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

1
GUNNER Hill. and his eye fell on the
! old walls that belonged, in former
times, to the Knights Templars; but The
silent gloom of the ruin was broken
only by the heavy rain which splashed
and battered on the grave-stones. He
then looked up to the sky to see if there
was, among the clouds, any hope foi
mercy ON his new snaffle reins and nc
sooner were his eyes lowered than his
attention was arrested by an object Sc
extraordinary as almost led him to
doubt his senses. The head apparent
~ of a white horse, with short, cropped
ears, large, open nostrils, and immense
eyes, seemed rapidly to follow him.
No connection with body. legs or rider
could possibly be traced. The head
advanced Charley's old mare, too, was
moved by this unnatural sight, and,
snorting violently, increased her trot up
the hill.
The head moved forward and passed
on, Charley pursuing it with astonish-
ing gaze, and wondering by what means
and for what purpose this detached head
thus proceeded through the air he did
not perceive the corresponding body
until he was suddenly startled by find
ing it close by his side. Charley turned
to examine what was thus so socially
jogging on with him, when most I'M
exampled apparition presented itself to
his view A figure, whose height he
computed to be at least eight feet. was
seated on the body and legs of white
horse fully eighteen hands and half
high. In this measurement Charley
could not be mistaken, for his own mare
was exactly fifteen hands high, and the
booy that thus logged alongside. he
could at once determine, was at least
three hands and half higher.
After the first feeling of establishment
was over, he exclaimed, elm sold now
foreverr' But still he directed his at
tention to this extraordinary body, and
having examined it with the eye of a
connoisseur, he proceeded to recon
hotter the figure so unusually mounted,
who had hitherto remained perfectly
mute. Wishing TO see whether his COM
panion's silence arose from bad temper,
want of conversational powers, or from
a distaste to water, and the fear that
the opening of his mouth might subject
him to having it filed with rain, he en-
deavored to catch a sight of his COM
panion's face, in order to form an opin-
ion on that point. But his vision failed
In carrying him further than the top of
the collar of the figures coat, which
was scarlet single breasted hunting
frock, having waist Of very old-fash-
Toned cut, reaching to the saddle, with
two huge shining buttons at about a
yard distance behind.
CT ought to see farther than this,
too, !" thought Charley, although he is
on his horse, like my cousin
Darby, who was made barony constable
last week, unless it is Con s whisky that
has blinded me entirely" However,
see farther he could not, and after
straining his eyes for a considerable
time to no purpose, he exclaimed, with
pure vexation, By the big bridge of
Mallow, it is no head at all he has -
"Look again, Charley Culnane," said
4 hoarse voice that seemed to proceed
rom under the right arm of the figure.
Charley did look again, and now in
he proper place-for he clearly saw,
lnder the aforesaid right arm, the head
rom which the voice had proceeded,
md such head no mortal ever saw be- |
ore. 1t looked like large cream |
.heese hung around with black pudding.
No speck or color enlivened the ashy |
,aleness of the depressed features the |
kin lay stretched over the unearthly |
uriace, almost like the parchment head |
# drum. Two fiery eyes of prodigious |
with a strange and irreg- |
liar motion, flashed like meteors upon
HARLEY, and mouth that reached from
ither extremity of two ears, which |
,eeped forth from under prefusion of |
matted locks of lusterless blackness.
This head, which the figure had evident.
y hitherto concealed from Charley's |
yes, now burst upon his view in all its
lideousness. Charley. although lad
f proverbial courage in the county of
york, could not but feel his nerves a
title shaken by this unexpected visit
rom the headless horseman, whom he
onsidered this figure doubtless must
Re.
The crop-eared head of the gigantic
orse moved steadily forward, always
eeping from six to eight yards in ad-
ance. The horseman, unaided by the
7hip or spur, and disdaining the use of
tirrups, which dangled useless from
he saddle, followed at trot by Char
ey's side, his bideous head now lost be-
ind the lapel of his coat, now starting
orth In all its horror as the motion of
he horse caused his arm to move to and
70. The ground shook under the weight
f it's supernatural burden, and the
rater in the pools was agitated into
raves as he trotted by them.
On they went-heads without bodies
nd bodies without heads. The deadly
Hence of night was broken only by the
earful CHATTER of hoofs and the distant
ound of thunder, which rumbled above
be mystic hill of Cecauno Mono
'innea. Charley, who was naturally
nerry-hearted land rather talkative
elbow, had hitherto felt tongue-tied by
but finding his COM
'anion showed no evil disposition toward
i'm, and having become somewhat
econciled to the Patagonian dimensions
f the horseman and his headless steed,
tucked up all his courage, and thus ad-
ressed the stranger:
"Why, tfen, your honor rides mighty
7ell without stirrups."
'' Humphr !" growled the head from
nder that horseman's right arm.