Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1894-03-09
miscellaneous.
THE WOODS GHOST.

Possibly General Fawnclitie was &C.
centric because he could not help it, but
it is more probable that he did things in
manner entirely different from any
body else because he wanted to be odd
and wanted to make sensation. He
was wealthy man, and therefore he
could do very nearly as he liked. He
was naughty, overbearing and irritable.
always thought that if he had been the
Gar of Russia or the Shah of Persia he
would have played his new role very
well. He had built fine house on the
banks of the Delaware, and at the verge
OF the Block woods, of which he was the
owner. He was not more than 45 years
old and appeared to be entirely alone 10
the world at any rate, no one in Block
vile ever heard that he had any rela-
tions.
At the time of which write | was a
young fellow of sixteen, of no sort of
consequence whatever, and my name
was, but is not now, Pardon Sash wood,
though mother and every body else called
me Pardy. My mother was dress
maker in the town and did big bust
ness She never said anything about
my father, and did not know anything
about him, and | concluded that he had
been hanged. or otherwise nipped in the
bud, and / did not press my inquiries in
regard to him | was regular resi-
dent in Block Hall, as General Fawn-
cliie called his elegant mansion, and
my FIRST duty is to explain how | hap
pened to be dweller beneath its prince
" roof. | was very find of fishing, aud
my mother was very fond of eating fish,
for | caught very nice ones in the river.
One day sat upon rock that projected
out into the stream just below the gen.
erals mansion Above me was a sapdy
beach, and while sat there the general
drove down upon it 10 his buggy, with
q spirited horse. wondered what he
was doing there with such turnout
The horse was full of spirit, and the
choleric driver seemed to be well sup
piled with spirits, though of the artif-
cial sort. The animal pranced and
capered on the sand, and did not APP
pear to have learned that his master
was as impatient as he was eccentric.
The horse had way of his own, aud so
had the general, and as the two ways
did not run in the same direction IL
created an unpleasantness between them.
At last the driver used his whip without
the exercise of much discretion, and the
| .roakaI ht.nanIf in 1,,
cided manner. Then | decided that he
was trying to drive the horse into the
water, where he was unwilling to go
But the general got the best of it in the
end and drove the obstinate creature
straight into the river, as though he in
tended to cross to the other side. la q
few moments the animal bad to swim,
but he struck out bravely, the general
applying the lash all the time in fact,
be seemed to be whipping him for his
own satisfaction, now that the brute had
yielded the point
In another moment the buggy, which
appeared to be floating, suddenly top
pled over and spilled the occupant into
the river. He lost his hold upon it,
and then | saw that he could not swim.
The horse took circle around the
spot and swan eisurely to the shore,
dragging the buggy after him just
below the rock on which | was seated
was bateau, and | lost no time 10
rushing to it had some skill in the
use of the paddle, and | soon reached
the general, who was Aoundering about
in the water like grounded whale.
He was large man, and | saw that it
would be impossible to get him into the
boat asked him TO take hold of the
stern to support himself while pad
died to the beach. He used explosives
and insisted upon getting into the boat
| told him | would leave him TO his fate
if he did not do as | directed. The
threat carried him, and he held on TO
the boat till bis feet touched the bottom
II will kill that horse y he exclaimed
when he reached the beach and had re-
covered bis breath. "He is the ugliest
brute ever drove"
ole is not so much Of brute as you
are, general" | replied. "You acted
like heather when you whipped him,
and had half mind to let you drown
He looked at me in astonishment
Perhaps he thought had earned tho
right to speak my mind, but whether
had or not expressed myself as plain
ly az though | had been the general and
be had been Pardy Sashwood. Doubt
less it was new thing for any one Il
speak up" to him.
''Boy, / want you to come and liv
with nc" he said, and I was amaze
then.
81 wont do it," replied. II woul
; not live under the same roof with sue
porcupine as you are for all you
F, money
, He actually leased me, and BE- ca
pressed his obligations to me very band