CanÌƒon City record. [volume] (CanÌƒon City, Colo.) 1883-192?, 1903-05-28


think this spot is clearly discernible
from the Antlers' Hotel in Colorado
Springs). when began to perceive .
peculiar odor, faint and inoonstant. on
the fresh air. It was vague. and !
think should not have noticed it only
that my horse began to snin and
prick up his ears and shake his head,
as you may have observed . horse
always will on approaching 3 dead
CARCASS.
Now there is as much character in
smells as colors. This was faint, too
faint indeed to be distinct, but it
seemed to me to possess q trace of
that peculiar sickening smell Of the
human cadaver.
Do not imagine that this occasioned
me any nervousness. had too lately
been in the army and slept among the
dead to feel any timidiiy. Indeed. so
far from making me think OF the spook
stories, il caused me to forget them.
in thinking if any person could be
lying dead around there, or any grave
exposed by the coyotes.
My horse became more and more
demonstrative. and at lat nearly
threw me from the saddle by suddenly
shying. When came TO look 1 saw
that strange horse had just parsed us
and was making on at long steady,
even stride, toward the mouth Of the
canon.
At the first glance merely supposed
it to be one of the numerous horses on
the range that had stayed into the
road. bur the next view showed that
it wore saddle and bride. Swiftly
concluding that the horse had either
cast his rider back distance OF
broken from its hitching. 1 spurreo
my own animal to overtAke and stop it.
But my horse refused TO approach it..
aud noticed for the first time that
ny poor beast WAS trembling with
terror.
The spook stories had not occurred to
me In connection with this little
episode. II had thought of il at all,
1 should have expected to see spook
taking ON a white and ghastly aspect
instead of which this horse had LAS
far as might be perceived in the dim
twilight) the common bay color.
Unable to urge my animal forward
to over take the other, rprang to the
ground. took the lsriat from the
horn Of my saddle and hastily stalking
my own beast by the roadside, run
forward to stop the other. l under
took to get nhead Of him. lest he
should take to his heels and run away.
but a. l approached perceived now
for the first time that large dog
was truging wearily along at his heels.
Even this suggested nothing to my
mind the hobgoblin stories.
Understand. had been almost con-
stsntly for severa' years through
scenes that rendered this inciden,, so
far, very natural to my experience.
But the next instance the whole aspect
OF the affair was changed. As 1
passed the animal the light shone ont
. little from the clouds, and looking
toward the horse saw the bushes be.
yond him--saw straight through his
body, understand.
my God" said to myself putting
my hands to my eyes. "it is the phan.
tom horsei"
For one instant was overcome
not with fright (st least think not),
but with amazement. That was
much moved will not deny. I even
felt my hair lifting my hat; but after
the first instant my GOODNESS returned.
The horse and dog strode on, stop.
ping when they came 10 the mouth of
the canon as il undecided. and then
turning up the trail that lead to the
deserted cabin.
could see the horses heels through
the dogs body.
One was a. much . phantom ~ the