THE OLD LOG SCHOOL-HOUSE. 1 03 



higher up, on what is now the Bedford 

 road. 



There, also, was the old log school-house, 

 since replaced by a building of more modern 

 architecture. An old lady of the neighborhood 

 perfectly remembers the original structure, 

 *' the windows partly glazed and partly patched 

 with leaves of old copy-books." Farmer Van 

 Tassel must have lived at a considerable dis- 

 tance south of Sleepy Hollow, as the peda- 

 gogue had found it necessary to borrow a horse 

 for the occasion of the party. Old Van Ripper 

 was well paid for the loan, for he made himself 

 and Gunpowder immortal among the rest. 



Thus we can trace nearly all the localities of 

 the tale and yet agree with the cautious Mr. 

 Knickerbocker in his comments upon it : " Still 

 he thought the story a little on the extrava- 

 gant ; there were one or two points on which he 

 had his doubts." The old bridge, now taken 

 away, was further up the stream, and the road 

 has been somewhat changed accordingly. 

 Therefore the headless horsefnan is no longer 

 seen. He probably rode down to the brink 

 one dark night, and, unaware of the removal, 

 plunged into the stream, and rider and horse 

 were drowned. 



