The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-05-17

tween two towns In the Sierra Nevadas
once The distance from town to town was
only i've miles. but the road wound In and
out 10 length OF fifty. Night overlook
me- put kept on, determined TO reach my
cestlnauon by daylight. About o'clock.
as / was Jogging along, / heard hoofbeats
ahead and soon 1 ran afoul Of a man on a
Dig white mule.
Hello he said, is it much farther to
p mentioning the place had just left.)
left there six hours ago. replied
That SO? said he. I've been on the
road two days from - mentioning the
town 1 was going to). and if 1 hadn't
brought some grub along 1 reckon I'd
a-starved TO death.
: Great scottr 1 cried, you must have
No. kept up a tolerable pace but it's
these devilish, winding roads. Good night
And we parted, feeling somewhat alarmed
at the prospect OF two days journey, for
4 had no sustenance but a flask Of whisky.
took drink then and there and pushed
on IL could not have been more than an
hour before l saw that same white mule
man.
Yep I responded. This is where the
road turns back on itself
Gosh almighty. IL don't do anything
else said he. You haven't drink about
you, stranger, have you?
There was a pitiful wistfulness In his
tone that couldn't resist. We took turns
ana parted, but IL was only for an hour,
when We collided again.
Jumpin' toothachers? he cried. i
wouldn't have believed there was q winding
road like this In the world
Nor l.. 1 remarked. passing the flask.
AS rode on 1 began to feel shivery un-
Ger growing conviction that, perhaps, this
mysterious mule and its rider was some
phantom or the night on haunting purposes
pent: Strange fancies ran through my
throbbing head. / had read Of Death on
a
this wild Western land? But all these feel
ngs flew at our fourth meeting, for the man
Of curses about the winding roads that /
was convinced that he was of the earth
earthly.
PASSED WITHOUT SPEAKING.
AT the next meeting. as the flask was
empty, We tore by each other without
speaking. Just as the gray dawn was
ungeing in the east we met for the eighth
time. He refined UP his painting. reeking
animal. did the same and we had a good
look at each other. To my establishment
he was quite subdued In manner. He
leaned toward me and spoke in solemn,
hollow tones.
= Young man. did you ever hear tell Of
the Flying Dutchman?"
Il admitted that L had. and at the same
time L sized him UP carefully.
because he couldn't get around the Cape of
Good Hope that he was doomed to sail the
seas forever as judgment, hey?' he asked.
Yes. as remember. L replied. watch
ing for a chance to slide by before he got
a tantrum.
" Just so. Well, was cursing last night,
wasn't IL he inquired.
!" You used some strong language
allowed.
"'Oh, 1t was out-and-out, rip-snorting
cursing, he cried. i see it all now. For a
wa doc had oil o,,rC
these winding roads, and now the hand Of
Judgment Is on me. I'm doomed to become
the Flying Dutchman-no, L amt Dutch
l mean the Flying Phantom Of the hills.
and ride forever and ever cursing my fate.
Oh, it's frightful Judgment and he
groaned heavily.
"a i" Nonsense I assured him; jog along
and you'll get to where you're going
" No, no. he insisted, there's only one
way to undo the curse. We must both
turn and so back to where we came from
If we can get there
IT thought it best to humor him, think
ing 1 would let him turn and follow in
his wake after while. He waited until
/ started back before he would bulge.
rode on the back track a considerable dis
lance and then halted. / was about to
turn again, when what should l see charg-
opposite direction to the one he had taken
but my friend on the white mule. The
minute he saw he let out howl and
threw up his arms.
hhc" ~, nc yCilSu, hhS w i1 Oh,
I'm doomed TO be the Phantom of the Sier-
ra for ages to come. Why did 1 curse SOP
and he boohooed outright.
L didn't give him much attention, for at
that same moment / saw revealed by the
daylight a trail leading through the chap
arral to another road below, which 1 rec
ognized as the one 1 had been on original
ly. l burst out laughing.
My friend L said. pointing to the
path, we've both made a simple mistak e.
We got off the main road and have been
riding around this mountain all night
LIGHT AT LAST.
He looked, grasped the situation and
| frightened up. Then he broke out:
land I've been circulating around the
| mountain for a day and a night? Well, of
| all the - fools! I kinder thought
| that opening looked familiar when passed
| it for the eighty-eighth time yesterday.
| Anyhow I amt such - idiot as the
| fellow that laid out this race track. And
| then he dashed off with a blast of profani-
/ ty that blistered the chaparral for six feet
on each side Of him.
That's a hurried synopsis of the adven-
ture. Barnes. 1t was actual experience
and had no hesitation in giving it straight
| to those dwelling in the hills If only to i'm
press upon them the crying need for better
surveying In laying out the tangled roads
| To add 10 Its effectiveness and to prove that
was not trifiing with their credullty 1 ar
ranged for X to occupy a place in the
audience at the end OF the story to clinch
| my position by rising and saying with a
| proper display of emotion:
Ladies and gentlemen, that story may
seem incredible. but / stand here as a