Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1860-02-23

fate-slow coming death by exposure and star.
yation.
The captain replied that be had but done
what he was certain they would have done for
him under rhe same circumstances, and asked
them both to step down into the cabin. Then
turning 10 the passenger he said, II hope, sir,
l would be much obliged to you if you would
write few words on this slate" And ho
handed him the slate, with that side upon
which the mysterious writing was not. II
will do anything you ask, replied the passen-
ger :" but what shall | write ?"
A few words are all want. Suppose you
write, Steer to the nor'west"
The passenger, evidently puzzled to make
out the motive for such a request, complied,
howe5 er, with Q smile The captain took up
| the slate and examined it closely then step
| ping aside so as to conceal the slate from the
passenger he turned it over and gave it to him
again with the other side up
You say that is your handwriting 2" said
! he
i need not say So" rejoined the other,
looking at it, for you saw me write it."
And this p said the captain, turning the
slate over
The man looked first at one writing, aud
! lLlGl G. tt4S OtIS4i 4uLhc COulOuiIuCu nv ioStp
what is the meaning Of this p said he. L
! only wrote one Of these. Who wrote the
other ?"
That's more than can tell you, sir Ny
I mate here says you wrote it, sitting at this
desk at noon to-day"
The captain of the wreck and the passenger
looked at each other, exchanging glances of in
telligence and surprise and the former asked
H. d. Il ebo4
this slate ?"
No, sir, not that remember"
"You speak of dreaming" said the captain
Of the bark what was this gentleman about
at noon TO day ?'
Captain" reioined the other, the whole
thing is most mysterious and extraordinary
and had intended to speak to you about it
as soon as we got little quiet. This gentle
man" pointing TO the passenger being
much exhausted, fell into a heavy sleep, or
what seemed such, some time before noon
after an hour or more he awoke and said To
me, Captain, we shall be relieved this very
day When | asked him what reason he had
for saying so, be replied that he had dreamed
that he was on board bark, and that she was
coming TO our rescue He described her ap.
pearauce and rig and 10 our utter astonish-
ment, when your vessel hove in sight, she cor.
responded exactly with his description of her.
We had not put much faith in what be said,
yet still! hoped there might be something in
it, for drowning men. you, know, vii! catch at
: straw. As it has turned out, cannot doubt
that it was all arranged in some Incompetent
siU!e way, by al overrnliug Providence, so
that We might be saved To Him be all thanks
for His goodness to US"
There is not a doubt rejoined the other
captain, Z" that the writing on the slate, let it
have come there as it may, saved all your
lives | was steering at the time considerably
south Of west. and | altered nv course TO
northwest, and had a lookout aloft, TO see
what woald come Of it. But you say" hs
added, turning to the passenger. that you
dd not dream Of writing on q slate =
" No, sir. I have no recollection whatever
OF doing so. | got the impression that the
barque saw in nv dream was coming to res
cue Us; but how that impression came |
cannot tell There is another very strange
thing aJout t." he added Everything here
on board seems to me quite familiar yet
am very sure never was in your vessel be-
fore. II is all puzzle to me. What did your
mate see 81
Thereupon Mr. Bruce stated to thCm all the
circumstances above detailed The conclu.
SION they finally arrived at was, that it was
special interpositon Of Providence to save
them from what seemed hopeless fate.
The above narrative was communicated TO
me by Captain J s Clarke, Of the schooner
Julia Haock, who had it directly from Mr..
Bruce himself They sailed together for
seventeen months, in the years 1886 and 81
so that Captain Clarke had the story from the
mate about eight years after the occurrence,
He has since lost sight Of him, and does not
know whether be IS yet alive. All he has
heard Of him since they were shipmates il,
that be continued 10 trade to New Brunswick,
that he became the master Of the brig Comet
aud that she was lost
| asked Captain Clarke IL he knew Bruce,
ard what sort cf g man he was.
" As truthful and straightforward man.
he replied, as ever | met IN my life. We
were as intimate as brothers; and two men
can't be together, shat up for seventeen months
in one ship. without getting TO know whether
they can trust one a8other's word or not. He
always spoke of the circumstances in terms Of
reverence as Of an incident that seemed 10
bring him nearer TO God, ard another word
I'd stake ny life upon it that he told me 10
Ee7
Six FooLs-l. The euvious maa-who
sends aEsv his mutton because the person next