The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1885-05-30

I
ing and battling with heaps of boulders
shooting in sheets of glancing foam ovel
cascade and rapid. By daylight the scene
was sufficiently grand and impressive; illu-
mined as it now was by faint moonlight
it was much more So The night was calm
and slightly frosty; but overhead strong
breeze was blowing, and from time to time
the moon was obscured by the flying clouds
The play of light and shade brought about
by this was very beautiful; at one moment
the shaggy hillsides and deep pools of the
river were plunged iu deepest shadow; in
the next food of pale glory poured over
them, painting the rushing stream with
silver, shooting shafts of light among the
tall trees, tracing mosaics on the dark sur
face of the road Each clump of ferns,
each bush and stump, took uncommon
shape, and it required no great stretch OF
imagination to convert the boulders and
reefs of rock out in the stream into water
bulls and kelpies. The rush and roar Of
the river drowned all other sound but
with the exception of the echoing tread
of my pony and the occasional bark of a
fox from the hill, there was nothing else to
be heard On my way down the glen |
passed few scattered cottages, but their
occupants we're long ago in bed, although
it was not much past ten clock.
The wilder part of the glen ended in a
fine pass, where the hills lowered almost
straight up from the. river, and the pines
threw so deep shadow, that for few
Yards it was impossible to see the road.
Just beyond, the mountains retreated to
right and left, and through short and
level tract of meadow land, road and stream
made their way down to the shores of the
loch. Ahead of me [ could see its broad
bosom glancing in the moonlight, and the
great snow-clad mountains beyond it. As
the improved condition of the road now
made rapid progression easier, | gave the
pony his head, and he went along in style
that promised soon to land me at my desti-
nation.
There was only one thing that troubled
me-the haunted bridge. Once past it,
and | should thoroughly enjoy my moon
light ride. 1 do not know whether it was
the thought of the ghost stories with which
we had beguiled the hours after dinner,
and which now kept recurring to my mind
in spite of all effort to the contrary, or
whether it was the solemn and impressive
scenery [ had passed through in the glen,
that had unstrung me; but the nearer [
drew to the bridge the more uncomfortable
felt regarding it. 1t was not exactly fear,
but a vague presentiment of evil-the
Highland blood asserting itself. 1 could
not get rid of the sensation. tried to
hum and to whistle, but the forced merri-
ment soon died natural death. | was
now on the loneliest part of the road From
the bottom of the glen as far as the bridge
about three miles-there was not a sin
gle cottage; and more than mile on the
other side of it lay scattered hamlet. The
moon, too, which had hitherto befriended
me, now threatened to withdraw its light;
and where clumps of trees overhung the
road the darkness was deep. The pony
carried me along brayely-he knew he was
going home; and in short time turn in
the road showed me, some distance ahead,
ribbon of white high upon the dark hill
side. 1t was the stream that ran beneath
the fatal bridge
Better get out of this as soon as possible,
I thought; and with voice and stick [ en-
couraged the pony to increased speed. On
we went The roar of the haunted stream
was loud and near now the gloom increased
as we plunged deeper into the wood that
filled its basin; in another minute the
bridge would be far behind, when, without
the least warning, the pony SHE'D to one
side and then stood stock still, quivering all
over. The shock all but sent me flying
over its head; but by an effort | kept my
seat. [ had not far to look for the cause
of nv beasts fright. Not dozen yards
away were the dimly seen parapets Of the
bridge; and on one of them crouched an
object that froze me with terror. There
are some moments in which the events of
a lifetime pass in review; there are some
glances in which an in6nity of detail can
be taken in quicker than eye can close.
This was one of them. [ do not suppose
that my eye rested on the object of my ter
ror for more than second; but IN that
brief space saw what seemed like the up
per part of distorted human body, hunch-
backed and without legs, with face that
glowed with the red light of fire | can
laugh now when [ think of my fright; but
at the moment, | remember getting the
pony into motion somewhat with stick,
bride and voice, and speeding across the
bridge like thunderbolt, crouching down,
Tam O. Shanter-hke, and momentarily ex-
pecting to feel the grip of clammy hand
on my neck! Hard, hard we galloped
through the hamlet have mentioned; nor
did slacken the pace until the lights OF
my abode had cleaned through the plan
tation, and we were safe and sound in the
stable-yard.
To make really good ghost story my
narrative should go no further; but the
SEQUEL has still to be told. | invented an
excuse to appease the curiosity OF my
friends, who naturally were anxious to know
what had sent us home in such fashion
the pony in lather, and myself with
scared, unintelligible expression. did not
want to tell the real story until had made
some effort to unravel it. With this end
in view, started on foot soon after break
fast for the house l had dined at, intending
to make thorough examination of the
bridge and the course of the stream on my
way, and to question some of the cottagers
in the hamlet. 1 was saved the trouble,
however. 1 had not gone much more than
a mile, when l perceived coming along the
road towards me sturdy pedlar, with
fur cap on his head, and pack OF very
large dimensions fastened on his broad
shoulders. Such fellows are very common
" met with in the outlying districts of the
Highlands, where they do roaring trade
in ribbons, sham jewelry, and small wares,
besides carrying fund of gossip from place
to place. In the specimen of the class now
before me was not long in recognizing the
ghost of the haunted bridge, and IN halllng