Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1883-10-04
THE TERRIBLE ARM.

The building of railroad through the
Black mountains, in Arkansas, explained
mystery which for years was regarded
as beyond the power of earthly agencies
to solve.
Years ago when all travelling was done
by stage coach or private conveyance,
the road which crossed Black mountains
was regarded as the best in the State.
At one place the road wound around
through narrow pass, on each side of
which, rising perpendicularly for hun
dreds of feet, were massive rock walls.
The pass was SO narrow that it required
quite an experienced driver to go through
without striking the walls This place
was always SO dark and gloomy that the
travelling public dreaded it, although no
depreciation had ever been committed
there, and many attempts had been made
to cut a road by another route, but all of
the attempts failed, and Rock pass still
continued to be the gap through which
the stages were compelled to travel.
One night, as the stage, loaded with
passengers, had gained the dreariest part
of the pass, the horses stopped, and the
driver was heard to exclaim, Great
Godln
"What's the matter2" demanded the
superintendent Of the road, who hap
pened to be in the coach
"Just come herer' the driver said. 81
amt no coward, an have fit many man
in my life, but if this thing don't skeer
me, then I'm willin' to throw down the
lines to the first man that comes along y
The superintendent got out, and in a
few moments he was heard to say, eff
had room here I'd run twenty miles with
out stopping. Never saw the like in my
like. What the deuce do you suppose it
wants 2"
"Moneyln came in voice like stiied
shrek.
Every one left the coach and edged
along the walls to get view of the ter
rible something in front. From the mid
die of the road arose an enormous arm,
with the sleeve turned up. At the end
of the arm, in the most natural way pos
sible, was large hand, pale and with a
subdued glow. The fingers of the hand
closed in q kind of circle, and from the
hand came the shrek. Every one was
frightened, and the driver, who was re-
garded as the boldest man in the coun-
try, sat and shook the lines SO great was
his fright
"I want money" again shrieked the
hand.
"Let us investigate this thing" said
one of the passengers. "After we leave
here and attempt to tell of the adventure,
we won't have anything to tell only that
we became frightened and gave up oul
money to something we knew not what. I
"I am with you, exclaimed the driver.
~ never was bluffed yet by any man,
an I'll be blamed if don't argy with
Satan an feel of his weak points afore
let him bluff me. Come on, stranger, ,
and the driver climbed down. The
horses were SO badly frightened that they
shook in every joint, and the superin
tendent, having lost all control of his
courage, allowed it to slip away from
him while he leaned on one of the coach
wheels for support. The two men ap
preached the hand, which lowered itselt
to receive them. In the intelligent pas
senger's own words, we will give his ex
perience: "The closer drew to the ap-
palling thing, the more confirmed became
my impression that 1t was supernatural
Suddenly the hand reached down
seized me and gave me shake
that can never forget. Its grasp wa!
cold and sent a chill through me. Al
soon as released I retreated as fast as my
trembling legs would carry me. Tht
driver was more unfortunate. He at
tempted to grasp the hand, but was
seized and hurled against the wall with /
force that stunned him. Regaining hi
feet after much difficulty, he staggered
away moaning as though every bone il
his body had been broken"
Just at this stage of the unholy per
Torrance, the hand drew up its fingers
and shouted
~ want money. The tortured mer
in hades demand money, and am thei
agent. Give me all your money and yor
may pass. Refuse and / will batter you
stage coach to pieces against the walls.
elbow can we give you our none.
when you shake us and sling us around
so7' asked the intelligent passenger.
"I will lie on the ground. Approach
and deposit your money on my palm ant
will not molest you"
"Come, gentlemen" said the intelli
gent passenger, "give me your none.
and / viii surrender it. am sure tina
this is the only way we can ever escape.
Every one yielded and the inteIligen
passenger deposited the money III th'