The diamond drill., 1921-01-29

'~"W was oiVhSh ny batiOplhs meS~i
senger, who brought an invitation toI
a "quIlting frolIc" that evening at Van
Tassers.
Promptly dismissIng school. Ichabod
furbished 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 plow horse.
borrowed from the farmer with whom
lchabod was domlciled. was a suitablei
steed for his long. gaunt frame
Jogging slowly along. II was after,
sundown when he reached Van Tas-l
sells, where were gathered the farmer,
folk OF the surrounding country.
However. IL was not the buxom
lasses which held Ichabod enthralled.
IL was the sumptuous abundance or
the supper table. Such luscious ham
and chicken, and heaped platters or
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 be master.
Soon the sound OF fddling bade all
10 dance. With Katrina as his part
ner, smiling graciously al 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 10 the church bridge. where the
horseman had vanished In a flash OF
/ fire.
! When at a late hour the revel broke
lup. 1chabod fingered for the custom
ary lovers talk What passed at that
4 interview with the heiress was never
known. hut when he finally sailed
forth II was with a detected, chop
fallen air.
Had Katrina's encouragement been
only coquettish trick to secure her
\ conquest OF his riyal7
II was near the witching midnight
7 hour that the crestfallen Ichabod pur-
sued his solitary travel homeward. All
/ the stories OF ghosts and gobllns told
I that evening crowded hauntingly upon
I 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 or
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
rifting cloud, revealed the headless
'horseman, More CHASTITY still, his
head rested on the pommel OF his sad
dlei
Away they few, Ichabod madly
squirting Gunpowder, while the sinis-
ter horseman came galloping after.
! Az they reached the haunted road.
turning or 10 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-whlle
Gunpowder and the ghostly horseman
swept on.
The next morning the old horse was
found saddleless grazing Mt his mas
ter's gate. But no Ichabod
In the road by the church was
found the saddle. Farther on was tho
trampled hat OF the unfortunate ped.
agogue-and close beside IL n shat
tered pumpkin
The whole neighborhood was aroused.
Brom Bones story and all the other
weird tales were called 10 mind, and
the good folk sagely concluded that
Ichabod had been carried off by the
headlesQ horepman
Soon the school was removed 10 a
less haunted sector. Another peda-
gogue reIgned. and Ichabod became
only n legend.
II is true that several years later
nm old farmer. returning from New
York. brought news TINT Ichabod was
still alive: that fear Of the goblin, and
chagrin nj 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-