Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1889-05-18

heard II; some were eeen 10 WINK AZ eaCn
other, and put their tongues In their
checks; and the self important man IN
the cooked hat, who, whom the alarm WINS
over, had returned to the field. screwed
down the corners OF his mouth, and shook
his head--upon which there was gen.
eral shaking Of the head throughout the
assemblagc.
Il was determined, however, TO take
tho opinion Of old Peter vandertonk,
who was seen slowly advancing up the
road He was descendant OF the his
torian Of that name, who wrote one Of
tho earliest accounts Of tho province:
Peter was tho most ancient inhabitant OF
the village, and well versed In oil the
wonderful events and traditions Of the
neighborhood. Ho rccollected Rip At
most satisfactory manner. lie assured
tho company that II was q fact, handed
down from his ancestor the historian,
that the Kaatskill mountains had always
been haunted by strange beings. That 70
was affirmed that tho great Hendricx
Hudson, the first discoverer Of the river
and country, kept a kind Of vigil there
every twenty years. with his crow OF tl.e
Half-moon, being permitted In this way
to revisit the scenes of his enterprise and
keep guardian eye upon tho river and
tho great city called by his name. That
his father had once seen them In their
q hollow Of the mountains; and that ho
himself had heard, ono summer nfter-
noon, the sound Of their balls, like distant
peals Of thunder.
To mako long story short, the
company broke up, and returned to
the mere important concerns Of the
election. Rip's daughter took him home
TO live with her; she had snug,
well furnished house, and u stout chcery
farmer for husband, whom Rip rccol-
lccted for one of the urchins that used to
climb upon his back. As TO Rips son
and heir, who was the ditto Of himself,
seen leaning against the tree, he was en-
ployed 10 work on the farm, but ,cvinced
q hereditary disposition to attend 10 any
thing else but his business.
Rip now resumed his old walks and
habits; he soon found many Of his for
mer cronies, though all rather the worse
for the wear and tear of time, and pro-
ferred making friends among the rising
generation, with whom he soon grew
into great favor
Having nothing to do at home. and be-
ing arrived at that happy age when a
man can do nothing with impunity, he
took his place once moro on the bench
at the inn door and was reverenced ms
one of the patriarchs of the village and
chronicle Of tho old times "before the
war;" II was some time before he could
get into tho regular track Of gossip, or
could be made to comprehend the strange
events that had taken place during his
torpor. How that there had been a
revolutionary war-that the country had
thrown off the yoke of old England-and
that, instead Of being q subject OF his
majesty George the Third, he was now
free citizen of the United States. Rip, In
fact, was no politician; the changes OF
OF states and empires made but little inn
preston on him; but there wns one species
Of despotism under which he had long
groaned, and that was-petticoat gov
ernment Happily, that was Mt an end;
he had got his neck out Of the yoke OF
matrimony, and could go in and out
whenever he pleased, without dreading
the tyranny OF Dame Van Winkle.
Whenever her namc was mentioned, how
ever, he shook his head, shrugged his
shoulders, and cast up his eyes; which
might pass either for an expression OF res
ignation to his fate, or JOY at his de-
liverance.
He used 10 tell his story TO every stran-
ger that arrived at Mr.. Doolittlc's hotel.
He was observed, at FIRST TO vary on some
points every time he told 1t, which was
doubtless owing to his having so recently
awnked tat last settled down precisely
to the talo have related, and not n man,
woman or child in the neighborhood but
knew IL by heart. Some always pre-
tended to doubt the reality of 1t, and in
sisted that Rip hnd been out Of his
head, and that this was ono point on
which he always remained flighty. The
old Dutch Inhabitants, however, almost
universally gave 1t full credit. Even to
this day they never hear thunder storm
Of q summer afternoon about the Kaats-
kill but they say Hcndrick Hudson and
his crew are at their game Of nine pins;
and 1t Ia common wish Of all hcnpecked
husbands In tho neighborhood, when life
hangs heavy on their hands, that they
might have n .quicting draught out Of
Rip Van Wrinkles tlagon.
NoTr.-The foregoing tale, ono would suspect,
had been suggested to Mr. Knckerbocker by a
llttlo German superstition about the Emperor
Frederick der Rotbbart and the Kypphauser
mountain; the subjoned note, however. which he
bad appended 10 the tale. shows TINT II IL an abso
mtc fact, narrated with his usual fidelity
The story Of Kip Van Wrinkle may secm incredi-
bic to many but nevertheless give IL my full be
lief, for know the vicinity OF our old Dutch set
Elements to have been very subject to marvellous
events and appearances. Indeed, | have heard
many stranger stories than this IN the Villages
along the Hudson, all Of which were too well au
thenticated TO admit of doubt. ] have even
talked with Rip Van Wrinkle myself. Who when
last raw him, wasa very venerable old man, and &C
perfectly rational and consistent every point
that think no conscientious person could refuse
TO take this into the bargain; nay, have seen
certificate on the subject taken before country
Justice and signed with cross, In the Justices
own handwriting. The story, therefore, Is beyond
tho possibility Of doubt"