Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1875-11-13
For The Independent.
A RFRK EEEY COsN,FY
INCIDENT.
A Ride After Night.

NJ -----g had chimed the hour Of
one, warming those not AT their
homes, That it was time ts 20 there.
Two young defenders Of the "fair"
still fingered in tie presence Of az
many beWitchiBg damsels, iu an
elegant parI0r near the aboVemeu-
toned city For the sake of dis
| tinciion, We shall call one Pliney,
for he il IL wise man, and the other,
Rugby. Pliney had ar last freea
himself from the presence Of his
Inamoraia, ana was standing at
the gate calling loudly for Rugby,
who was standing in the the door,
sucking nectar from his Desdeno-
mas cherry lips.
After several futile attempts the
start was made. Stecds groomed,
and gal,ants mounted, and, as they
| thought, we'll protected from the
wintry blast. For if he wind ever
did whistle through the wild
moor" it was on this particular
night.
WELL" exclaims Rugby, draw
ing his muller close around his
ears, and buttoning his overcoat
tight, elf we ever had a good time,
then surely it was tonight. BY
Jove! we have stayed until near
Norning. and methinks we had
better apply the whip, or some
sturdy yeoman will meet us, going
to his cornfield, ere we reach our
mo- hers roofs"
Il fully agree with YOU assent
ed Pliney, land | wish ii could be
So arranged that We cou, d call twice
instead of once a week. But it is
some consolation that it is only six
days more until we can be in their
presence again"
And thus they rode, talking of
the past, and thinking perhaps of
the duties of the fast approaching
day, Phiney, how many shavings
he would make; Rugby, how ma
ny ears of corn he would shuck.
After having rode some time,
they neared the toll gate on the
M-g & - road, when Pliuey's
horse SHE'D; and, horror, of hor-
rors! In the roadside, hard by,
there stood n skeleton spectre, ten
times more hideous and frightful
than Dante's picture of Hades.-
Pliney had the lead F.; he drew rein
with the exclamation, my God J"
Rugby, with eyes nearly dlstended
from the sockets, pulled up and
halted abreast OF Pliney. AT this
juncture, this unearthly phenome-
ma raised its bony, ghost-like arms
nigh in the air, motioning them,
at the same time uttering II wild,
wierd shrek ; such a one as could
alone come from the supernatural
Come says Rugby; and SUIT
ing the action 10 the word. Piled
whip and spurs; Pliney fol owing
close on his heels.
at is following" cries Pliney,
"bu, we will outrlde it,"
But, alas! for human hopes. If
ever horoeflesh was strained to the
nerve, it was certainly done on this
occasion. The race was near even
ly matched for some tllle, but
Pliney, by dint Of perseverance
in Whipping. was gaining ground.
Looking back, they espied this un-
earthly visitor, AS they supposed,
close behind them. Rugby, who
was now nearly two lengths be-
hind, freely cut his steed, when
the poor beast, jaded and ouidone,
leli, throwing Rugby under Ills
front feet. Here re asOn He'd.
Finally consciousness returned.
He raised his aching 6roU and
looked for Pliney, aud thought OF
"Man's inhumanity to man"
And his looks, we think, could be
likened TO 1.-THE last sigh Of the
Moor" as he gazed over his loved
Alhamhra by moonlight. Rising
from the ground, the very pictuIe
of despair, he mounted his pony,
who was standing quietly near
him and started, eXclaiming, ION!
Pliny, why dids't thou desert me
in this my hour of need"
After considerable hard riding,
he once more pulled up by the side
of Pliney, and tried to talk ghost
to him. But this wise man had
more humor fer getting homethan
talking ghost. Rugby, looking
down at his dilapidated condition,
exclainis,
Thunder and lightning! here's
my new pants tore all to the d.,
and the blood running from my
knee"
So on they went Z. E., an en-
gineer of Il. IL o. r. II. fame,
who, by the way, was in The coun-
try sparkling, met them, and gave
all the road. He thinks they were
trying to eclipse Longfellows time.
/ IL. x,acrnd q II IL