The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1872-10-30

hension subsidized. lie even yentured
when no eve was fixed upon him, L
taste the beverage, which be foun'
had much the favor Of excellen
Hollands. He was naturally |
thirsty soul, and was soon tempted Il
repeat the draught One taste pro
voked another, and be reiterated BIZ
visits to the hagon so often that a
length his senses were overpowered
his eyes swan in his head, and hi
head gradually declined, and he fel
into a deep sleep.
On waking. be found hiEselfon th'
green knoll whence he had first seer
the old man Of the glen. He rubbed
his eyes-it was a bright sunny morn
ing. The birds were hopping anC
twittering in the branches. and the
eagle was breasting the pure noun
tain breeze Surely" thought Rip
Il have not slept here all night" He
recalled the occurrences before he Eel
asleep. The strange man with the
keg Of liguor-the mountain rayine-
the wild retreat among the rocks-the
wObegone party at nine-pins-the
+ fagon-"Oh that fagon, that wick
ed fagon - thought Rip-'-what ex-
cuse shall | make 70 Dame Van Win
kIe ?n
He looked for his gan, but in place
Of the clean, well-0iled fowling-pieee,
be found an old 6Feloek living beside
him, the barrel incrusted with rust
the lock falling of and the stock
worm-eaten He now suspected that
the grave rovsters Of the mountain
had put trick upon him. and having
dosed him with liquor, robbed him OF
his gun. Wolf, too, disappeared, bat
be might have strayed away after a
squirrel or partridge. He whistled
after him, and shouted lis name. but
all in vain the echoes repeated his
whistle and shout. but no dog was TO
be seen.
He determined to revisit the scene
Of the last evenings gambol, and if
be met with any Of the party. to de-
mand his dog and gun. As be rose
TO walk he found himself stiff in the
joints and wanting in his usual activ-
itv. These mountain beds DO not
agree with me, thought Rip, and if
this frolic should lay me up with a fit
Of the rheumatism, | shall have q
blessed time with Dame Van Winkle.
With some difficulty he got down into
the glen he found the gully Up which
be aud his companion had ascended
the previous evening; but 10 his as
tonishment e mountain stream was
now foaming down it, leaping from
rock 10 rock, and filing the glen
with babbling mgrmurs- He. howe
yer, made shift 10 scramble up its
sides, working his toilsome way
though thickets Of birch, sassafras,
and witeh-hazel. and sometimes Trip
ped or entangled by the wild grape
vines that twisted their coils or ten
drills from tree TO tree. and spread q
kind Of network in his path.
At length be reached TO where the
ravine had opened through the cliffs
10 the amphi1heatre but no traces Of
such an opening remained The
rocks presented high impenetrable
wall, over which the torrent came
tumbling in a sheet Of featberv foam.
and fell into q broad, deep basin.
black from the shadows Of the sur
rounding forest. Here. then. poor
Rip was brought to Z stand He
again called and whistled 10 his dog /;
be was only answered by the cawing
Of flock Of idle crows sporting high
in the air about & dry tree that over
hung sunny prceipice and who,
secure in their elevation. seemed to
look down and scof st the poor mans
perplexities. What was 10 be done
the morning was passing away, and
Rip felt famished for want Of his
breakfast. He grieved 10 give up
his dog and gun be dreaded TO meet
his wife but It would not DO to starve
among the mountains. He shook his
head, sbouldered his rusty frelock.
and with heart fall Of trouble and
anxiety, turned his steps home-ward.
As be approached the village be
met number Of people, but none Of
whom be knew, which somewhat sur
prised him, for he had thought HIM
self acquainted with every one in the
country round. Their dress too, was
Of different fashion from that to which
he had been accustomed. They all
stared at him with equal surprise,
and whenever they cast their ewes
upon him, invariably stroked their
chins. The constant recurrence Of
this gesture induced Rip, involuntari-
ly, 10 do the same, when, to his a.
tonishment, be found his beard had
grown G foot long,
He now entered the skirts Of the
village. A troop Of strange children
ran at his heels, hooting after him, and
pointing TO his gray beard. The dogs,
too, not one Of which be recognized
as an old acquaintance, barked at
him as he passed. The very village
was altered: il was larger and more
There were rows Of houses
which he had never seen before. and
those which had been his familiar
haunts had disappeared. Strange
names were over the dooFs-strange
faces at the Misunderstanding was
His mind now misgave
him: be began to doubt whether be
and the world around him were not
bewitched Surely this was his na-
tive village, which be had left but the
day before. There stood the Kaats-
Kill mOuntains-there run the silver
Hudson at a distanee-there was
every hill and dafe precisely as it had
always been-Rip was sorely per-.
flagon last night
thought he. chad added nv poor
head sadlyl''
1t was with some difficulty that be
found his way to his own house, which
be approached with silent awe, ex-
pecting every moment TO hear the
thrill tones Of Dame Van Winkle.
He found the house gone TO decay
the roof fallen in, the windows shat
tered, and the doors off their hinges.
A half starved dog that looked ike
Wolf. was skulking about it. Rip,
.alled him by name but the cur snarl-