The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1874-09-17

killed at the stOrmlng OF Stony Point
others say he was drowned in squall at
the foot of Anthony's Nose. / don't
Know--he never came back again"
where's Van Bmmmel, the school
master?n
ale went off to the wars too, was a
great militia general, and is now in Con-
gress."
Rips heart died away at hearing Of these sad
changes In his home and friends and finding
himself thHs alone in the world. Every answer
puzzled him too by treating Of such enormous
lapses of time, and Of matters which he could not
understand: war Congress-Stony Point = he
had no courage to ask after any more friends, but
cried out In despair, Does nobody here know
Rip Van Winkleg'
''Ohl Rip Van Winkle" exclaimed two or three,
"Oh. to be surel that's Rip Van Wrinkle yonder,
leaning against the tree"
Rip looked, and beheld u precise counterpart of
himself as he went up the mountain; apparently
as lazy and certainly as ragged. The poor fellow
was now completely cOniOunded He doubted
his own identity, and whether he was himself or
another man. In the midst of his bewilderment,
the man In the cooked hat demanded who he was
and what was his nameg
God knows" exclaimed he, at his wits end;
"Pm not mysolf-Im somebody else-thats me
yOnder-no-thats somebody else got into my
shoes-I was myself last night, but fell asleep
on the mountain, and they've changed my gun,
/ can't tell what's my name, or who l am"
The bystanders began now 20 look ut each
other, nod, wink significantly, and tap their fin
gers against their foreheads There was whis-
per also about securing the gun, and keeping the
old fellow from doing mischief at the very sug
gestion of which the self-important man In the
cooked hat retired with some precipitation. At
this critical moment fresh comely woman press
ed through the throng to get a peep at the grey
bearded man. She had a chubby child in her
arms, which, frightened at his looks began to cry
"Hush, Rip" cried she, hush, you little fool; the
old man won't hurt you" The name of the child
the air of the mother the tone of her voice. all
awakened a train Of frecollections in his mind
what isyour name, my good wOmang asked
Rip.
"And your fathers name?'
"Ah, poor man, Rip Van Winkle was his name
but it's twenty years since he went away from
home with his gum and never has been heard of
since-his dog came home without him; but
whether he shot himself, or was carried away by
the Indians nobody can tell. was then but a
little girl"
Rip had but one question more to ask; but he
put It with ALTERING voice:
where's your mOtherg
"oh, she too had died but q short time since;
she broke a bloOd.yessel in fit of passion at a
New England pedlar"
There was drop of comfort at least in this in
telligence. The honest man could contain him
self no longer He caught his daughter and her
tlllN III no hilllas hill lOuI tIltu
"IOung Rip Van Winkle Once-Old Rip Van Win
kle now. Does nobody know poor Rip Van Win
kle?
All stood amazed; until an old woman, totterihg
out from amongthe crowd, put her hand to her
brow, and peering under 1t in his face for q mo-
ment, exclaimed, Sure enough IL Is Rip Van
Winkle-it Is himself Welcome home again, old
nelghbor-why, where have you been these twen-
ty long years.
Rips story was soon told, for the whole twenty
years had been TO him but as one night. The
neighbours stared when they heard IT, some
were seen 10 wink ut each other, and put their
tongues in their cheeks; and the selfimpOrtant
man in the cooked hat who, when the alarm was
over had returned to the field, screwed down the
corners of his mouth and shook his head-upOn
which there was general shaking of the head
throughout the assemblagc.
IL was determined, however, to take the opinion
of old Peter VanderdOnk, who was seen slowly
advancing up the road. He was o descendant of
the historian of that name. who wrote one of the
earliest accounts of the province. Peter was the
most ancient tnhabiant of the village, and well
yersed In oil the wonderful events and traditions
Of the neighbourhood He recollected Rip at
once, and corrob0rated his story in the most salts
factory manner He assured the company that 1t
was fact handed down by his ancestor the histO-
rian, that the Kaatskill mountains had always
been haunted by strange beings. That II was
affirmed that the great Hendrck Hudson, the first
discOverer of the river and country, kept kind
Of vigil there every twenty years, with his crew
of the Halt-mOOn being permitted In this way TO
revisit the scenes Of his enterprise and keep
guardian eye upon the river and the great city
called by his name. That his father had once
seen them in their old Dutch dresses playing at
ninepins In q hollow Of the mountain, and that
he himself had heard one summer afternoon the
sound Of their balls like distant pces of thunder.
To make long story short the company broke
up, and returned 10 the more important concerns
Of the election. Rips daughter took him home
to live with her she had snug, well-furnished
nNNaa OH Ia
whom Rip recollected for one Of the urchins that
used 10 climb upon his back. As TO Rips son and
heir, who was the ditto Of himself, seen leaning
against the tree, he was employed TO work on the
farm; but evlnced an hereditary disposition 10 at
tend to anything else but his business.
Rip now resumed his old walks and habits; he
soon found many Of his old Cronies though all
rather the worse for the wear and tear Of time;
and preferred making friends among the rising
generation, with whom he soon grew into great
favour
Having nothing to do ot home, and having ar
rived at that happy age when man can be idle
with impunity, he took his place once more on the
bench at the inn door, and was reverenced as one
of the patriarchs Of the village, and chronicle OF
the old times before the war" II was some time
before he could get into the regular track Of gos-
sip, or could be made 70 comprehend the strange
events that had taken place during his torpor.
How that there had been revolutionary war
hat the country had thrown off the yoke Of old
England-Rnd that instead of being a subject of
His Majesty George I'LL, he was now free citizen
Of the United States. Rip, In fact, was no pOlti-
clan; the changes Of states and empires made but
little impression on him; but there was one spe-
cies Of despotism under which he had long
gToaned, and that was-pettcoat government!
Happily that was at an end; he had got his neck
out Of the yoke OF mRtrimOny, and could 20 In
and out whenever he pleased without dreading
the tyranny Of Dame Van Winkle. Whenever
her name was mentioned however, he shook his
head, shrugged HIS shoulders, and cast up his
eyes, which might pass either for an expression OF
resignation 10 his fate or Joy at his deliverance
He used TO tell his story TO every stranger that
arrived at Mr.. D0Olittle's hotel. He was observed
at first 70 vary on some points every time he told
t. which was, doubtless, owing 10 his having 80
recently awaked II at last settled down precisely
TO the tale have related, and not man, woman,
or child, In the neighbOurhoOd but knew 1t by
heart Some always pretended To doubt the real
ity Of IT, and insisted that Rip had been out Of his
head, and that this was one point on which he
had always remained highty. The old Dutch in
habitants, however, almost universally gave II
full credit. Even to this day they never hear q
thunder storm Of q simmer afternoon about the
Kaatskill, but they say Hendrick Hudson and his
crew are at their game Of ninepins; and II IL q
common wish Of all henpecked husbands In the
neighbourhoOd, when life hangs heavy on their
hands, that they might have q quieting draught
out OF Rip Van Wrinkles fagon.
PRRFFRRRD THE UEGoDIY TIME APrER