The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1863-01-01

The Rescue.
Mr.. Robert Bruce, originally descende,
from some branch Of the Scottish family O
that name, was born in humble circumStan
ces about the close Of the last century, a
rorbay, in the South of England, and ther
red up to a scafsring life When abou
I ,irty years of nge, TO wit in the year 1872;
ha was first mate oa a bark trading hetweer
iverpool and st. Johns. New Brunswick
On one of her voyages, bound WESTWARD
b wing neared the eastern portion of tn,
h nks Of Newfoundland, thc captain anc
mate had been on deck at noon, taking al
% servation Of the sun, after which they botf
d scended to calculate their CMv.s work.
7 e cabin, n small one, was Immediately al
stern of the vessel, and the short stair
W descending to it ran athwart-ships. -
| .Incdiately opposite to this stairway, just
b yonA a small square landing, was th,
II, tea state-roon and fror, that landing
tare were two doors. close to each other
the ono opening SIT into the cabin, the other
f nting the stairway, into the state room
7 .e desk in the stafe-raom was in the for
v rd part of It, close to the door so thai
" one sitting in it aud locking over his
: oulder could see into the cabin. The mate
a,sorbed in his calculations, which did not
suit as lie expected, varying considerably
(, ,m the dead reckoning, had not noticed
! captains motions. When he had com
], cted his calculations he called out, without
] oking round, 81 make your latitude and
] ngitule so and so. Can that be right
liow is yours, sir?"
Asceiviug no reply he repeated his ques-
ton, glaacing over bis shoulder, and per-
rriving, as he thought the captain writins
On his slate. Still no answer. Thereupou
he rose and, as he fronted the cabin door
the Fl .ure he had mistaken for the captain
raised its head and disclosed to the aston
ished mate the features Of an entire stranger
Bruce was no coward but as he met thai
fixed gaze booking directly at him in grav.
silence, and became assured that it was nc
one whom be had ever seen before, It wa:
too much for him and instead of stopping
to question the seeming intruder, he rushee
upon deck in such evident alarm that it in
stantly attracted the captains attention.
"Why, Mr.. Bruce" said the latter, "wha
~. ttar tx,tt
..The matter, sir9 Who is that ct youl
desk?"
..No one that know Of"
'.But there is, sir there's stranger there
"A stranger! Why, man, yop must b
dreaming. You must have seen the steward
there or the second mate who else woult
venture down without ordersy'
"But, sir, he was sitting in your arm ehai
fronting the door, writing on your slate
Then he looked up full in my face and
ever saw man plainly and distinctly il
this world saw him."
Him whom p
"God knows, sir, don'ti | saw maj
and a man I have never seen IN my life be
fore"
"You must be going crazy, Mr. Bruce /;
stranger, and we nearly six weeks outs'
IL know sir, but then | saw him"
go down aud see who it is"
Bruce hesitated. II never was believe
in ghosts. he said ''bht If the truth mus
he told, sir, I'd rather not face it alone.
Come, come, man go down at once
and don't make fool Of yourself before tn
crew"
II hope you have always found me wllin
10 do what's reasonable, "Bruce reptile
changing color. "But if its all the same
you. sir, I'd rather We should both go dow
together.
The captain descended the stairs and tn
mate followed him. Nobody in the cabin. :
They examined the state-rooms-nota SCI
TO be found.
aWeli, Mr.. Bruce, "said the captain, 'di
not tell you you had been dreaming'"
ut is all very well to say 30, sir. But
] did not see man writing on your sla'
may Insver see my wife and house again
"Ah ! writing on the slate! Then
should be there still" and the captain too
itup "Py heaven" be exclaimed, 'here
somethiug, sure enough. Is that your wri
jog Nj. Brucst"
The mate took the slaxs, AZ sfAsre IN pla'
legible characters, stcod the .ycrds, steer
the nor-west.n -