The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1860-01-20
THE RENCTE,
A True story Of the supcrnntur-
al.

tFrou oweul "Foothr.'1
Mr.. Robert Bruce, originally descend
ed from some branch Of the Scottish fam
lily OF that name, was born, in humble cir
cumstsnces, about the close Of the last
century, az Torbay, in the south Of Eng
land, and there bred up to seafaring
life.
When about thirty years Of age, to wit,
in the year 1898, he was first mate Of a
bark trading between Liverpool and st.
Johns, New Brunswick.
On one other voyages bound westward,
being then some five or six weeks out,
and having neared the eastern portion of
the banks of Newfoundland, the Captain
and mate had been on deck at noon, TAX
ing an observation Of the sun; after which
they both descended to calculate the days
work.
The cabin, a small one, was Immediate
ly at the stern Of the vessel, and the short
stairway descending to it ran athwart-
ships. Immediately opposite TO this stair
way, just beyond a small square landing,
was the mates state-room; and from that
landing there were two doors close to
each other, the one opening at into the
cabin, the other fronting the stairway, in
to the statc-room. The desk in the state
room was in the forwaEd part Of il, close
to the door; so that one sitting at il and
looking over his shoulder could look into
the cabin.
The mate, absorbed in his calculations,
which did not result as he had expected,
varying considerably from the dead-reck-
oning, had not noticed the captains mo-
tions. When he had completed his cal
culations, he called out without looking
round, 81 make cur latitude and longitude
so aud so. Can that be right How is
yoursl"
Receiving no reply, he repeated his
question, glancing over his shoulder, and
perceiving, as he thought, the captain busy
writing on his slate. Still no answer
Thereupon he rose, and, as he fronted the
cabin door, the figure he had mistaken for
the captain raised its head and disclosed
to the ostonished mate the features of an
entire stranger.
Bruce was no coward; but, as he met
that fixed gaze looking directly at him in
grave silence, and became assured that il
was no one whom he had ever seen before
it was too much for him; and instead OF
stopping to question the seeming intruder,
he rushed upon deck in such evident alarm
that it instantly attracted the captains
attention. "Why, Mr.. Bruce" said the
latter, "what in the world is the matter
with youl"
"The matter, sirl Who is that at your
desk!"
"No one that l know Of"
"But there IS, sir; there's a stranger
there"
"a strangerl Why, man, you must be
dreaming. You must have seen the stew
ard there, or the second mate. Who else
would venture down without ordersW
"But, sir, no was sitting in your arm
| chair, fronting the door, writing on your
slate. Thenhe looked up full in my face
and il ever saw man plainly and dis.
tinctly in this world, | saw him"
"Himl Whomm
"God knows, sir; don't. saw man
and man had never seen in my life be.
fore"
"You must be going C azy, Mr.. Bruce.
A stranger, and we nearly six weeks
outl"
81 knows sir; but then saw him."
$50 down and see who it is"
Bruce hesitated. 81 never was a be.
liover in ghosts;" he said, "but. sir, if the
truth must be told, sir, I'd rather not face
| it alone"
"Come, come, man. &c down at once
and don't make fool of yourself before
the crew."
~ hope you've always found me Willing
to do what's reasonable" Bruce replied
changing color; "but if its all the same I,
you, sir, Pdrather we should both 90 dowI
together"
The captain descended the stairs, an,
the mate followed him. Nobody in tn,
cabinl They examined the state-rooms
Not soul to be found!
"Well, Mr.. Bruce" said the captain
"did not tell you you had been dream
ingl" ...-,.ffrFr tr.-t.
"it's all very we'll 70 say so, sir; but
l didn't see that man writing on you
slate, may never see my home and fam
lily again"
"Ahl writing on the alatel Then
should be there still" And the captain
took it up
"By God!' he exclaimed, "here's some
thing, sure enough! Is that your writing
Mr.. Bucel"
The mate took the slate, and there 1
plain, legible characters, stood the words
"SrEER TO THE EoR'WEsTw
"Have you been trifing with me, siri
added the captain, in a stern manner.
"On my word as a man as a sailo- sir,
replied Bruce, 81 know no more Of thi
matter than you do. ! have told you III
exact truth"
The captain sat down at his desk, til
slate before him, in deep thought. A
last, turning the slate over and pushing
= toward Bruce, he said, "Wrile dowI
: Steer TO the nor'west."
The mate complied, and the captaiI
= after narrowly comparing the two hans
writings, said, "Mr. Bruce, 60 and tell III
second mate to come down here"
He came, and, at the Captains reques
he alho wrote the same words. SO d
the Steward. So, in succession, did eV'
y man Of the crew who could write at al
But not one Of the various hands resen
bled, in any degree, the mysterious wri
ing.
When the crew retired the captain 81
!. deep in thought "Could any one ha'
been slowed away!" al last he said
-rhe ship must be searched; and II
don't dnd the fellow he must be a 90,
Land at hide-and-seek. Order up
handa."
Every nook aud corner Of she Vess,
fromstem 70 stern, was thoroughly scare
4