The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-09-11


steed with the idea of leaving his strange
companion behind, but the stranger quick
ened ms morse TO an equal pace. Icnaood
pulled up and fell into a walk, thinking
to lag behind. The stranger did the
same The schoolmaster attempted to re-
,sume his singing. but his parched tongue
Glove to the roof of his mouth.
On mounting a rising ground which
brought the figure of his fellow traveller
into the light. Ichabod was horror-struck-
The strange horseman had no headl To
add to the horror. what would have been
the horsemans head was carried before
him the pommel of his saddlel Icha-
bod's terror rose to desperation, and
showerlng kicks upon the sides of Gun
powder, away he went. the old horse
starting off with the speed of his hot and
fiery youth. After Ichabod came the
Headless Horseman at full gallop. Away
they went pursuer and pursued, stones
flying and sparks flashing at every bound,
Ichabod's f1imsy garments fluttering in the
air as he bent over his horses neck in the
eagerness of his flight. They reached the
road which turns of to Sleepy Hollow,
but Gunpowder, who seemed possessed OF
demon, made an opposite turn and
plunged down the bill to the left along
the shaded road, now black in the night,
which leads to the brook and the old
church with its graveyard standing on
the green knoll beyond
Just as they got half way through the
frth
bod. and he felt his saddle slipping. He
had Just time to save himself by grasping
Gunpowders neck when the saddle slipped
off, and he heard 1t trampaed under foot
by his ghostly pursuer. An. opening in
the trees cheered Ichabod with the
thought that the church bridge was at
hand. Then he saw the whitewashed
walls of the church dimly showing under
the trees beyond. He recollected that this
was the place where the Headless Hes
Sian usually disappeared. IF l can but
reach that bridge he thought, II am
safe" He heard the black steed of the
ghost painting and blowing close to him
and could fancy that he felt its hot
breath! Another convulsive kick and old
Gunpowder sprang upon the bridge. He
|
gained the further shore. Ichabod cast a
look behind him to see If his pursuer
| would vanish according to rule In a flash
of fire and birthstone. He saw the COB
lin rise in his stirrups and in the very
act of hurting his head at him He en-
deavored to dodge the horrible missile.
out TOO late. 1t encountered his Uranium
! with a terrific crash; he tumbled head
long In the dust, and old Gunpowder, the
black steed and the Headless Horseman
passed like a whirlwind
Next morning Gunpowder was found
without his saddle and with his bridle
over his head peacefully cropninr +ba
prass In his masters yard. They found
the saddle trampIed in the dirt and saw
In the road marks of horses feet evil
oently going at a furious pace. Just
beyond the bridge they found the hat
OF the schoolmaster and a shattered
pumpkin. They searched the brook,
but the body of the schoolmaster was
not round His disappearance was, of
course. sensation for some time. hut
as he was bachelor and in nobody's
debt they soon ceased troubling their
heads about him and settled down tn
the conviction that he had been carried
of by the Headless Horseman of SIeenv
Hollow.
IL is true that a farmer who went
down to New York some years after
came back with the absurd story that
ichaood was still alive; that he had
iett the neighborhood partly through
terror OF the COLLINS and Hans Van
Ripper whose Sunday saddle ha -
brought to grief and partly because Of
having been rejected by Katrina Van
fassei Also, the farmer said, Ichabod
had taught school, studied law. heen
admitted to the bar and was now n
Justice of Ten Pound Court. Brom
Bones, too, who conducted the fair
Katrina to the altar soon after the dis
appearance of Ichabod, was observed
to look mighty knowing when the story
OF the schoolmasters mad midnight ride
was told and to always laugh at the
mention of the pumpkin. But the best
judges in the matter maintain to thfs
day that Ichabod Crane was carried
away by the Head1ess Hesstan and In
view of this plain and unvarnished tall
of the facts in the case who can doubt
It? why, II any there be who doubt let
them take trip up the Hudson to the
land made famous by this ghostly oo-
currence where. II they are lucky. they
may hear of a drowsy summer evening
the voice of the unfortunate pedagosua
chanting at a distance a melancholy
psalm tune.
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