Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1889-06-15

biiONCi anu t'iiHs. SuSttfica tfoft tffc1t
covert Of asparagus tops; mock oranges
and conch shells dccor,ted the mantel
niece; strings Of various colorcd birds
eggs were suspended above II; n great
ostrich egg was hung from the center of
tho room and "a corner cupboard, know
ingly left open, displayed immense
treasures Of old silver and well mcrslcd
china.
From tho moment 1chabod laid his
eyes upon these regions of delight tho
peace Of his mind was at an end, and his
only study was how 10 gain the affcc-
tions Of the peerless daughter of Van
Tessell. In this enterprise, however, he
had more real difficulties than generally
fell to the lot of knight errant Of yore,
who seldom had anything but giants, en-
chantcrs. fiery dragons and such like
easily conquered advcrsaries, TO contend
with. and had to make his way merely
through gates of iron and brass, and
walls Of adanant to tho castle keep,
where the lady Of his heart was confined;
all Of which he achieved as easily us O
man would carve his way 10 the center
Of u Christmas pie, and then tho lady
gave him her hand as a matter Of course.
lchabod, ON the contrary, had 10 win his
way To the heart Of q country cotuette
bcsct with labyrinth Of whims and ca
prices, which were forever present
ing new difficulties and impediments,
and he had 10 encounter a host Of
fearful adversarics Of real flesh and
blood, the numerous rustic admirers,
who beset every portal ~ her heart;
keeping watchful and angry eye upon
each other, but ready TO fly out in the
common cause against any new competi-
tor.
Among these the most formidable was
a burly, roaring, registering blado of the
name Of Abraham, or, according to the
Dutch Authorization. Brom Van Brunt,
the hero Of the country round, which
rung with his fcats of strength and har-
diliood. He was broad siouldcrcd and
double jointed, with short curly black
hair, and "a bluiT but not unpleasant
countenance, having a mingled air Of
fun and arrogance. From his Hcrculcan
frame and great powers OF limb, he had
received the nickname of Brom Bones,
by which he was universally known. Iic
was famcd for great knowledge and
skill in horgcmanship, being as dexter
ots on horseback rs a Tartar. He was
foremost at all races and cock fights,
and with the ascendancy which bodily
strength always acquires in rustic life,
was the umpire in all disputes, setting
nlS IiNI Ofl Oflff tfit anu H1NIifR HiS
sions with nm mir and tone that admitted
Of no gainsay or appeal He was always
ready for either fight or frolic; had
more mischief than Ill will in his com
positions; and with all his ovorbearing
roughness there was q strong dash Of
waDgish god humor at bottom. He had
three or four boon companions Of his
o,1, Gtamp, who regarded him as their
moicl, and at the head Of whom he
secured tho country, attending every
scene of feud or merrment for miles
round. In cold weather he was dis
tinguishcd by n fur cap, surl,ountcd
with Haunting fox's tail: and when the
folks nj u country gathering deserted this
well known crest at distance, whisli-
ing about among n squad of hard riders,
they always stood by for n squall. Some
timcs his crew would be heard dashug
along past the farm houses ut midnight,
with whoop and hallodA like n troop Of
Don Cossacks, and tho old DANES, start
le,l out Of their sleep, would listen for
moment till tho hurry scurry had clat-
tered by. and then cXclaim; "Ay, there
goes Brom Bones and his gangr The
ncighbors looked upon him with a mix
turo of awe, admiration and good will;
and when any madcap prank or rustic
brawl occurred in the vicinity, always
shook'thcir heads, and warranted liroin
Bones was at the bottom of it.
This r,ntipolc hero had for some time
singled cut the blooming Katrina for the
object of his uncouth rallantrics,
inGs were something like tho gentle
caresses and ondcarmcnts Of bear, yet
it was whispered that she did not alto
Ecthcr discourage his hopes. Certain it
Is, his advances were signals for rival
candidates tn retire, who felt no inclina-
tion to cross u lion in his amcurs: inso-
much, that when his horse was seen tied
Ia Van Tassels paling, on u Sunday
night, sure sign that bis master was
courting, or, ~ it Is termed, Sparkling"
within, all other suitors passed by in
despair, and carried the war into other
quarters.
Such was the formidable rival with
whom Ichabod Crane had To contend,
and considering all things n stoutcr man
than ho would have shrunk from tho
competition, and wiser man would
have dcspaircd. lie had, however,
happy mixture of pliabiiity and pcrse-
verance in his nature; he was in form
and spirit like n supple bodybuilding,
but tough; though he bent, he never
broke, and though he bowed beneath
the slightest pressure, yet the moment it
was nway-jcrk!--he was erect. and car
ricd his head as high IA ever.
To have taken the field openly against
his rival would have been madness; for
he was not man To bo thwartcd in his
amours any more than that stormy lover
Achilles. lchabod, therefore, made his
advances in quiet and gently insinuat-
ing manner. Under cover of his charac-
ter of singing master he made frequent
visits ut the farm house; not that he had
anything TO apprchend from the mcddlc-
some interference of parents, which is so
often a stumbling block in tho path of
lovers Bait Van Tasscl was an easy, in.
duigcnt soul; he loved his daughter better
even than his pipe, and, like u reasonable
man and an excellent father, let her have
her way in everything. Ills notable little
wife, too, had enough ~ do TO attend 10
her housekeeping and manage the roul
try; for, as she sagcly observed, ducks
and geese are foolish things and must hc
looked after, but girlB can take care of
themselves. Thus, while the busy dame
hustled about the house on piled her spin
ming wheel at one end of the piazza hon
est ialt would sit smoking his evening
Pipe at the other, watching the achieve
mCnts OF II little wooden warrior, who,
armed with a sword in each hand, was
valiantly fighting the wind on the pima
Gle of the barn, In tho mean time Icha-
bod would carry ON his suit with the
daughter 10y the side of the spring under
the great elm or sauntering along in the
twilight that hour SO favorable TO the
lovcr'a cloqucncc.
! profess not to know how womens
hearts are woocd and won. To me they
hnNn ulN,pN7a l,R,, % rt1ll, "a
admiration. Some seem to have but one
vulnerable point, or door of access;
while others have u thousand avenues,
and may bo captured in thousand diff.
fcrent ways. 1t is IA great triumph of
akill In rlin tho former hut sill n