San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1889-01-17
Tho Legend Of Sleepy Hollow
By WASHINGTON IRVING.
FOUND AMONG THE PAPERS OF THE LATE
DIEDRICH KNICKERBoCKER.
ICoNCLUDED.1 |

| w Hcu Vllt QuIlCt Wato dt Ill
was attracted to a knot of the sager folks
who, with old Van Tassel, sat smoking a
one end of the piazza, gossiping over for
mer times, and drawing out long stories
about tho war.
This neighborhood at the time of which
am speaking, was one of those highly
favored places abound with chronicle
and great men. The British and Ameri
can line had run near 1t during the war
1t had, therefore, been tho scene OF
marauding, and infested with refugees
cowboys and all kinds Of border chivalry
Just sufficient time had elapsed to enable
each story teller to dress up his tale with
little becoming fiction, and, in the In
distinctness of his recollection, to make
himself the hero Of every exploit.
There was the story of Doffue Martling,
large blue bearded Dutchman, who had
nearly taken British frigate with an old
iron nine FOUNDER from mud breastwork,
only that his gun burst at tho sixth dis
charge. And there was an old;gentleman
who shall be nameless, being too rich a
mynheer to be lightly mentioned, who, in
the battle Of White Plains, being an excel.
lent master Of defense, parried musket
ball with small sword, insomuch that
he absolutely felt it whiz round the
blade, and glance off at the hilt; In proof
of which he was ready at any time to
show the sword, with the hilt little
bent. There were several more that had
been equally great in the field, not one
of whom but was persuaded that he had
considerable hand in bringing the war
to happy termination.
But all these were nothing to the tales
Of ghosts and apparitions that succeeded.
The neighborhood is rich In legendary
treasures of the kind. Local tales and
superstitions thrive best In these shell
tered, long settled retreats, but are
trampled under foot by the shifting
throng that forms the population Of most
Of our country places. Besides, there is
no encouragement for ghosts In most of
our villages, for they have scarcely had
time to finish their first nap and turn
themselves in their graves, before their
surviving friends have Travelled away
from the neighborhood, 80 that when
they turn out at night to walk their
rounds, they have no acquaintance left
to call upon. This is perhaps the reason
why we SO seldom hear of ghosts except
in our long established Dutch communi-
ties.
The immediate cause, however, Of the
prevalence Of supernatural stories In
these parts, was doubtless owing to the
vicinity of Sleepy Hollow. There was a
contagion in the very air that blew from
that haunted region; 1t breathed forth
an atmosphere Of dreams and fancies in
fecting all the land. Several Of the
Sleepy Hollow people were present at
Van Tassel's, and, as usual, were doling
out their wild and wonderful legends.
Many dismal tales were told about fu-
neral trains, and mourning cries and
wailings heard and seen about the great
tree where the unfortunate Maj. Andre
was taken, and which stood in the neigh
borhood. Some mention was made also
of the woman In white, that haunted
the dark glen at Raven Rock, and was
often heard to shrek on winter nights
before storm, having perished there In
the snow. The chief part Of the stories,
however, turned upon the favorite spec
ter of Sleepy Hollow, the headless horse
man, who had been heard several times
Of late, patroling the country; and, 1t is
said, tethered his horse nightly among
the graves In the churchyard.
The sequestered situation of this church
seems always to have made 1t favorite
haunt of troubled spirits. It stands on
d knoll, surrounded by locust trees and
lofty elms, from among which its de-
cent, whitewashcd walls shine modestly
forth, like Christian purity, beaming
through the shades Of retirement. A
gentle slope descends from it to a
silver sheet Of water, bordered by |
nigh trees, between which peeps may
be caught at the blue hills OF the Hud- |
,on. To look upon this grass grown
yard, where the sunbcams seem to sleep |
70 quietly, one wonld think that there at |
east the dead might rest in peace. On
)ne side of the church extends wide |
woody dell, along which raves large
brook among broken rocks and trunks Of
ALLEN trees. Over q deep black part of
he stream, not far from tho church, was
'ormerly thrown a wooden bridge; the |
Dad that led to 1t, and the bridge itself
we're thiclily shaded by overhanging
rees, which cast q gloom about 1t, even
n the day time; but occasioned fearful
darkness at night. Such was one Of the
avorite haunts of the headless horse
nan, and the place where he was most
reduently encountered. The tale was
old of old Brouwer, q most hereticl dis
,eliever In ghosts, how he met the horse
nan returning from his foray into
Sleepy Hollow, and was obliged to get
I'D behind him; how they galloped over
,ush and brake, over hill and swamp,
Until they reached the bridge, when the
lorseman suddenly turned into q skel-
ton, threw old Brouwer into the brook,
nd sprang away over the tree tops with
clap Of thunder.
This story was Immediately matched
y q thrice marvellous adventure Of
from Bones, who made light Of the gal
1ping Hessian as On arTant jockey. He
firmed that ON returning one night
rom the neighboring village OF Sing
ing he had been overtaken by this mid
light trooper; that he offered TO race
nth him for a bowl Of punch, and
hOuld have won it too. for Daredevil
cat the goblin horse all hollow, but just
8 they came TO the church bridge the
Iessian bolted and vanished in 4 fash Of
nc.
Al these tales, told In that drowsy
ndertone with which men talk In the
ark, the countsTnnces Of the listeners
My now and then receiving q casual
lea-n from the glare Cf n pipe, sunk
ccp IN the mind Of IclLabod- lie re
aid them In kind with large extracts
ON his Invaluable author. Cotton
Iather, and 8ddod many marvellous
Eonts that had taken place In his native
.ate Of Connecticut, and fearful sights
hich he had sen In his nightly walks
Dout Slcepy HollD'E.
Tho rcTel now gradually broke up.
be old farners gathered together their
.nilies IN their wagons, and were heard ,
= some time rzffling along the hollow
ads, and Over the dIs1sn. hills. some ,
the darnsels mounted On I5llious be
nd their fsrorItc s1raIIIs, and thelr light
zr1ad lauEhteT, mingli1z With the Cat
rcf hoofs. echoed along the silent WOOD ,
rds, sounding fainter and fainter, until
~ Gradually died aEsy-zDd tie late J