The Midland express., 1893-03-03
A GhOstly ApI arition Which
Appears in Nebraska
WEIRD STORY OF THE TLAINs
A R'd riess Horse Each Nj. ht Wai..
irg in .Pstence for It's lcng
list Master.

ars on the Union Pacific trains have
oct asionally seen what IS known 10
the ItoIle cf that section as tle
/ hantom horse" Not the mirage
n )r the appears of water In, the dry
arroyos ofNew Mexico nor any illus
ion you haze ever seen Is 50 realistic
as tbs o:se gl.Ost. It;p; carr al
ways on the south side of the rail-
road at the extreme point of vision
where tire heavens and earth seem
to meet, and your first impression
is astonishn eat ut seeing a horse,
life size, distinct and natural so far
away Theh you wonder wheather
1t IL standing on the earth or OUT
lined upon the sky, and before you
can decide the question 1t has YAM
ished or you have passed the point
OF view. / do not attempt to ex-
plain this phenomenon, but describe
the phantom rs saw 1t and give
the story ,as heard It..
Some years ar before that gre at
overland route, the Cn.on Pacific
railway, was construct.sd, ut q time
when the whoop Of the Indian, the
below Of the buffalo and the Eowl
Of the coyote were not uncommon
sounds on the prairies of Nebraska.
handsome, cultured man riding
La well-brcd horse and evidently
fresh from the states, accompanied
by one of those famila- characters
Of the West, of brohxed and swarthy,
complexion, wearing a somhrero and
riding a. bronth, left the main trail
and turned in the direction of the
Platte. Within half an hoor they
reind In their horses on the mort
bank Of that mighty stream Of sand.
The. river appeared then as II does.
to day, a mile or more in width,
struggling streams of shallow wa ter
and numerous islands Of sand. For
few moments they gazed upon
the south bank, then earnestly de-
bated the que tlon Of crossing. There
was q difference Of opinion, but the
matter was soon settled by the hand
some stranger riding straiglltway
into the bed. Of the river. At first
everything seell.ei &c :.voT his de-
cisiOn, and he had proceeded half
way across. The others ventured
to follow him and was f1fty yards
from the band " hen he noticed the
tracks In the sand made by the
first horse and filed with water.
He called loudly to his companion
and turned back to the shore. Then
warning word was; given too late.
The horse was struggling in sand
and water to the depth OF tie saddle
skirts.
At this moment his rider stood
erect and leap upon an island OF
white, dry sand. He landed upon
his feet, but was ankle Cetp In the
"a few sleeps toward and the sand
was TO his knees. One desperate
struggle he made to bring himself
upon the surface Tut the effort car
ried him waist deep. He seemed
then to realized his terrible posi-
tion, and lifting up his voice gave
message to his horror-stricken
companion, striving by wtr..s ard
gesture to make him comprehend
It, but without success. The creep
ins: :dious, devOuring sand was now
to his shoulders. He had taken from
the lnsid pocket Of Ii cOart what
seemed to be package Of papers,
and holding II above his head was
evidently trying to impress upon
his companion the iml ortance Of
the ir preservation, but his voice was
silenced by the cruil sand Is his
throat. A moment mere and 1t was
closed over his head entcmbed a
live I'm that far away, GesOlate spot,
and the island of sand presented
the same smoOth, dry and apparent
ly Arm surface. A small damp spot
and near 1t package. OF papers
was all to indicate that Lut mo-
| IIl0ut UClVAC hGA
engulfed u human being. The man
upon the bank, transfixed by the
fascila ton of horror. gazed at the
spot he knew not how long.
As he turreI away from the weird
mysterious river he saw short dis
tance down the stream = Ill ess
horse still struggling v ith said and
water. Back he rode to the main
trail and esa tward on the trial to
the first settlement, There he told
the story Of the nan lost In the
sand. He was himself, one Of those
hardy spirits Of the plains who as
guide or sc, ut WAS ready for any
enterprise that promised adventure
and lfe in the open air. He knew