Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1905-05-12
Md. FRIDAY. MAY l2. 1905.
THE CRIES OF SILENT NIGHT.
HOW A WHOLE NEIGHBOR-
HOOD WAS ALARMED.
A Wild Creature Which Struck
Terror to Those Who
Huddled Close to
Shelter.

From Millersville to the edge of An
napolis, from the Severn to the South
river, on highway and byway and in
the dark recesses of the tall timber
there has been thought TO exist for the
past few week a terrible creature.
la the stiffness and quiet of night,
when the chicken had gone TO roost
and even the whippoorwill has ceased
its rstaccato repetition, horrible, un-
earthly aud rest disturbing sounds
we're heard.
Now in one part of the neighborhood
and then in another the cries were
heard. They echoed and re-echoed,
reverberated and resounded throughout
the land aud struck terror to the timid
minded Then belated pedestrians,
passing through fields for short cut
beheld some large creature. They de-
scribed it as tall and gaunt, moving
in long, quick jumns. About its head
seemed to be a mass of flame. To
many of the eolored residents 1T seem
ed TO breath fire As it ran it gave
vent to terrible cries and the spectator
fled in fright
Nothing in the philosophy of Horatio
could fix the nature of the cry given
by the strange beast A muffied roar,
/
pressed thunder was the best descrip.
tion which could / q given. Then per-
sons driving along the road were pitch
ed forward in their vehicles by the
sudden stoppage of the horse they were
driving, owing 10 the animal crossing
the road ahead of them in one great
bound. In some of the tracks of the
animal was found blood that had APP
narently flowed from lacerated feet.
No one had the hardihood to venture
TO trail the animal and any dog tn at
yentured in the neighborhood fled
from the spot, searching his soul for
sounds TO tell how scared he was.
For days the terrible manifestations
kept up and scarcely had darkness en-
shrouded many a cabin remote from
the road than lights were extinguish-
ed. doors securely barred and the
trembling inmates snuggled beneath
weight of blankets, where they lay
like a hugo bowl of disturbed jelly.
Should tho terrible beast pass within
near distance Of the cabin ejacula-
tions fer mercy fell from lips that but
"A short time before, in the bravery OF
light and sunshine. had been boasting
of what would be done did the animal
but happen that way. The hound of
the BaskarviIles, the death hounds of
Ayesha or the keen scented Siberian
bloodhound. which in days gone by
had struck terror to many, conld not
have caused more fear than did this
strange animal. A man. eating tiger.
a laughing hyena or the reincarnated
badness of some departed sinner seem
ed to be incorporated in the one beast.
Night services in some of the colored
churches had slim attendance &pd
when the shouters. loud in their PAD |ns
of praise while within the wallY OF
the church, reached the outside, they
moved silently along in groups and
cared not to venture through the
woods, though the highway was much
longer. But. like Banquo's ghost,
the mystery was laid.
Last night the animal happened in
the neighborhood of South river. Civ
ing voice to its woes but in less vol
ume and III striking contrast to their
strength when the animal was first
heard. Mr.. Thomas Barrow, six foot
high and some broad, heard the cries
and decided to investigate even though
he was eaten up and rechewed by a
ruminating carnivora. Back to the
deep woods from whence came the
cries he moved cautiously and dollars
TO doughnuts have been wagered that
many times he wished himself back
again. The neon had not vet had an
opportunity of showing that good stuff
of which it is made and walking was
difficult At last Mr.. Barrow reached
a small fringe -of underbrush, behind
which the strange creature was ap-
parently engaged in some desperate
combat. With "tree stick firmly
grasped in one hand he gently parted
the bushes and at that moment the
moon burst forth from behind cloud,
giving him that light which he so
much desired.
There before him, in the midst of a
small clearing, was the strange crea-
ture which had been causing all the
trouble. 1t was dog, starved to little
more than skin and bone aud apparent
lv with but few more hours of life
left to il. Fastened about its head in
such manner that it could not be re-
moved, was a milk can. The dog had
apparently stuck his head in the can
i'm search of something to eat and was
then unable TO withdraw 1t. Later
struggles but served to more firmly
fasten il about his head. Crazed by
his inability TO free himself the dog
had given vent to the cries which had
frightened SO many and caused il TO
dash madly about. It's passage through
the woods and brush had frightened
the tin of the can to such an extent
that il glistened in the moonlight and
made plausible the story that the anil
NAL had breathed fire. The dog was
l.sr ho