Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1899-11-30
THE PHANTOM HORSE

wv Party in knickerbockers and eel
stockings, 4 would never hay,
put you down a. a believer in spooks"
What do you call spooks, young man =
asked the Major, in a eisurely wsv
"A Epook, drawled the doctor OF Ia,
party, may be defined a. something AT n,
bottom Of happening that never hap
pened."
That's funny enough, said the major
"and, Of course, it lets me out. don't be
lieve in the existence OF anything at The bot
tom Of nothing"
Il thought not. 4" said number one. you
don't look like a naturally timid man. OF
course. ! know that naturally timid people
often make the best soldiers"
And what has timidity to do with il
said the major
We'll, it's generally these nervous trem.
nlous folks who persuade themselves they
have seen-what-youmay -eall-'em, ian /
itg
"Is itf" said the major "H'm-well. since
you don't think me an easily frightened and
tremulous person. perhaps you may be the
more ready to believe what can tell you,
J and"
Go on, majorl" was the general chorus.
VERY well. then. As you all know, ride
wheel now on al occasions when a wheel is
possible. Time was when | looked down
upon bicycles-looked down on them from
the back OF fine, bonny gray, about 10
hands, beast that would take me four
miles In half an hour at an easy fox trot or
carry me straight scross the country at
gAllop, without stopping to 40 much a. wink
at any ditch or fence that might occur on the
way.
Now. about that fox trot Of Ciuiskeen's
he was an Irish horse, with an Irish name
there was q certain individuality which I
learned by ear after few months Just a.
you learn 10 know familiar tune. n / had
lent Crliskcen 10 any Of you. for instance,
aud you were bringing home a party Of
horseback riders. could instantly have Dis
tinguished Cruiskeen's trot among aI the
others. Now / want you 20 p particular
attention 90 that point
Well one day was out We.t then
was riding Cuskeeu along 4 81, ~ freshly
made macadamized road. just a. good and
bard q BIT Il road a. that / supernteuded
myself u was about ten O'Clock 10 the
morning and the sun was terribly hot
Just - | got % a Clump Of young arches
that had been planted along the road abs.lt
two year before. | heard horse coming
along the r1ad-coming toward me Cruis.
keen bad been a. walk. but when heard
the hoofbeat Of the other horse ] spurred
up, just out Of curiosity, for there were few
people about there who owned horses. aud
knew all Of them.
80 here was Jfuiskeen trotting on 10.
ward the north veil say. and this other
horse was eantering easily from the north.
southwark. ought 10 have met the man on
horseback In about a minute
"But a. We turned the corner by tie
ciump Of larches J sss very much surprised
10 see-nothing
There wasn't sigu Of man or beasi any.
where on the road
AZ The same time the easy canter turned |
into a trot
Echo, q course. the doctor suggested.
Doctor. said the major. sadly. did you |
hear me ay | could swear 10 Cuiskeeus
trot anywhere' or were you asleep when I /
sad that And vas the canter also the /
echo q Cruiskeen's troti
well. lei me fni.h. While | was won 4
deuug ~ the straugeness oi the thing 4
knowing there was no other road where q 4
horses trut would sound ike that within
leasnes eraisseen suddenly shed tooneside
Of the road, and shird 90 violently a. 70
throw me clear out 81 the saddle
Luckily | was not seriously hurt, only
little bruised. And Cuiskceu being good.
liectionate beast, would not gaIlop away
iud leave me. lie wanted 10, poor fellow
III was looking away along the road IN the
Z rectinu be had come from nefghina viz /
emily, with his ewes staring ! never saw
quafruped such q picture o. fright IN al
ny HE
As coon a. ! could get my senses to
fether ! could dis inctly hear the invisible
lone trotting sway. Il had passed on, and
he hootbeats were growing fainter and
ainter /"
you see, said the young man who had