The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-07-15

ment an old sailors dtly, which be had once learned
~ better days The httle black hobgobblin shape,
with the shriselod hands rowing about Ia the air and
the rceking tube 10 the bearded mouth traced self
like the image OF shadow, in dark relief against the
evening sky and the quiet main. But Peter Knock
did not long remain the only performer upon this soll-
tary stage; presently there appeared blue flame that
moved TO and fro, and glided round Peters legs The
story Of Andrew now came into his mind. la the
JOY Of his heart, and the mood which the flash ia
the tap had transported him. he felt not the least
alarm.
Aha, goodsre /" lie cried aloud, q are you there
again what, there's another soul TO be set free is
there2n
The spirit who now stood before him nodded with
his head IN the affirmative.
Come, then, # any thing is to be got by it, here's
your man have regained my freedom and am just
IN tue humor to make your pockets lighter by gold
sack OF 30 Look alive, then my hearty, and show
me, as you have shown Andrew, the way down to
your sDuggery
The phantom made wry face al this speech which
evidently, was not very agreeable him without re-
plying anything, he placed the ring upon one Of the
slaves OF timber in front Of Peter and disappeared
Peter considered not long pushed il hastily on his
finger and sooner had his foot trod the water than
il vanished before him, and he arrived without fur
Their seeking at the meadow the bottom Of the sea
Here he saw, Andrew had described, the young
men engaged in haymaking, and singing song, be-
sides which celebrated the charms Of then mistress
and the reward that she was wont to distribute to
them.
"Ay,p said Peter to himself "and if could yet 10
her if she be really as pretty as you fellows say
will behave myself differently from the shame. faced
Andrew"
Hardly had he uttered these words, when he saw
the house on the greenswaId before him. and a form
stepping out Of it, thick a beer barrel waddlng
along upon short splay feet Her face resembled the
rising moon, when, level with the horizon il shines
through the miss in fiery aspect, and mouth diaied
itself thereupon armed with immense dog fish teeth
as he m hia
mouth and her little flashy eyes she mooned TO the
stranger friendly greeting. Peter exceedingly
alarmed and had only courage TO ask in gentle voice
Tor the three vases
"What" shrieked the female care YOU not come TO
marry mel"
Not just at present dearest stammcred Peter and
sldcd tmidly up to her At that moment he perceived
the three inverted vessels. With couple of springs
he was up to them, but now it occurred to him with
horror that he had forgotten ask the spirit which OF
the vases he ought raise. The heat-drops of sus-
pense came upon his forehead, his limbs quaked, he
saw the dumpy woman waddlIng towards him filed
with rage, and at her call the young collected from
the meadow and advanced brandishing their sickles
and scythes. Without rejecting much he lifted the
middle vase when there awoke underneath a medley of
the chirpng of frogs and the Growing of cocks which
sounded, for all the world though Dame Martha
in her tantrums quickly would Peter set the vase
up again. but in the hurry and confusion il slipped out
of his hands. The din and the screechng robbed him
OF recollection, and when he came more to him
/
shore.
| An ill-omened adventure this of surety; for hon
est Peter Knock was, perhaps, not exactly the right
sort OF person to have dealings with spirits but the
worst of the whole affair remains to be told.
| Scarcely had he rallied his shattered powers and
hobbled into the village cursing the water prite and
his topsy turvey vases, when he beheld dis
lance off light glimmering in his cottage
Whats dong there, then, ! wonder he asked
himself and stealing closer applied his to the key
hole Of the door. "Who be talking away at that
rate inside Now really" thought Peter, III didn't
know that Dame Martha was lying dead
upon the bench against the wall these scoldng words
could come from no other than her throat. HoweveSs
there no harm in man taking sly peep into his
own house-so let's soel-lels see" With that he
opens the door very, very softly, hardly much as
that ray flight can settle on his nose.
i But ah what does he see
The bench against the wall is empty and in the
middle ofthe room sits Dame Martha and counts her
fish in the tub fresh and healthy if aad
dunk sea water, and railing besides at that good for
nothing dler, her husband who did let himself bo
seen yet.
When now the door opened and Peter went in, she
received him in the usual way and everything
quite in the old routine Dame Marthas revival
got wind in the village and much as Peter tried to
hush up the true version of the thing the wiseacres
and prying spirits of the place quickly had it out of
| him.
F." 1t serves him right cried many; " what business
had he out of shameless bravado and greatness of
gain, to seek out such perous adventure r.
| Others laughed heartily at him. while they named
him the pattern of tender husband, who had even
descended to the bottom of the to his be-
loved wife Peter, however, used to shake his head
and contended that all his i'll luck had consisted in
mistake; for if he had lifted up the the right
hand the left, he would have inevitably possess
ed by this time the good will of the spirit of the deep,
and have ruled over tons of gold How belt, he
had the courage to plan second trial.
The legend nevertheless, that the souls of those
drowned at sea imprisoned by evil spirits AT the
bottom thereof, underneath inverted vases, is truth
which no orthodox sailor doubts w. ii. F.