the former place This was the
last that was ever seen or heard Of him.
The fact of his being missed and failing
to make his regular visits created some
talk in that neigborhood at the time, but
/ 1t soon died away, and the pedler was
forgotten. 500
On this road, about one or two miles
and half from Harrisonville. is very
rough hill, up which the road runs and
on the top, on the southwest side of the
road, is an open field, long since aban-
doned. Near this field aud right by the
side of the road, stands an old dead tree
Some three weeks ago, Mr.. Rubeck was
passing along this road on his way home
from Harrisonvile, at about eleven o'clock
at night. The night was quite dark, and
it was with considerable difficulty that he
could keep in the road, or prevent his
horse from stumbling over the stones that
obstructed the highway.
He finally, however, reached the top
Of the hill, and when about twenty roG,,
from the tree he heard noise over iA
the old waste field above described, which
he took to be two dogs enga 5ed in des-
perate fight, Their growing, barking,
swapping and scratching was fearful. 1t
was apparently the most sanguine dog
fight lie had ever heard. At the moment
i; created little or 10 surprise. He only
wondered that two dogs should be at that
time Of night so distant from any human
Habitation (tor there is DO farm house
within a mile of this feld) engaged in
such a desperate encounter. On second
/ thought, however, he concluded that they
had been on sheep hunting expedition,
and having accidently met they got into
/ the fight.
He had not long to consider upon this,
/ however, for soon the clauking Of chains
attracted his attention in another drec
! ton. and looking toward the tree, to his
astonishment he behed large broken
links Of what seemed to be boat chain,
red hot, falling around the tree, Sizing
and scOrching There seemed to be at
least twenty of these links falling at the
same time, and continued to fall about a
minute, when Mr. Rubeck was startled
almost out Of his wits by heavy groan,
which seemed to come from the earth be-
meath him Strange it may appear, up to
/ this time the horse had not manifested
! the least uneasiuess, and Mr.. Rubeck,
himself had not imagined anything con
/ nected with what he had seen or heard
| but what could be accounted for upon
rational theory. The falling Of red hot
chains, he admits, he thought little ex-
/ traordinary, but had concluded within
/ his own mind to revisit the spot the next
morning aud gather them up, believing,
as he did, that they were meteors that
lad fallen from the sky in that peculiar
shape. At the groan his horse reared
and curvetted, plunged forward and start
! ed to run.
Now came the most trying time to Mr.
! Rubeck 5 nerves, for just in front OF him
he heard the plunging, rattling noise of a
runaway team coming toward him, and
noise man;ies'ing every indication that
their course would be directly over him
/ He tried to rein his horse out of the
course it was taking, but his efforts were
to no purpose. On, on come the fright
ened team on, on toward it plunged the
ungovernable horse. Twas moment
of terrible suspense. All the deeds of an
honest life came crowding upon his mind.
He offered one short prayer for safety,
and gave himself up for lost, when, more
astonished than ever, the noises as sud
denly ceased as they had commenced
His horse still fretted and tried to run,
but Mr.. Rubock held him steadily in the
road.
At this moment. Mr.. Rubeck heard a
voice calling for help, and then the cry
of murder fell upon his ear and as he
was getting out of the way he was more
than ever startled by the exclamation,
the voice apparently coming directly from
the old field "For Gods sake! jim,
don't murder me !"
Having by this time passed the old
field, he made bis way home without see
ing or hearing anything further, but in a
state of mind better imagined than de-
scribed. He spent very restless night,
and the next morning rode over the coun
try, telling the experience of the night
before, and requesting the aid of neigh
bors to assist him in solving the mystery.
He gathered some eight or ten, who at
tended him the following night, when
the same scenes were repeated.
The dogs barked, the red hot chains
| 4 IL L, ,.l,o, IL.