The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-08-08
A QUAKER CITY LEGEND.
Tho Sleepy Hollow Tradition Gun
not Compare with tt
An Indian Cnvc ON tho wissahsckon tho
Ab<'<tc of Phantom IYOrsc1nan
Who Carried Ills Hood In
His IIunk


Many years ago, when Philadelphia
WIS yet young, and before Eairnouut
pork was brought to it's present state of
perfection, thore was n The southern
portion of Wissahickon, neur Tho river
drive, q cave, called Indinn cove, lot,y
since deserted, which was supposed at
one time to have been tho RENDEZVOUS OF
Some of these wurlilc people Various
stories Ind been whispered about tg
the nore superstitious of the people IN
the vicinity TO tho effect that O man
supposed to have bcen murdered there
long ago had been seen by several ts-
lated travellers to rise suddenly out of
the cove, mounted on o black steed, and
pursue the frightened naxrutors for O
considerable distance and then vonish
as suddenly rs it had appeared. says the
Philadelphia Times
Some distance north of this cesve there
lived o man named Richa<,l Ashly,
whose beautiful and accomplished
daughter had sutors gulo4o from all
parts Of our Quaker City. Among these
WIS man named George Royal who
did not meet with much favor In tho
eyes OF his ndorcd one, but who, never
thelees, continued to pay tho most as
siduo,ns attention to the yUung lady,
much to her displcasurc aTkl the utter
disgust OF his numerous rivals. His
most bitter opponent was John Cole
man, who openly expressed the utmost
contempt for George, and vowed to ex-
ecute whole catalogue of Tragedies if
that young gentleman did not Goose his
nightly trnnsits over Girnrd avenuc
bridge toward Nvissahicl1orL I5ut George
paid 10 attention to oil those threats,
ond every available evening found him
at tho Ashly homestead, where toining
the frceitle group he listcned to the
most extrnvagant ghost stories, among
the most Important that Of The Indian
curve few rods below the hos,eo
Eut ell this did not ubntc tho ertlor of
The young sutton, and ono particular
evening he decided to pop the ell
important question and risk The chance
OF acceptance, rs he could not possibly
endure further suspense in the matter.
When an opportunity came he blooched
the subject with es much eletnuoc ind
dcliciscy as he could muster to the Oh
jcct Of his alteration, but received
rather fat refusal from tho lady TO
ferrcd to, which so inccnsed ONT young
hero that he abruptly Left TIC house,
and, mounting his horse, immediately
started for homo. His ant,cr, however,
did not prevent him from feeling some
whit scared at some unusual noiscs
among the trees on the roadside, and
his fear Increased as he erf,poechcd the
cave
When that point was reached he saw
! y e~>lr al
some bushes near by which hooked like
largo black horse, and on it the very
Identical rider that no had often beard
Of at the Ashly house The sight mace
him fnirly sick. Ho felt each and every
hair of his head rise suddenly upward,
and very chilly sensation took pos
session of his whole being Us the up
partition came prnncing toward him.
His horse SHE'D violently and it was
with the greatest difficulty that the
nnimal could BIO in<luced to start Tor
word.
When he finally got his horse startod
at terrific gnllop he looked lack and
sow To his great consternntion the
phantom horse and rider rapidly pursu-
ing him and almost ct his heels lie
whipped up his horse in vain en-.
deavof 20 outstlip the speed Of his mys.
t-.rious purSucT and reach Philadelphia
unhnrrncd When he reached the brow
Of hill and looked buck he saw for an
Instant the figures OF horec ard rider
clearely outlined against the sky.
Horrorsi he was hcadless and carrying
his head in his hand The cold sweat
stood out On his forehead in great dros,
and lila poor horse was giving ont. II
ctuld only keep ahead, he thought,
untii reach the bridge l should then
be CT Tnt.2r1ttvely safe, for, af, it is used
TO u J:fs',i extent for travel. tho spirit,
spociz, or whatever it may lie vSuLi he
very aiH 10 disappear.
So 90 nc dashed. and tinal1pryvhcn tho
bridge was gained he turned TO see his
terrible pursucr disappear amid fire
aud birthstone, but instend The rider
raised The frightful head which be hed
carried ind aimed it directly 1T that of
our young hero. George trhsd to dodge
the blow, but 1t WIS of no usoL The
horrid missile struck him and he fell
from his horse, bodily stunned, inst ns
the phantom horse and its Stron{eo rider
dashed past him.
The next day, us George DID not put
In an appearance, his IAlnndclplia
friends started ont to hunt hi1p up and
found his horse quietly grazing ON the
roadside. near the bridge, while not fas
away lay an old crushed slunsh. oil
that was left to tell the tale. Later OF
John Coleman married Miss Ashly, ani
when people speak of the phantom TIM,
chased George Royal out OF town M
laughs imnodcratcly and his friendf
say, with wink. that he anh explain
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