The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1921-02-03
his laggard pupils with slothfm m,en

puhtihS iiohS tndt cNtilluB ut vail
Tassel's.
Promptly dlsmissing school, Ichabod
furnished up his only suit of rusty
black. and soon rode forth-a gallant
cavalier to this bidding of his lady
fair.
Gunpowder the bony old pillow horse
borrowed from the farmer with whom
Ichabod was domiciled. was suitable
steed for his long, gaunt frame.
Jogging slowly along, it was after
shutdown when he reached Van. Tas-
sells, where were gathered the farmer
folk of the surrounding country.
However, it was not the buxom
laGses which held Ichabod enthralled,
1T was the sumptuous abundance OF
the supper table. Such luscious ham
and chicken, and heaped platters of
doughnuts, crullers and ginger cakes
Ichabod's rapacious appetite did
ample justice to this repast, while he
gloated over the Opulence Of which
some day he might he master.
Soon the sound of fiddling babe all
to dance. With Katrina as his part
ner. smiling graciously at his amorous
oglings, the lank, but agile, Ichabod
clattered triumphantly about. While
Brom Bones. sOurly Smitten with jeal-
ousy, kept broodingly aloof.
Later, Ichabod Joined the sager folk,
who sat smoking and spinning tales of
ghosts and apparitions, and of the
headless horseman, that nightly teth-
cred his steed among the churchyard
graves.
Most terrifying were the adventures
of those who, on dark nights, had met
the gruesome specter. Even Brom
testified that once. overtaken by the
midnight trooper, he had raced with
him to the church bridge, where the
hOrseman had vanished in q flash Of
fire.
When at a late hour the revel broke
up, Ichabod fingered for the custom
airy lovers talk. What passed at that
known. but when he finally sailed
forth IL was with a detected, chop
fallen air.
Had Katrina's encouragement been
only n coquettish trick to secure her
conquest of his rival?
1t was near the witching midnight
hour that the crestfallen Ichabod pur-
sued his solitary travel homeward. All
the stories of ghosts and COLLINS told
that evening crowded hauntingly upon
him.
The night grew deeper and darker
as he approached the lonely church
yard-sOmbrous scene Of many of the
tales. Suddenly through the leaf
stirred stiffness came the clatter Of
hoofs Something huge and misshapen
loomed above the ,crouching shadows.
In quaking terror Ichabod dashed
ahead, but the unknown followed
close. Then the moonlight, through
a rifting cloud, revealed the headless
horseman! More CHASTITY still, his
head rested on the pommel Of his sad
diet
Away they flew, Ichabod madly
squirting Gunpowder, while the sinis-
ter horseman came galloping after.
AS they reached the haunted road,
turning off to Sleepy Hollow, the girth
of Ichabod's saddle broke. Gripping
his steed around the neck as the sad
die slipped beneath him. he still
plunged on, with the ghostly rider pur-
suing.
The church bridge, where in Brom
Bones tale the specter had vanished,
was just ahead. Another moment and
old Gunpowder was laundering over
the resounding planks.
Here Ichabod. casting backward
glance, saw the goblin rising in his
stirrups and in the very act of hurl-
ing his head.
The horrible missile crashed
against Ichabod's Uranium and he
plunged headlong into the road-while
Gunpowder and the ghostly horseman
swept on.
The next morning the ole horse was
found saddleless, grazing at his mas
ter's gate. But no Ichabod!
In the road by the church was
found the saddle. Farther on was the
trampled hat of the unfortunate ped
agogue-and close beside 1t shat
tered pumpkin
The whole neighborhood was aroused.
Brom Bones story and all the other
weird tales were called to mind, and
the good folk sagely concluded that
Ichabod had been cTried of by the
headless horseman.
Soon the school was removed to a
less haunted sector. Another peda-
gogue reigned, and Ichabod became
only legend.
1t is true that several years later
an old farmer, returning from New
York, brought news that Ichabod was
still alive; that fear of the goblin, and
chagrin at his dismissal by the heir
ess, had caused his flight; that In an
other part of the country he had
taught school, studied law, and be-
come justice Of the ten-pound court
n,t nrou, ponau uho shortly after