Page 27 - THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

Bones, that he would ‘double the schoolmaster up, and lay
him on a shelf of his own schoolhouse;’ and he was too
wary to give him an opportunity. There was something
extremely provoking, in this obstinately pacific system; it

left Brom no alternative but to draw upon the funds of
rustic waggery in his disposition, and to play off boorish
practical jokes upon his rival. Ichabod became the object
of whimsical persecution to Bones and his gang of rough
riders. They harried his hitherto peaceful domains, smoked
out his singing- school by stopping up the chimney, broke
into the schoolhouse at night, in spite of its formidable
fastenings of withe and window stakes, and turned
everything topsy-turvy, so that the poor schoolmaster
began to think all the witches in the country held their
meetings there. But what was still more annoying, Brom
took all Opportunities of turning him into ridicule in
presence of his mistress, and had a scoundrel dog whom he
taught to whine in the most ludicrous manner, and
introduced as a rival of Ichabod’s, to instruct her in
psalmody.
In this way matters went on for some time, without
producing any material effect on the relative situations of
the contending powers. On a fine autumnal afternoon,
Ichabod, in pensive mood, sat enthroned on the lofty stool

26 of 53