The White-Faced Pacer

THE WHITE-FACED PACER By John Neal (Beadle and Adams, 1863) This supernatural adventure novella is set during Thanksgiving on a colonial New England homestead. The story opens with Elder Hale's large family gathered around a fireplace when a mysterious horseman on a white-faced horse arrives during a violent snowstorm, seeking directions to a tavern. The stranger refuses hospitality and departs abruptly when Squire Farley and the hired girl emerge from the front room in terror. The family interprets the visitation as connected to local legend—the "white-faced pacer," a ghostly horse associated with a woman who met the gallows. As the family prepares for bed, a second mysterious knocking occurs at the back door, escalating the supernatural tension. Elder Hale retrieves his rifle, preparing to confront whatever lurks outside while the family huddles in fear. The narrative combines Gothic atmosphere with period New England domestic detail and folklore.