The Bessemer indicator., 1893-06-10
ST SURELY SAW SATAN.
IF HE DID NOT. WHAT WAS 1T
THAT HE DID SEE.
Asd He Had Nothing with Him In the
Sleigh for Protection Except the
Cider jug, and That Was
no Protection at All.

Cider jug, and That Was
no Protection at All.
81 Smithson gathered up his varied
purchases and conveyed them to his
sleigh, which was hitched in front of
the general store. The biting air OF
the mountains caused even the hardy
farmer to shiver, and he hurried back
to the alluring warmth of the big,
red-hot, cast-iron stove.
BETTER be keerful along there by
Kirby's place." calculated the occu-
pant of the wood box. Jake Jones
nearly upset there yesterday, an he
swars he seen light in that old coal
mine whar no man has ventured since
All White and jackson Sharp was
killed ten years ago."
scornfully. ~ amt afeared OF no
spooks, an If live people will let me
alone, I'll risk the dead uns.
81 felt the force of the idlers' re-
marks about travelling that night be-
fore he fairly got started upon his re-
turn journey, says the Philadelphia
Times. Although scarcely o'clock
the darkness was intense and except
ing the CHEEKY CLEAN from the store
windows, not light was visible.
This did not of itself cause any feel
ing of discomfort to the farmer, for
Nance knew the way home as he had
boasted, but the unpleasantness OF
the bitter cold wind which penetrated
under the buffalo robes and cougenled
the moisture upon his moustache was
far from alleviated by the pitehy
night. To elevate his spirits he took
long pull at the cider jug. The old
marc started off nimbly enough and
covered the first few miles in good
style. "Guess I'm about the only
critter out tonight on the road" he
remarked half aloud.
He had scarcely come TO this con
clusion when the sound OF distant
sleigh bells reached his ears Gee
whillikins." he murmured. ..wondcr
who that can be?" The tlnkle of the
bells momentarily grew louder. and
it was evident the unknown driver
was forcing his team to the utmost
| speed. 81. with the caution born OF
years, turned old Nance to the side OF
the highway and stopped in order to
| give the reckless driver ample room,
improving the opportunity to again
sample the contents OF the cider Jug.
Nearer and nearer the bells sounded,
and then with a gust and a swirl OF
wind something dashed past which
in the darkness appeared to be a
black sleigh drawn by pair of Jet
black horses. 81 could not distin-
guish the form of the driver, who
was evidently bundled up to the neck
in robes and blankets. "Well, I'll
be burned If | want to drive like
that unless I'm q plagued sight more
sure of the road than am tonight, /"
was Sis thought as he urged his
horse forward. Again he sought
comfort in the hard cider
Cogitating over the possible rea-
sons which caused the stranger to bs
abroad such n night, 81 did not notice
that he had reached the top of the
hill above Kirby's place, whose
house. long since deserted. stood be-
low in tho hollow. The road made a
very steep descent here, and even in
| daylight considerable skill was nee
essary when two teams met in order
to avoid an accident. "Guess |
won't meet anybody here tonight, -
thought 81, rousing himself and peer
ing somewhat auxiously ahead The
old mare began picking her way
cautiously down the slope, and had
gone about half way, when ST was
Mortified to hear the jingle of sleie h
bells ahead. mingled with tine thud of
horses hoofs, apparently coming at a
gallop up the steep hillside. 1t
was impossible to turn aside, and
ST yelled Justify to the oncomer to
stop. Almost before he could shout,
however. the same mysterious turn
out he had seen before loomed UP in
the darkness directly in front, and
just as the farmer braced himself for
tho shock which he saw was newt
able the black horses. sleigh and
occupant glided forward directly
through his own conveyance, which
| afforded no more resistance than if
one or the other had been but thin
| air, and continued the mad journey.
When 81 came to himself old Nance
was standing impatiently at the sta
bio door waiting to be embarrassed
and the hired man was peering out
of window of the farm house. To
this day 81 stoutly AYERS it was his
Satanic majesty he encountered on
the lonely road that night, an opin-
ion, however, not altogether con-
CURED in by his family, whose doubt
is partly influenced by the empty
cider jug found in the sleigh the
next morning.