The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1897-11-18
LEGEND OF THE AU SABLE.
Horseman Crossed the Chnsm at
Night on "a Single StrinEer.

AdiroAdacks present an infinite varie-
ty. The region abounds in lakes, large
and small, surrounded by mountains
or eAGbowered in forests; and the rivers
which find their way between the
mountains seem, in some places, to
have cut their way through, leaving the
sheer precipices on either hand to mark
their pathway. The most famous of
these gorges is the Au Sable chasm,
which is not far from where the Au
Sable river flows into Lake Champaign.
The galleries, caves and castellated
columns attract thousands of tourists
yearly; but 70 years ago it was com
paratively unknown. In those early
days the precipitous cliffs were spanned
by o wooden bridge, over which tne
farmers had to pass on their way to
Au Sable Forks. The bottom of the
chasm at this point was sheer descent
of 1875 feet In those early days the
pioneers were not skilled in the art of
bridge building; and so one night,
when a fierce storm Numbered through
the mountains, the bridge was swept
/ NV d1 Win lhC NNNS BtiCi " IN H'N''''
stringer beam of about IS inches
square The bridge was never rebuilt,
and another road to the little village
| Of Au Sable Forks was utilized. The
Did stringer, however, still stretched
across the cliffs above the Au Sable
| chasm.
One pitch-black night, about ten
| bnI dom al
ished the bridge, stranger drew up
his horse in front of the tavern at Au
Sable Forks 1t was about ten clock
and the tap-room was well-tilled with
villagers, drinking, smoking and play
NO cards The entrance of a stranger
caused the usual commOtiOn, ard as he
sat in one corner eating hastily pre-
pared supper he was the cynosure of all
eyes. After the meal the host. as was
the custom, engaged the stranger in
conversation.
Dark, nasty night outside, SIR
Eyes, pretty black
Have any trouble in finding your
way?"
"Oh, no; l used to live in this neigh.
borhood 20 years ago"
80? Well. you'll find things pretty
well changed since you left"
Yes, l expect SO; the old bridge is
still standing, though; and | am glac
of that, for helped to build it."
THE old bridge" questioned thu
tavern keeper, and everyone in the room
looked up in aJnaz, ment
why. yes" rcjoiued the stranger
1.-THE bridge across The chasm down thu
road a half-mile.'
What! are you crazy?" shouted TIL
host. There is no bridge across tn
Au Sable; there has been no bridg
there for the past ten years.
But you are mistaken, my friend;
rode my horse across it not three-quar
tiers of an hour ago"
Impossible, sir; | tell you that tn
! bridge blew down ten years ago"
again l tell you, my friend, that
rode across it this very night" was tn
imperturable answer. 1T was too dar
for me to see, but | heard the clatter c
my horses feet on the planking, an
the noise of the water in the chasm bt
low
The argument waXed warmer an
, warmer until the stranger said tina
they would wait until the next morr
! ing, when it could easily be settled
. there was a bridge or not. He made
, wager with the landlord that it w;
= still standing across the chasm.
I'M
>. and child in Au Sable Forks was at IL
: chasm. Sure enough, in the soft san
. of the road there were footprints of
horse. and the trail led from the string,
! across the chasm up to the tavern pore
}, One young daredevil walked across Il
narrow stringer and made a startlir
F." discovery.
J., There was a similar trail on the 9th,
q side!
4 The stranger had told the truth.
4 the darkness of the night his horse HI
/ crossed the chasm on single beam.
10 But that is not the strangest part
n the story When that forenoon Il
N stranger rode down to the Au Sab
Il chasm to settle his wager with t
&c keeper of the tavern and he saw t
. perlous path over which he had ira
eled the night before, it is said that
was stricken with a trembling tn
never left his limbs until death, al
p that within the space of 60 seconds
Id hair turned from jet black to the col
a. of the driven snow.-Chicago Time
r, Herald.