The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1868-01-04

long hair floating, GOdiva-like, u the
! wind, her fair arms stretched oye her
head, and her cIasped hands seemingly
wrung together in agony. Their was
something so extraordinary in tn cir
cumstances attaching to the lady5ome-
thing so wild anG passionate in hr at
titude and expression-that Dick
was stricken, but, although he hsita-
ted for moment, he did not losesight
of her. He had pledged his word o fol-
low her, so he went, keeping clos be-
hind her as she walked down the High
street and through the ill-pavd by
lanes to the so-called quay. As sle ap-
preached, a small boat with one boat
man glided up the river, and as il gra-
ted against the steps Lady Joan step
ped in.
"Quick, quick ~ whispered her hus-
band, who had cone mp with Lick a
little while before. "Follow her to the
devilw
Dick shuddered. but unfasteLed 5
boat, and they we're soon in pursuit.
Not too near" said Dick, laying on
his oars, for the husband, beside himself
with jealous fury, was gaining upon the
little boat. Not too near, say, or thsg
will suspect us; they are making for The
CASTLE"
He was wrong, however; they passed
the Solent, rounded the Needles, and
turned into Scratchelps Bay; here thoe
who followed her saw fearful sight.
The water was as smooth as glass, but
bright with lurid, wierd-like fame,
and upon it danced the lady Joan, fill
ing the air with her shrieks, while
round and round, sliding, curtesying,
and bounding, she performed her ghaa-
ly minuet.
An hour, which was an age to tie
lookers-on, passed. Held by some
strange power, they sat watching with
staring eyes and curdling blood until
the white figure was taken back in the
boat and rowed to shore again.
Not one word passed between the
friends, but next day Joan's husband
set off on a journey to London, where
he meant to lay the mysterious case be-
fore an eminent doctor, both spiritual
and physical, in the hope of obtaining
relief from his devil-possessed wife.
Not SO, Dick Berkeley. That love is
capricious, and moreover covers o null
titude of sins, we all know. The glamour
was over Dick, who was so passionately
enamored of Lady Joan that he even
envied the devil the pleasure of ferrying
her to her nightly task; and Lady Joan,
who had grown weary of the evil tenn
per and surveillance of her husband,
proved nothing 10th to accept Dicks
hnr An inly hn lo1 1r
willing, and the coast clear, made such
use of his time that in week from her
husbands departure Joan had consented
to elope with her new lover, and carFy
off with them all the wealth she could
bring to account.
They embarked in French sloop, the
captain of which agreed to take them
to Cherbourg; but, as ill-luck would
have it, the ship was becalmed just be-
yond the Needles, in the haunted
Scratchell's Bay.
"Fll be able to keep my vow, at
least" laughed Lady Joan. "Sir Sam
uel was buried here; if there is fiddler
among the crew he shall come up, and
| shall dance over the old wretch's grave
in spite of his grim will"
ever since the The. wind Wind. had d tfaleRaa SRG
had been getting more and more fright
ened, managed to persuade Joan that
such an action would be folly, and soon
forgot the horrors of the past in the
happiness of the present.
At midnight, Dick, who was still
awake, saw his mistress rise. He rose,
too, and following her on deck, perceiv-
ed the same. scene and horror he had
witnessed before; and as he leaned
against the bulwark, the devil prompt
ing him, he thought, "Why not leave
her here and carry off the riches she has
robbed the old man Of"
No sooner said than done. The
breeze, which seemed to be waiting for
his wish, sprang up; the sails filled, and
the sloop began to move through the
glancing water. But only for a second;
the heavens grew black; thunder peal
ed, and fiery bolt, rushing down from
the angry clouds, split the ship in two.
Dick found himself floating upon the
waves, clinging frantically to a broken
mast; not another vestige of the wreck
was visible. But there, pirouetting,
with streaming hair and gasping lips,
Lady Joan danced her death dance.
Dick was sorry for her now, and call
ed to her in his own despair and agony;
but she needed him not. A long red
streak, away in the east, told of a
coming day; the shrieks grew louder
and the dance more furious. Higher
and higher spread the rosy dawn, until
the Needles caught the reflection and
reared themselves like a blood-stained
hand. Dick tried 10 shut his ears, but
! the frantic shrieks would not be drown
ed. One, at last, came wilder and more
horrible than all The white figure
disappeared beneath the waves, now
glowing like fire, and the unhappy man
was left clinging to the spar, alone
upon the wide waves.
Hours after ! G was picked up by a
passing ship and carried to Ireland
from whence he wrote, detailing the
circumstances, and announcing his in
tention of taking holy orders, whereup
on he hoped to obtain absolution ant
relief.
Such is the legend of Scratchelrs Bay
and although could never succeed II
seeing the phantom dance Of Lady Joan
the old boatman, who gave me the his
tory of her fate, assured me that wher
he was fishing off the Bay he saw her
and was so frightened that he drank {
whole bottle of rum and found hmsel
in the morning drifted nearly to South
amption, and might have said
Truth, they say, lies in a well,
| Why, l vow, ne'er could see.
Let the water. drinkers tell
There ii always lays for me.
One Handful of Hay
Is small matter; one handful q day