Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1889-06-22

these parta, was doubtless owing to the
Of Sleepy Hollow. There was q
In the very air that blew from
that haunted region; 10 breathcd forth
an atmosphere OF dreams and fancics In
fecting all the land. Several Of the
Sleepy Hollow people were present at
Van Tassel's, and, as usual, were doing
out their I'D 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 tho 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 a storm, having perished there in
the snow. The chief part Of the stories,
turned upon the favorite spec
ter Of Sleepy Hollow, the headless horse
man, who had been heard several times
of late, patroling tho country; and, 1t Is
said, tethered his horse nightly among
the graves In the churchyard.
The sequcstered situation of this church
seems always to have made It favorite
haunt Of troubled spirits. II stands on
a knoll, surrounded by locust trees and
lofty elms, from among which Its do
cent, whitewashed walls shine modcstly
forth, like Christian purity, bcaming
through tho shades Of retirement. A
gentle slope descends from 1t to n
silver sheet Of water. bordered by
high trees, between which peeps may
bc caught at the blue hills OF the Hud
son. To look upon this grass grown
yard, where the sunbeams seem to sleep
SO quietly, one wonld think that there at
least the dead might rest In peace. On
one side Of the church extends wide
woody dell, along which raves large
brook among broken rocks and trunks OF
fallen trees. Over deep black part OF
the stream, not far from the church, was
formerly thrown a wooden bridge; the
road that led to 1t, and the bridge itself
were thickly shaded by overhanging
trees, which cast a gloom about II, even
IN the day time; but occasioned fearful
darkness ut night. Such was ono OF tho
favoritc haunts OF the headless horse
man, and the place where he was most
frequently encountered. The tale was
told Of old Brouwer, most heret'cal dis
believer in ghosts, how he met the horse
man returning from his foray into
Sleepy Hollow, and was obliged to get
up behind him; how they galloped over
bush and brake, over hill and swamp,
until they reached the bridge, when tho
horscman suddenly turned into q sksl-
eton, threw old Brouwer into the brook,
and sprang away over tho tree tops with
q clap of thunder.
This story was Immediately matched
by thrice marvellous adventure OF
Brom Bones, who made light of the gal
loping Hessian as an arrant jockey. He
affirmed that on returning one night
from the neighboring village Of Sing
Sing he had been overtaken by this mid
night trooper; that he offered TO race
with him for bowl Of punch, and
should have won 1t too, for Daredevil
beat the goblin horse all hollow, but Just
Hessian bolted and vanished in flash of
fire.
All these tales, told in that drowsy
undertone with which men talk In the
dark, the couptenances Of the listeners
only now and then receiving q casual
CLEAN from the glaro Of a pipe, sunk
deep in tho mind Of Ichabod. He re-
paid them in kind with large extracts
from his invaluable author, Cotton
Mather, and added many marvellous
events that had taken place In his native
state of Connecticut, and fearful sights
which he had seen in his nightly walks
about Sleepy Hollow.
The revel now gradually broke up.
Tho old farmers gathered together their
families in their wagons, and were heard
for some time rattling along the hollow
roads, and over tho distant hills. Some
OF tho damsels mounted on piliions be-
hind their favorite swains, and their light
hearted laughter, mingling with the clat-
ter Of hoofs, echoed along the silent wood
lands. sounding fainter and fainter, until
they gradually died aw2y-and the late
scene Of noise and frolio was all silent
and deserted. Ichabod only fingered be-
hind, according to the custom Of country
lovers, to have a tete-a-tete with the heir
the high road to success. What passed at
this Interview l will not pretend to say,
for in fact I do not know. Something,
however, fear me, must have gono
wrong. for he certainly sailed forth,
,;. ter I,y o nefy se' sJ oiaura,nn W on q" ,hnaa 49,,
I,i,n,o,,, Io ti'aSo n,nn,ant Gon,a th.t n;ri
Iara hoon niav;nS on apy ~ her coo,5ot.
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us .iSi a., 80. ,oSao wa n ou = ,,avo ahens
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US, " soIuo @ ood ny T, iat I :. s,'a,oa - s",, I.
Jiiy ~ vs., o sr.i, ,'.;,,, ,na -; 20 oS, &
who had hean sackinp "A henroost rather
.S.n Mno atu e. iaan,a haa,t IWitIn,,. III
;ma .h a. 'a, M 'I s;yht nr lar. ~ nnt;oa ,ho
.nSno W % rai m.oItb nn ,h;nI ho hnI
90 1 nSton ~ rlaatad Sa vent ~ stra;~bt 10 % tba
St,bia and viii sayeroi hearty cuffs and
S;rIs % rn,,sed i" @ liz stead ~ mnSt nncourt. %
nauaiy frnn, tho confo,tahIa n,,arters in
.ah;nl, Lo ,ras so,,ndJu sioon;pnr Jraa,n' ~
W. 20 ,o,,mta;ns @ % % corr opd oots anI
HhS " 80 ' ~
II was tho yery witching time of NIGHT
.,at Icb ahod L.owv haa,ssd a,,G crosts
fa;ior is n,,rGa,sd h;s travel bomavnrJs
aion" tha siIes ~ the Ioftv hills which r;ss
"hnH. ~ ',S,,r,, Tn,,,, onI ,,,L;c,, La haJ
tnauarSad ~ cbaor;iu IN tba nftornan,, $50
,rSa honr ,So. os J;sn9,i nc h;msels r.,
haIo,u him 10 Tannaan Zen snrood n,
husky anI ;ndistinct waste ~ waters