The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-12-19
FATE OF VANDERSCAMP.
BY WASHINGTON IRVING

Whoever has visited the ancient and renowned village of Communipaw, may have noticed an old tone building. of most runous ani sinister appearance The doors and window shutters are ready to drop from their hinges; old clothes are stuffed in the broken paues of glass, while legions of half starved dogs prowl about the premises, and rush out and bark at every passer-by; f ,r your beggarly house in village is most apt to swarm with proHlgate and iil-conditioned dogs What adds to the sinister appearance of this mansion, is tall frame in front, not little resembling gallows, and which looks as It waiting to accommodate some of the inhabitants with well-merited air ing. It is not a gallows, however, but an ancient sign'post for this dwelling, in the golden days of Communipaw, was one of the most orderly and peaceful of village taverns, where the public affairs of Com. munipaw were talked over. In fact, it was in this very building where O .offe the Dreamer, and his companions, con certed that great voyage of discovery and colonization, in which they ex ,ored But termilk channel. were nearly shipwrecked in the stra't of Hell.gate, and finally landed on the island of Manhattan, and founded the great city of New Amster- dam.
 Even after the province had been cruel iy wrested from the sway of their high mightinesses by the com bined forces of the British and Yankees, this tavern con- tinued its loyalty. It is true, the head of the prince of Orange disappeared from the sign; strange bird being painted over it, with the explanatory legend of "Die Wilde Cans, or " The Wild Goose" but this all the world knew to be a sly riddle of the landlord, the worthy Teunis Van Gleson, knowing man in small way, who laid his finger beside his nose and winked, when any one studied the signif "a ion of his sign, and observed that his goose was hatching, but would join the flock whenever they flew over the water; an enigma which was the perpetual recreation and delight of the loyal but fat.headed burghers ef Communipaw.
 Under the sway of this patriotic, though discreet and quiet publican, the tavern continued to flourish in primeval tram guilty, and was the resort of all true hearted Nederianders, from all parts of Pavonia; who met here quietly and se- cretly, to smoke and drink the downfall of Br:ton and Yankee, and success to Ad- miral Van Tromp.
 The only drawback on the comfort of the establishment was nephew of mine host, a sisters son, Yan Yost Wander. scamp by name, and real scamp by na- ture. The unlucky whipster showed an early propensity to mischief. which he gratified in small way by playing tricks upon the frequenters of the Wild Goose {; putting gunpowder in their pipes, or squibs in their pockets, and astonishing them with an explosion, while they sat nodding round the fireplace n the bar room and if perchance wo.thy bNrgher from some distant part of Pavonia had fingered until dark over his potation, it was odd but that young Vanderscamp would slip briar under his horses tail, as he mounted, and send him clattering along the road in neck-or-nothing style. to his infinite astonishment and discom- 6ture.
 It may be wondered at that mine host of the Wild Goose did not turn such graceless varlet out of doors; but Teunis Van Gieson was an easy tempered man. and, having no child or his own, looked upon his nephew with almost parental in- dulgence. His patience and good nature were doomed to be tried by another in- mate of his mansion. This was a cross- grained curmudgeon of negro, named Pluto, who was kind of enigma in Com runipaw. Where he came from, nobody knew. He vas found one morning, after . storm. cast like sea monster on the strand, in front of the Wild Goose, and lay there more dead than alive. The neighbors gathered round, and speculated on this production of the deep whether t were fish or flesh, or a compound of both, commonly yclept merman. The kind-hearted Teunis Van Gieson, seeing , that he wore the human form, took him into his house and warmed him into life. By degrees he showed signs of intelli- gence, and even uttered sounds very much