Haste! The Goblin Spirit Rides!

Bloody night did ne'er reach Suffix,

Ne'er repeated by the army

As that night heard, “Treach’ry! Treach’ry!

Haste! The goblin spirit rides!”

In the shadows of the forest,

In the darkness ‘neath the pear tree,

Came dragoons to bear their tidings,

Bear their tidings to their gen’ral.

One was born of royal family,

Lowered to this state of service.

He was of a noble bearing,

Riding high, he sat on horseback.

T’other seemed to be as noble,

Though his years had not been tested.

Both they rode, in silence onward,

Onward through the woody forest

On the night heard, “Treach’ry! Treach’ry!

Haste! The goblin spirit rides!”

Said the elder to the younger,

“We be onward to the gen’ral.

Tales there be of much misfortune

If we follow by the forest.”

“Let them be thus told by others,

That have never through them trod,”

Said the younger to the elder,

Tight’ning reigns and sitting firmly.

Thus, the two continued onward,

Onward by the great wood forest,

Till the night had deepened vastly,

Till the moon no longer hovered

On the night heard, “Treach’ry! Treach’ry!

Haste! the goblin spirit rides!”

In the darkness of the night ride,

In the mist of fog abating,

Then the elder spied a graveyard,

Twas a graveyard resting near them.

Tombs of great men, tombs of weak men,

All were common in their resting.

Some were moldy, some were polished,

All the same, the bones still rested.

“Think you we should turn aside?”

Asked the younger of the elder.

“No,” the elder soon replied,

“‘Less you wish your death thereby.”

Stood those graves, some all too somber,

Too much strain to young man’s heart,

Tried the younger, not the elder,

That his ride should thus impart.

On the night heard, “Treach’ry! Treach’ry!

Haste! The goblin spirit rides!”

Then the elder spied there standing,

Standing by the graveyard ‘side them

That a ghost or apparition

Leaned against the iron gate.

Whether twas of truth or fancy,

He knew not, nor could have known,

Nor that that great gate stood open,

Ushering with it mortal doom.

Before either man could wonder,

Then the nightmare stood before them.

Leapt within the very roadway,

Blocking off dragoons’ escape

On the night heard, “Trech’ry! Trech’ry!

Haste! the goblin spirit rides!”

“Fly, good sir!” then cried the elder.

“Trechery is in the night!”

But the younger never heard him,

Still stood staring at the goblin,

At the goblin in its light.

Then, as though aroused a’ sudden,

Both did put speed to their horses,

Plunged the elder out in front,

The younger taking up the rear.

Hard they road, the elder and younger,

Both dragoons at heightened pace

On to find the British gen’ral,

On to safety, or to fate

On the night heard, “Trech’ry! Trech’ry!

Haste! the goblin spirit rides!”

As the elder turned behind him,

There he met a frightening gait.

For upon a paler death horse,

Ne’er did man see spirit.

Decked in grave clothes of a wizard,

Flowing beard of serpent making,

Was the goblin on the pale horse.

Thus rode on the apparition.

“Stand down, ye villain!” screamed the elder,

Turning from his place to shout it.

Still, the terror kept on riding,

Riding after both dragoons

On the night heard, “Trech’ry! Trech’ry!

Haste! the goblin spirit rides!”

Thus, the elder shouted after,

Back behind himself a time.

On the chase did go for hours,

Hours deep into the night.

Nor did turn the evil spirit

From his purpose or his man hunt.

Still, he followed hard behind them,

Steady, tireless, never ending.

Cried the younger to the elder,

“I cannot much longer follow.

You continue to the gen’ral;

Tell him I will soon be after.”

On the night heard, “Trech’ry! Trech’ry!

Haste! the goblin spirit rides!”

Would the elder turn behind him,

Let the younger thus be taken?

“Never will I leave you,” said he,

“Till my life be taken from me.”

Drawing back his reigns securely,

Here the elder met a stand-still.

Thus he waited, fearful waiting,

Till the younger safely reach him.

Thus he waited, breathless waited,

Panting more than wind-blown steed

As he saw the younger stagger,

The horse beneath him locked its knees

On the night heard, “Treach’ry! Treach’ry!

Haste! the goblin spirit rides!”

Then, the noble steed did stumble,

Held him true, up till the last,

As the younger looked in horror,

Looked in horror the other’s eye.

A sudden thought of patriot spirit

stirred the blood within the elder;

Made him speed up to the younger,

If by chance, he should be saved.

Moments ‘fore the spirit yielded,

Scarce before the goblin got him,

Then the elder caught the younger,

Drew him up into the saddle,

On the night heard, “Treach’ry! Treach’ry!

Haste! the goblin spirit rides!”

“Hasten! Hasten steed of fortune!

Carry both your riders safely!”

Cried the younger and the elder,

Both dragoons a’ speeding onward.

Close behind them chased the spirit,

Apparition, goblin, warlock,

Screaming terror in the night sky,

Shrieking brimstone to the riders.

Thus, the two did reach their gen’ral,

With the apparition following.

Cried the two, “Treach’ry! Treach’ry!

Haste! the goblin spirit rides!”

Swift, the gen’ral turned to see it,

Turned to see the goblin spirit,

With its flaming eyes afire,

On its pale horse, death to ride.

Then, the gen’ral stationed footmen,

Hastened to their lines they did,

Leveled rifles tipped with bayonets,

Leveled at the goblin rider.

Then the gen’ral ordered, “Fire!

Fire! Fire! One and all!”

Gunpowder smoked, bullets whizzed

Towards the apparition sped

On the night cried, “Treach’ry! Treach’ry!

Haste! the goblin spirit rides!”

When the smoke did clear the country,

When the fog had lifted o’er,

When the two dragoons had risen

From their safety ‘hind the fort,

None twas seen left of the goblin,

As nothing standing, nothing fallen.

All the apparition vanished

From the eyes of the dragoons.

Thus, when e’re they passed the graveyard,

The graveyard where was seen the nightmare,

The two dragoons did whisper softly,

“There, not all tis left aright.”

On the night cried, “Treach’ry! Treach’ry!

Haste! the goblin spirit rides!”