The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1869-06-07
The Phantom of Regetta
Island.

| IhSy dIl CEleu lu6 CO4S"dlui
and as we laid in our oars, well pleased
at the prospect of rest, our boat ran
| in alongside the landing place on the
island at the end of Henley Beach.
We were rowing down from Oxford
by eusy stages in four-Oared gig. We
had come out for pleasure, and not to
| perform aquatic featS. We rested when
ever we felt disposed, and hailed the
sight of a lock with invariable satisfac.
| ton. Our boat presented, as look ed
down upon her from the bank, an ap-
pearance of comfortable untidiness.
Carpet bags were slowed away under
| the seats, u hamper was dashed aft with
in easy reach of the coxswain, and up
on the coXswain's seat reclined a sus-
piciOus tankard. Two or three unbusi.
| ness-like pipes were on the floor, the
usual miserable little sheepskin sitting
mats were replaced by thick, Comlorta.
bile cushions, and our boat herself, a
r0omy inrigged gig, evidently meant
| pleasure.
We landed our hamper, unpacked the
good things we had that morning
brought from Wargrave, and devoted
ourselves to our lunch, or rather din
ner, with as good an appetite as If we
really had been working hard. 1t was
not long before this business was salts
/ factorily dispatched, and we were all
treclining on the grass lazfly smoking,
or feeding to dangerous replelion Il
brood of yellow ducklings which had
| gathered about US.
All OF us, that Is to say, except Will
| barton, who had quietly disappeared.
Will had been the life and soul OF our
party hitherto; his laugh had been the
gayest, his temper the sweetest, his
work, on the rare occasions when we
tried little real rowing, the hardest.
But all day, from the moment we de-
| cidcd on taking our lunch with us and
/ nm in tho Tnrn ,JnnR air on
| Regatta Island, rather than in a close
| inn-roOm, his manner had changed.
He had been strangely silent and pre-.
occupied, something seemed to weigh
heavily on his thoughts, and when any
allusiOn to our coming resting place
was made, it seemed, in some odd way,
| to disturb him. l WAS more intimate
with Will than our companions were,
| and this change of mood, so unusual
with him, struck me very much.
Accordingly. when 1 missed him
now, 1 strolled away cross the little is
land in search of him. He was leaning
against a tree by the waters edge, with
folded arms, and was gazing at the wa
ter as it flowed between him and the
Buckinghamshire shore, with a curious
eagerness. He was in deep thought,
and evidently in thought of no pleas
ant kind; his face WAS white, his brows
were contracted. Thinking he must be
ill, hurriedly approached him, and
LAYING my hand on his shoulder, cried:
why, Win, old boy, what's the mat
tel?'
He made me no answer for a moment
and had to repeat my question before
he seemed TO hear me. Then he started
and, with strange nbruptness OF man
ner. replied:
Nothing is the matter. What do you
suppose is the natter
you look pale, I said, and you've
not been yourself all day. Pm sure
there's something wrong
Il tell you there is nothing wrong
1 wish you would leave me alone for q
minute or two. It's hard | can't be al
lowed 10 be quiet in my own way he
answered, with Il roughness that sur
prised me.
kept my establishment to myself
and turned away, saying:
Very we'll. Have your own way
But recollect we must start in half an
hour, or it will be getting late.'
Our companions appeared to have nc
nor did they seem TO have missed
either me or Will. 1 found them re.
Ginning, oblivious of all earthly things,
with their pipes In their mouths, and
their straw hats tilted on to their noses
and so evidently indisposed for CONVEX
satiOn that felt It was of no use to
endeavor to arouse any interest in theil
minds as to Will and his eccentricities
Making the best of the situation,
Joined them, and was presently gazing
dreamily up at the bright blue sky
through grateful screen OF OVerhang'
: ing leaves, and Watching the smoke o.
my pipe as it floated off in the calm air
By-and-by the sky became DINNER
my pipe gradually dropped from my
lips, and fell insensibly into heavy
sleep.
Iawoke suddenly with a start, and
disposed, as is the custom with most
midday sleepers. to declare 1 hadn't
closed an eye. The assertion was un
necessary. My companions, who were
lively enough now, we're busily engag-
ed in a violent metaphysical discussion
of the discursive nature suitable t
such an occasion, and were not ever
disposed for bad jokes at my expense
The subject Immediately under treat
ment was the engrossing one of ghosts
and apparitions, and the argument was
warm. AS I rose, saw Will Dartor
coming toward US along the patti, more
like himself than when had left hin
by the river, but still with disturbed
look upon his face. Knowing 1t was
time to start, interrupted the eagel
, takers.
Now, you fellows, II you mean tt
get TO NARROW to- might. you must drOI
the subject and take to your oars in.
stead. You can finish what you've go
Very WE'LL said little Jack Long
the smallest and most obstinate OF thu
crew; I've no objection. But I mus
, say that OF all the nonsense eve
heard, these two men have been talking
the worst, Fred says he firmly believes
in ghosts, although he knows nothing
= about them except from books; and tn
other lunatic knows q fellow Wit
knows another fellow whose grand
mother saw one, or something OF tina
sort. don't believe in ghosts myself
never saw one, and never saw any
= body else who had ever seen one; ant
what's more, don't believe that an!
man ever was told of ghost by tn
> man who had seen it. They're always
at second hand
Win barton had stopped short as b
l heard the beginning7o of this speech
His face pale before, became paler now
some strange fear seemed to be look
ing from his eyes, and 1t was eVlden
he was much disturbed. When tn
speaker. ceased, Will flushed and. Will
an irritable ex citement very unlike hi
usual self, interrupted the Laughing
. protests of Jacks antagonists by cry
ing, as he advanced:
You! You don't believe in ghosts
IoM'Ue never been told of ghost BY
man who saw it. Good Heavens! VIII
l.
3 Hehastily checked himself. the f1qs
faded from his cheek; once more he De
: came deadly pale.
'Holloal holloa = said jack What
the matter now? Are you parncu
{ lar friend of the spectral world ? or
that your polite way of intimatinR you