The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1894-05-05

Strange tales are told of uncanny
! sights and weird sounds seen and
heard in the Businesses of the noun
tains near Woodland, Penn. Farm
ers and simple-minded woodmen are
| speaking only in whispers and in
broad daylight of an occurrence
which actually took place few
| miles from here some weeks since,
and, in consequence there is not a
| man, woman Or child who has heard
| the story who dares traverse after
nightfall the lonely road where it is
said German peddler was found with
his head broken and his pack riAed
some twenty-eight years ago. The
road has always borne the reputation
OF being haunted. but it was not until
few days ago anything more tan>i-
BILE than hearsay was the basis for
the belief.
On that night, however, the Phila-
delphia Times says, three we'll
| known young farmers, who had been
| courting in the vicinity, met about
midnight as was their habit, at the
forks of the road, and started to
walk to their homes about five miles
away. All three being Good Tenn
| plars, there is no reason to doubt
their statements of what they saw
and heard. The road leads through
dense forest for nearly mile, and
! upon either side are high hills where
a heavy growth of underbrush rem
| oers the woods impossible. A wilder
locality could scarcely be imagined.
The night was dark and chilly, but
the young men were full OF life end
spirits and made the hills re-ecnJ
with their shouts and laughter up to
the time they entered the forest
Even here they chatted and joked
about each others "girls," although
the clammy gloom seemed to
strangely affect tn cir spirits. All at
once the younger of the trio threw
: back his head and gave hearty yell,
laughingly remarking that that
would raise the dead. Scarcely had
the echoes died away ere what
seemed a responsive cry came from.
somewhere beyond in the darkness.
"What was that?" muttered tho
| elder farmer.
'Sounded like a catamount," sug-
! gested the younger.
"Nonsense," said the other lit
was only an echo" AS he spoke
the cry was repeated. From a faint,
low tone it rose to a shrill shrek of
mortal terror and anguish. Then it
broke and died away in heart-rending
groans.
The farmers huddled together and
peered panic stricken into the black
ness ahead. Then from the gloom
came the sound of heavy footsteps
rapidly approaching. Instinctively
the men sbrank to the roadside,
listening and watching i'll fascinated
horror. Again the blood curdling
shrek rose in the darkness, followed
by a coarse oath in an Indifferent
tone. Then strange spectacle oc-
Cured.
A great phosphorescent body sud-
denly appeared in the middle of the
road, moving rapidly toward the be-
holders In the center was the figure
! of German peddler bending under
the weight of his pack, his livid
countenance expressive of the most
agonizing fear fancy can conjure. He
was striving to run, even while his
, features betokened the utter hope
| lessness of the endeavor to escape
from the pursuer, a great, burly ruff
fan, armed with club AS the un-
canny vision approached the terrify-
ing scream Of anguish again burst
from the peddler's lips, while before
their affrlghted gaze the farmers saw
the villain bring down his club with
! killing force upon the victims head.
The peddler tumbled to the ground.
his pack rolling heavily toward the
ditch.
Then from above, beneath, before
and behind burst forth a chorus of
demoniac shrieks, groans and wild
laughter, while upon the road lay
the body of the peddler, and crouch
ing over him his murderer rifed his
pockets. The illumination grew
stronger, blue flames played around
the pair, and the fumes of sulphur
half choked the terrified beholders.
The flames changed into a fierce
blaze, and the youths experienced an
Irresistible desire to throw them
selves into the center of the fire.
Speeches. with unnamable fear,
they felt themselves drawing closer,
closer to the unholy spot.
''Oh, Cod" gasped the elder in an
almost inarticulate whisper. At the
word, the spectacle, the yells, the
groans and the hideous laughter
ceased as suddenly as electric lights
go out at the pressing of button.
That is all The young men reached
a farmhouse somehow and spent the
remainder of the night in sleepless
terror.
What was it? That is just what
every one is asking with bated breath
and frightened look.
I'd lske to marry Miss Byllion on