Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1874-10-01

Il
the riding and the coat of his fellow
traveller, he thought he would just drop
trifing allusiol to the wonderful head
less horse that was jogging ca SO socia
bly, by the side of the old mare and al
Charley was considering about Carricl
to be very knowing in horses, besides
being private in the Royal Mallov
Light Horse Volunteers, who were
every one of them mounted like real
Hessians, he felt rather sanguine as tc
the result of his third attempt.
"To be sure that's a brave horse youi
honor rides, recommended the persev.
ering Charley.
&c You may say that, with your own
ugly mouth, growled the head.
Charley, though not much fattered
by the compliment, nevertheless chuck
led at his success in obtaining an an
swer, and thus continued
Maybe your honor wouldn't be af-
ter riding him across the country?"
"Win you try me, Charley % said the
head, with an inexpressible look OF
CHASTITY delight.
Faith, and that's what I'd do" re-
sponded Chaaley; "only I'm afraid,
the night being SO dark, of tanning the
old mare, aud I've every halfpenny of a
hundred pounds on her heels"
This was true enough. Charley's
courage was nothing dashed at the
headless horseman's proposition and
there never was steeple-chsse, riding
or leaping in the country that Charley
Culnane was not at it, and foremost
in it.
evil you take my word ?" said the
man who carried his head SO snugly I'M
der his right arm, " for the safety of
your mare 2"
Done" said Charley, and away they
started, heller SHELTER, over everything,
ditch and wall, pop the old mare never
went in such style, even in broad day.
light, and Charley had just the start of
his companion, when the hoarse voice
called out ;" Charley Culnane, Charley,
man, stop for your life; stopl''
Charley pulled up hard. cay" said
he, lyon may beat me by the head, be-
cause it always goes so much before
you but if the bet was neck and neck,
and that's the go between the old mare
and Desdemona, I'd win J. hollow !"
1t appeared as if the stranger was well
aware of what was passing in Charley's
mind, for he suddenly broke out quite
loquacious.
"Charley Culnane," says he, "you
have stout soul in you, and are every
inch of you good rider. I've tried you
and / ought to know; and that's the
sort of man for my money. A hundred
years it is since my horse and / broke
our necks at the bottom of Kilcummer
hill, and ever since I've been trying to
get man that dared to ride with me,
and never found one before. Keep. as
you have always done, at the tail of the
hounds, never baulk an inch, nor turn
away from stone wall, and the Head
less Horseman will never desert YOU
nor the old mare"
Charley in Amusement looked toward
his right arm for the purpose of seeing
in his face whether or not he was in
but, behold, the head was
snugly lodged in the huge pocket of
the horseman's scarlet hunting cloak.
The HORSES head had assembled per-
pendicularly above them, and his ex-
companion rising quickly af-
ter his avant-courier. vanished from the
gaze of Charley Culnane.
Charley, as may be supposed, was
ost in wonder, delight and perplexity
he pelting rain, the wife's pudding, the
new snaffle-even the match against
Squire Jephson-all were forgotten:
lothing could he think of, nothing could
ne talk of but the headless horseman.
BE told it directly he got home to Judy;
ne told it the following morning to all
he neighbors, and he told it to the
lunt on st. Stephens day; but what
provoked him, after all the pains he
ook in describing the head, the horse,
md the man, was, that one and all at
ributed the creation of the headless
to his friend, Con. Buckley's
9 Y water parliament. This, however,
should be told-that Charley's old mare
beat Mr.. Jephson's big FLY Desdemona
~ Diamond, and Charley pocketed his
,ool hundred /; and if he didn't win by
means of the Headless Horseman, am
'ure 1 don't know any other reason for
lis doing so.