The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1865-01-03
THE WHITE HAND.

seemed 70 have reachea its cl4tnaAtaha
blew great guns from lhe northwest.
There was also a tremendous sea,
which made everything crack IN the
Oh craft, as she reeled and plugged
10 che stormy sea.
The fore and mizzen topsails had
been taken, and nothing now remain
ed. with The exception Of close reef
ed lopsail, the ,ormasi siaysail, aud
The iorcsail, The last mentioned Of
wbich was already giving omaioas
warning Of an intention 10 part com
pany wiih the old ship, and iiy or in
la,tsrs 10 the leeNarI.
Bot. as We have seen, the mate
was determined not - permit catas-
truphe Of this nature. 10 obedience
TO bis orders lhe men sprang TO the
cewiines, bunilines aud sheets. Then
as lhe ship gave a side lurch to the
windward. the sheets were let 20. and
aud by quick, vigorous work, the flap
ping sail was clewed up ere il began
again TO iill.
In less time than is occupied in re-
laiiug the fact. the men were Skipping
out upon both yard arms, and pres
emily they we're engaged in patling
up the sail. Sa denly, however, tie
ship made furious plunge, the sail
flew up, aud Tom Leaward, the best
seaman and most josial shipmate that
ever handled marlnspik was knock
ed from the weather yard arm into
the tempestuous sea.
Man overheard Man overheard
Tom Lcaward is oyerboarJr came
from the foreyard in wild, ringing
/ tones.
a rope a rope! was shricked
from the Jaws Of the remorseless waves
Springing 10 the main rigging, the
mate snatched coil from pin, and
hurled il toward the white face, which
be could just distinguish through the
gloom lbat shroudtd the wild waters.
Then be dai,cd off and threw him
srli into the mizzen chains.
Tom had succeeded in grasping the
rope thrown TO him, as the mate per-
celyed, upon gaining the position to
which We have alluded. Peering in
TO the dark waves beneath him, he be-
held the drowning seaman clinging TO
the piece oi rigging with a tenacious.
grasp.
Suddenly the ship rolled over 10
windward, bringing Tom so near the
mate thai the latter might has e touch
ed HIM. The next moment huge
wave broke over the bead of the strug-
| Cling man, aud he threw up one OF bis
hands. That hand the mate might
easily have grasped, and thus saved
the life Of Tom Leaward BuI instead
Of doing so, he stepped back mutler
ing something between his teeth, while
the phosphoresceut gleam Of the wa
er lighting his features, revealed a
dark and almost iendisb expression in
his eyes.
An instant, aGerward the ship roll.
cd 10 leeward-and Tom was seen no
more.
Why had the mate refused to grasp
the ex ended hand ? Surely sotae de-
mon must have been near to Suggest
the dark though, 10 his brain which
had prompted him TO ac, in this man
ncr, 10 femiud him TIA, he might thus
avenge himself upon the man fer
whom Lucy Manlon had rejected him,
coniessing at the time that Tom LeG.
ward was her Acknowledged lover.
Bot now the mate stood glaring up
on the dark waters that rolled un der
him; and terrible feeling OF remorse
came over his spirit, causing big drops
Of perspiration to stand out upon lis
forehead, while be felt as though q
sulture was gnawing al bis heart.
| Oh, were il possible for Tom TO
make his appearance again, TO aise
his hand once more above the contend
ing wave, how gladly, how eagerly,
would the mate have grasped the quiy
ering fingers end saved the younr
mans life
| But, alas that never could happen,
and the mate turned his face fron the
dark sea, with groan and shudder.
Z He felt that conscience would destroy
! the peace OF bis lifetime that be could
never again look fellow-crealure in
the ey with steady glance.
4 As be grasped the shrouds for the
purpose of returning to the
| deck, lie beteld a white, boyisA
face peering at him overt The rail. An
exclamation OF horror es aped the bps
Of the mate, for he believed this per-
son had been witness 70 the event
that had recently taken place.
Who j. there" he asked, in hol-
l0w voice.
F., la! ha ha 7 laughed The other,
tossing his arms above bis head Its
only me, Lucius you know only me
who couldn't sleep, and came up to
see the man drown. Didnt you see
his hand thrown out OF the waier p
Il sas a right royal sight 10 see the
way bis band went upl But Why
didn't you catch il and pull him out
Locus would have done.so Lucius
soaidn'l have lei hlm 20 down
Hush hush : whispered the mate
a. be sprang TO the deck. Co down
below, and never say that again
The lgnalic, Tor such be was, shrank
away. maiserring, The hand the
hand A Iigas royal sight was The
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