The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-12-20

SAID II was on account OF hts terrible Inn.
guase; others accounted for it i'm n moro
philosophical way, and said it was caused liz,
'ne expansion OF his scaip-as violent pas.
SION, we know. VIII SWEET the veins and az.
pand The head. While these fits were ON him
ltugg had no respect for heaven or earth.
Except this iudrmity, all agreed that Rugg
was good sort Of man
1T was late in autumn one morning that
kugg, in bis own chair, with fine largo
bay horse, took his daughter and proceeded
70 Concord. On his return a violent storm
overlook him. At dark be- stopped in Meuot.
omy, now West Cambridge, at the door Of a
MI. Cutter a friend Of his, who urged him
TO tarry the night On Riggs declining 10
stop, Mr.. Cutter urged him vehemcntly.
why, Mr. Rugg, said Cutter, the night is
exceedingly dark; your lstle daughter will
perish; you are in an open chair and the
tempest is increasing
Let 1t increase, said Rugg, with fear
ful oath; i will see home 10 night. ia spite Of
the tempest, or may ! never see NJ
AT these words he gave the whip 70 his
high spirited horse, and disappeared in a mo
ment. But Peter Rugg did not reach home
that night, or the next, nor when he became
missing man, could he ever be traced be.
yond Mr. Cutters ia Menotomy.
"For long time after. on every dark and
stormy night, the wife Of Peter Rug would
fancy she heard the crack Of a whip, and the
heet tread Of horse, and the rafting OF a
carriage passing her door, The neicbbors.
too, heard the same noises; and some said
they knew it was Riggs horse, the tread on
the pavement was perfectly familiar 10 them
This occurred so repeatedly that at length
the neighbors watched with lanterns and saw
the real Peter Rugg, with bis own horse and
chair, and child sitting beside him, pass di.
rectly before his own door, his head turned
towards bis house, and himself making every
effort to stop his horse, but in vain
"The next day the friends Of Mrs. Ruge
oxerted themselves 20 find her husband and
child. They inquired at every public house
and stable in town; but il did not appear
that Rugg made any stay in Boston. No one.
after Rugg had passed his own door could
give any account Of him; though IL was as.
serted by some that the clater Of Riggs
horse and carriage over the pavements shook
the houses on both sides Of the streets
Thus Rugg and bis child horse and chair.
were soon forgotten, and probably many in
the neighborb0od never heard word on the
subject.
There was indeed a rumor that Rugg
afterwards was seen in Connecticut, between
Sufteld and Hartford, passing through the
country with headlong speed. This gave oc-
casion 20 Ruggs friends 70 make further in.
quiry Bat the more they inquired, the
Il. d I q
Rugg one day in Connecticut, the next they
heard Of him winding round the hills in New
Hampshire; and soon after a man i'm a chair,
with a small child, exactly answering the
description Of Peter kugg, would be seen ID
Rhode Island inquiriug tho way 10 Boston
But that which chiefly gave a color Of
mystery 20 the story Of Peter Rugg was the
affair at Cbarlestown bridge. The toll
gatherer asserted that sometimes on the dark.
est and most stormy nights, when no object
could he disccrned, about the time Rugg was
missing, horse and wheel carriage, with a
noise equal % a troop would az midnight, in
utter contempt OF the rates OF toll, pass over
the bridge This occurred 50 fSqEautly,
that tho toll gatherer resolved y attsmpt O
discovery. Soon after, at the usual time, APP
parently the same horse and carriage aP-
preached the bridge from Charleston square
The toll gatherer prepared, took his stand As
near the middle Of the bridge as be dared,
with large three legged stool in bis hand
As the apparition passed he threw the stool at
the horse, but heard nothing, except tho noise
Of the stool skipping across the bridge The
toll gatherer, ON the next day asserted that
the stool went directly through the body Of
the horse; and he persisted in that belief
ever after Whether Rugg ever passed the
bridge again, the toll gatherer would never
tell. and when questioned seemed anxious TO
waive the subject And thus Peter Rugg
and his child, horse and carriage, remain a
mystery to this day. Current Literature.