The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1863-05-27

ing, while it appeared to fx its coal Black eyes
upon his com panior, .-'s' s =
'3Yes,I see It., said old Jack Sit is the sss same n
bird that has followed us ever since we left
port. J. have, heard of srch things aft re. and
; never knew any good to come Of IT, Some
body's goi1' either to fall overheard, or die
some way or other-else that bird woai idn't
stick to The ship the way she does. But what's
fEe matter with you p -, 2 - y s'-'i;i
Soaring was leaning heavily aeainst the old
tur, while his whole frame shook ike an aspen.
Come away; come away, Ee whispered, !, IN
q husk VOICE, which was scarcely audible
I've got something swhfch has preyed upon
my spirits ever since came to sea-. Tt is G.
terrible secret; : bat knew that my end is an
proaehins, and so I will tell 1t to you. And
as he said this, tho young sailor started to go
aft, while Jack followed him, wondering what
he was gcing to say '.'l1 =
The young man led the way to the round
house, under which he sat down and then told
Jack to do the same. As soon as they were
both seated Soaring said $ .s8ss . {; =; - II
| Jack, this is the last night That ever YOU
and ] shall be ftogetheri't satTy -aIdgs5s siiT
What makes you say athatP inquired the
old tar, inasome surprise, why, Bill, II be.
lieve you We lest your senses' Eagizb 44.Ts saf
/ You are mistaken answered Soaring, gloom
ily,, butt have had dream--7a terrible dream,
e..
and then continued: eH
Listen to me, Jack, while unfold to youla a
terrible secret-Iam a murderer and, worse
than that, the murderer IF my;o,en fafher no
Jack started back, excaiming.y is5 gdiFl.
tMurdered your father ?--do you mean " hat
you say p
1T is true, answered Soaring, with a shud
der My father was an old, seray-headed
man.. Weiliyed alone, in the west, in dark
forest. Every morning We used to take our
axes and 90 to work clearing away the land
Efur all that we cleared would belung to as
There wlsean old tree in front of our cabin
an old tree, OF which MY father was very fond
II wanted to chop it downImy father told
NE 1ishould not do so; but / insisted. for /
wasyt ry wilful, and went to work at it with
my axe My father then got angry, and tried
to thrust me away. God forgive ME, my
blood was het--it was boiling-it was rnad-f
Knew not what did, when L raised my axe,
Eand--struck him on the head with it.. He
f, II te the Garth without groan, and knew
that he was dead. His eyes lo5ked CLASSY,
and9his face was covered with blood EiI took
him up n my arms and buried him in the
forest! No oHe saw me DO the deed. washed
from my hands ard clothes of the blood AMI
then flied from the place; but | was followed
followed wheresdever1 went, by the raven.
1t wes asbird belonging to my father, and ONE
Of which he was very fond He 1sed TO find.
pleasure IN heatibgit II croak;, and IN feeding it
with meal, which he did every duy. This raT
ven followed me hike an avenging spirit-bY
night and by day 1 heard its disnih croak
ings, and saw its great blaek ey,s' fixed upon
me. / would have killed it, but dark Pre-
sentiment tells me that he instant this bird 4
killed, that instant my doom is scaled. L fed
from my native shores-I wont to sea, think
ing 1t would not follow me there but no, /
was mistaken, that raven has followed every
ship Ihave- as yet saTlsd in, lowering about
the shrouds, the masts aud the yards, and
looking at me with those strange eyes feel
II knDwthatzmy tarliers spirit is looking
throush tlfose@eyes..' 3 = ''--A - + = z =
. 'My God there t is again = suddenly ex
claimed the murderer, pointing to the mizzen
topsail yard, as a vivid flash of lightning
showed The form Of the bird seated ih&re-4
UtteriBg deep groan, the young SAILOR re-
silent lew moments, and then con-
tinued in hollow voice.
fJack my doom will be sealed tom GROW,
for had terrible dream in the last watch
below tbour ht the mate cume ON deck with
his gun to shoot the raven-I saw hin, take
aia- at the biid, as it sat on the deck, writh.
ing in the agonies of death While 1 stood
Watc hing the bird, l thought it turned into
my fathers corpse, looking bloody and ehast
ly,t the sameway he looked when killed lin
in the forest. All at once the corpse rose
from the deck, and advanced towards me- with
its CLASSY eyes fixed upon my, countonance. l
strive to fly, but seemed rooted 70 the spot
1t continued to advance until close up to ne
and then, laying an icy hand upon my arm
sald IN u terrible voice, Come, come it is time'
awuke with cold upon my forehead
and oh! horror, as / looked up through the
10 al.
foreyard, with its great eyes fixed upon, me as l
lay IN my bunk. This is all have to say to
you. Something tells NE that my doom is
fixed, either this night or tomorrow. God
have mercy upon my souf = s'1si
just then it struck four bells, ana old Jack
was torcee to leave his shirmate, as it was his
turn to take the helm.
sd fzns -.ss--=--zz -
: Morn pg ldawned. upon the White Steed.-
The gale had abatei, and the sun was shining
brightly upon the water, which we're still
heavlng with that hpg, lazy swell that gener
ally fnllows after heavy gale of wind. The
galiant- mast in place OF the one which had
been lost during the night The mate Was
busrfy engaged In giving orders, when Cap
tain Rlchards.hSho was leaning against the
mizzen mast, suddenly exclaimed to him, rs
he pointed TO the main yard
We'll, There, Mr. Johnson, if there amt
that same sinfernal raven. that has followed US
all the way from Rio, sitting on the main yard 4
Go get your gun and have a shot at him. - -
) Mr. johnson. instantly sprang to the COM
Panion way, aud sung out to the steward to-
bring up his gun. = .sa.3 d - Is tsss l...assI
SeaIing, who was. employees. in hoisting on a
rope, suddenly let 60 OF it q i'd turned as white
ps a sheet Noone OWNED ihe cause exee-t-
ing old Jack, who stood near him at the time.
For Gods sake, Bill,' he whispered. keep
up yopr spirits 1.-The watch are all wondering
what ails yau.i2 = ae}- g.is.sc gsass'eI -
My doom is scaled if that bird is shot, an
swered Soaring, in q log, husky voice. sod 80
The mate had now received his gun from
the hands OF taeasteEard, and raised il to his
Good Goo tsdon't shoot that birdr ex
clsimed Soaring, in agonizipg tones. as he
spraDg forth aud seized the gun by the bar rel