New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-07-24
THE BLACK DOG.
A NIGHT OF SPECTRAL TERROR

Four watcr-soalSed men made their difficult WAYS
,hrouoh the drenched forest The little man
tanned and shook an angry finger at where NIGHT
was .tealthilv following them. Cursed he fate
and her children and her childrens children, We
are everasingly LOST" he cried. The painting
PROCESSION halted under some dripping, dropping
bemlocks and swcre in wrathfu ACCOMPLISHMENTS
1T will rain for forty days and forty nights,
.aid the pudgy man, moaningly, land feel like
wet loaf of bread, now. We shall never find
mr way out of this wilderness until am made
into porridge.'
In desperation, they started again to drag their
ustless bodies through the watery bushes. After
time. the clouds withdrew from above them and
treat winds from concealment and went
sweeping and swirling among the trees. Night also
came very near and menaced the wanderers with
darkness The little man had determination in his
legs lie scrambled among the thickets and made
desperate attempts TO find path road AS he
climbed hiock. he espied a small clearing upon
which sat desolation and venerable house. wept
over by wind-waved pines.
"Ho' he cried, >" here's house.
His companions struggled painfully after him
rs he fought the thickcts between him and the
cabin. At their approach, the wind frcnziedy
opposed them and slrled madly in the trees
The little man boldly confronted the weird ganccs
door score of timbcrs answered with creams
and. within, something fell to the floor with
clang.
"Ho" said the little man. He stepped back
few PAGES.
Somebody in a distant part started and walked
across the floor toward the door with an omlnous
step sate-colorcd man appeared. lie was
dressed in ragged shirt and trousers. the latter
stuffed into his boots. Large tears were falling
from his eyes
~How.d-do. my friend ~ said the little man.
afaby.
My OF uncle, jim Crocker, he's sick ter death,
repliel the slate-colored person.
lilo" said the little man. Is that so? ?"
The latters clothing chung desperately to him
and water sogged in his boots. lie stood patiently
on one foot for time.
Can you put us up here until tomorrow he
askel finally.
YES said the sate-colored man.
The party passed into a little unwashed room,
Inhabited by stove, stairway few precarlouS
chairs and misshaPen table.
IN fry yer some po'k and make yer some coi-
fee" said the slate-colored man TO his guests
Go ahead, old boy" cried the little man cheer
fully from where he sat on the table, smoking his
pipe and dangling his legs.
My OIL uncle Jim Croker, he's sick ter death,
said the slate-colOred man.
Think he'll die - asked the pudgy man, gently.
mo-"
MOP"
"He won't die He's an OF man, but he
won't die, viii The black dorg hain't been around
yitl" ,.
The black dog?" said the little man, feebly'
lie struggled with himself for moment
What's the black dog?" he asked at last
Hes sperrit," said the slate-coored man in
voice Of sombre hue.
"Oh he is? Wel?7
"He hants these parts, he does, an when people
are gon' 70 die he comes and sets and h'wls
"Ho" said the little man. lie looked out OF the
window and saw night making million shadows
The little man moved his legs nervously.
81 don't believe in these things" said he. adj
dressing the slatc-colored man, who was scuiiinS
with side of pork
"Wot tbines?s came ncoherently from the com
blatant.
"Oh. these-er-phontoms and ghosts and what
not All rot, say.
That's because YOU have merely stomach anu
no soul, grunted the pudgy man. -,
"Uo. OIL pulekirs.@ replied the little man. Ills
hack curved with passion. tempest OF wrath
was in the pudgy mans eve lhc hnai epi'n''
used By the lit man was carefully-studied III
suit ALWAYS brought forth at a crisis. They quar-
relied
"All right pudgkins, bring on your phantom
cried the little man in conclusion
His stont companion's wrath was too huge Tor
words The little man smiled triumphahty' lie
had staked his opponents reputation
Tho visitors sat silent The slatc-colored man
moved about in small personal atmosphere OF
gloom. ,....
crddenlv a strange cry came TO their ears from
somewhere. 1t was a low trembling call when
made tbe little man'quake privately in his shoes.
Tho slate coored man bounded at the So lrway, anu
disappeared with fash Of legs through hoic III
Tho ceiling. The party below heard TWO voices
in conversation one belonging to the sla'e-coloicu
man and the other in the quivcrlng tones OF age
Directly the slate-cOlored man reapreared rom
above and said: The OF man is took oao lot
his supper .,.o.
lie hurredly prepared mixture with not water
salt and beef Becf-tea, it might be called nc
d,sapncarcd again. Once more the party peIo"
heard vaguely, talking over their heauS' i"'
voice of age arose 10 shrek
"Open the window, fool! DO you thlhK L can
live in ten smell Of your soup
Nnt,erings by the slate-colored man ana 'he
creaking Of a window were heard
Tho slatecolored man stumbled down the stairs,
and said with intense gloom Inc piach oo's u
be along soon" 1850
The little man started, and the pudgy man
sneered at him. They ate supper ana ,'e" 90.
waiting. The pudgy man listened so palpaoly 'ns'
the little man wished to kill him. me w woo,
fire became excited and suffered franticaly with
out a thousand spirits Of the winds had oTco,no
entanrled in the pine branches ana were io"iS
pleading TO be loosened The siate-coiore' man
tiptoed across the room and lit timid can'Ho'
The men sat waiting. u
The phantom dog lay cuddled 10 rouh' 'u'D, ,
asleep down the roadway against ,ne "'""'' had