The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1888-12-29
A NIGHTfOF TERROR.
BY CLINTON F. MOSES.

wealth had attracted me.
A strong motive had created thi
desire. The fatering Eyes" of Luc,
Lee, the belle Of Sour Orange Bend
and the squire's answer that [ mus
possess a certain sum of money be
fore our hopes could be realized, hat
sharpened my faculties to cut tn,
straightest road to fortune. Tha
tickle goddess, reserving her frownl
for n more worthy man, smiled gra
ciously on me and threw in my way g
tract of land which, if expertly handl
ed, would yield the stipulated amount
l had not won Lucy's favor with
out struggle. A frontier settlement
is very democratic institution, and
Squire Lees house was open to all
The wise traveller regulated his speed
so that night would overtake him al
his hospitable door, and on the days
when he was called on to perform
magisterial duties the court and al
lookerson would refresh themselves
at his table.
Through her fathers popularity
and her own accomplishments Lucy
was the acknowledged belle, not
only of Sour Orange Bend, but of the
whole Ettonlock, late Lee, District,
and when my successful suit was
known I became for a while the most
unpopular man in the district.
The native Crackers" tough cow
boys and city-bred chaps roughing
it IN the woods treated me as though
aid robbed them of their most
valr4d pos Hssion, and envious eyes
we're constantly watching to report
ar ything which mightoverthrow my
supremacy.
Tier most unfortunate wooer had
been a naturalized American, who q
few months previous had passed into
ano! her world heartily hating me
&c, winning Lucy's heart. BY his
death the tract of land which he held
under government receipt passed
into the possession of O wealthy
German, and he, not wishing to re-
nounce allegiance to the Fatherland,
sold his right to me on very favor
able terms, and, having compiled
with the law, / entered the quarter
section under the Homestead act.
AS it was necessary to make a six
months residence on the tract before
committing" late one afternoon I
moved a few household articles into
the log cabin which my deceased pre-
decessor had built.
The place had an abandoned and
desolate look, tall weeds grew before
the open door, and wild climbers half
dragged the stick and mud chimney
to the ground. A bunch of typical
Florida hogs, "razor-backs" as they
are aptly termed, half wild, very
strong as to muscle and taste, long
of leg and snout, thick of skin and
thin of body, rushed from beneath
the cabin, bristling with rage at be-
ing disturbed.
Pausing for a moment as ifdeciding
to fight or retreat, their
council of war was quickly settled by
The appearance of my gun. They had
evidently felt the sting of buskshot |
before and scampered away into the |
tense saw palmetto thicket.
However, as l was hardened
rontiersman, these things troubled
he but little, and, after cooking
rugal supper and turning my horse
Dose to feed on the luxuriant crab
srass which covered the clearing
around the cabin, I composed myself
or quiet nights rest.
AS slumber soothed my senses with
is benign influence vaguely won
cred what the departed owner of
he place would say if he could see me
n possession of his erstwhile prop
rty.
So strong had been his hatred that
felt sure if disembodied spirits could
evisit the earth he would come that
light and eject me from what, even
the spirit world, he would feel a
ort of proprietary power over.
My superstitious neighbor, Billy
.amb, had prepared me for quiet ,
light by remarking that ''there
asn't enough money in Orange
ounty to pay him to sleep in the
pom where Wilhelm Bischoff had
led" l scorned such unmanly fears
nd was soon asleep in the very room
here the poor consumptive had
!ade bis exit from this life. A shrill,
farming noise, which sounded to ,
y drowsy ears like the neigh of a
lghtened horse, awoke me with
art: Looking out of the open door
could see by the light of a glorious l
ugust moon that my horse was
boring under great excitement. c
An occasional bear or panther 6
visited our settlement, &
ad, supposing the disturbance to
caused by one of these, / slipped /
out, gun in hand, to an L
hilate "the varmint." n
But careful search among the
xurlant banana plants and wide 9
READING guava bushes failed to de- n
ct an intruder, and returning to @
ID my sleep was haunted by a vision O
frightened horses and uncanny c
asts in pursuit. A monster horse, il
q transparent greenish aspect, t
azing red eyes, followed them and a
anted his murderous hoofs on nv D
east; a solemn funeral bell tolled Il
elve times and q cry of distress D
unded, q cultural Teutonic voice s,
ling my name. n
arose, and, led by an irresistible o.
wer, stepped out into the moon I'll
hit. II
stretched upon the ground lay him Al
ON l supposed was with the dead. to
Bischoff, emaciated and ia
astly pale, an awful, revenge st
look on his face, his bands ises" gr
as if begging help to rise, and as q
cached ferwafd te assist him q er
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