The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1883-12-01

DeIleVe Jnar'S anytnlnB the maJter OUT
thar, but I've got too much work to do
at home, and, sides all that, amt
got the money to spar for the trip
"The trip shall not cost you any
thing" the captain declared.
81 don't believe / want to 60"
''You are afraid" said the captain.
"You snort around and laugh at others,
but when the time for showing your
mettle comes you back out like the
coward you are. You needn't get
mad, tor you know you are coward "
The blacksmith, whose courage had
never before been disputed, bit his lips
and walked away.
Captain Lomal rode on the seat with
the driver. "Tell me-" the captain
said, ''when we get nearly to the
place."
1--WE are nearly there" said the dri-
yer, after few moments.
The captain examined his pistols.
"For Gods sake," exclaimed the dri-
yer, "don't shoot. l tell you the
thing, whatever it is, amt to be fooled
WITH"
'Leaye that to me-" the captain re-
piled. Hello. what's thisp''
The horses stopped, and the driver
whispered. "that's it."
The arm arose, The white, phos-
phorescent hand cleaned with u pale
light. The captain, despite the whis-
pered protestatlons of the hand, leveled
pistol and fired.
The hand laughed.
The captain leveled another pistol
and laughed.
The hand laughed again.
The passengers got out of the coach
and the captain dismounted. This is
certainly very wonderful" he said.
"Bruxton, what do you think of itp"
81 don't know" replied the person
addressed. "Never saw anything like
it before, and l hope L never shall
again."
''What do you want?" the captain
demanded of the hand.
'Money. Your relations in Hades
are suffering. Your grandfather is
urging youto relieve him. Satan holds
his note for fifty dollars and he will
burn until it is paid.'
"You are a liar" vociferated the
captain.
The hand drew up its fingers and
laughed, such horrible, shrill shrek.
ing laugh that old Bruxton turned to
one of the adventurers and remarked,
swish 1 hadn't come"
"i'm going to see what that is" the
captain declared. 81 have come here
to investigate, and I'm going to in
vestigate."
"Don't go near itl'' implored the
driver. "Come backp' but the captain
pressed forward. When within few
feet of the hand the captain stopped
and turned back. but too late, for tn
hand seized him. 1t whipped him
against the ground, tossed him up and
caught him and shook him again. The
poor fellow yelled and begged his
companions to come to his assistance,
but paralyzed by fear, they stood, SEEM
ingly unable to move. When the cap
tain was released he hobbled back to
the stage and implored his friends to
give up their valuables. The hand
stretched itself on the ground, and
Bruxton, after being assured that he
would not be harmed, deposited the
money in its palm. Then the hand
, disappeared. When the stage reached
{ the next town the villagers were
, thrown into high state of excitement.
The adventurers would not return by
> the Rock Pass route, but walked ovei
} the mountain. When they reached
[ Little Rock, the captain sought David
Caldron, the blacksmith, and apollo
gized TO him.
} The road was abandoned, for people
/ actually were afraid to go through the
pass. Sometimes private vehicles
4 owned by adventurers, would g
through the pass, but never without
being stopped by the hand until a Ions
, time afterward, when the hand failet
: to appear, but the memory of the terri
! BILE arm deferred the stage compan!
: from ever afterward resuming thei
= business as public carriers.
\ David Caldron would never go to tn,
, place. Several years after the first ex
citement caused by the hand, he dis
: appeared suddenly and every one deci
q ded that he had been murdered.
Several days agowhile railroad work
n men were cutting through Rock pass
= they suddenly broke into a cavity
a Near the center of the place they folnt
a skeleton under large rock that ha
. fallen from above. Further researcl
discovered a great arm ingeniousl
~ made of wood and iron, and here, brc
d ken off by the fall of rock, was a
enormous hand made of steal.
h fingers were jointed, and the thum
n was hollow like speaking tube. Al
other turn disclosed machine to whic
l. one end of the arm was attached. Th
" whole arrangement was wonder {