Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1872-04-25
THE RESCUE.
From Owens =" Footfalis. y

tish family ofthat name, was born. il
humble circumstances, about the clos
OF the last century, at Torbay, in tn
south of England, and there bred u]
to seafaring life.
When about thirty;years of age, to
wit, in the year 1928, he was first mat
of q barque trading between Liverpoo
and st. Johns, New Brunswick.
On one of her voyages bound west
ward, being some five or sit weeks out
and having neared the eastern portion
of the banks of Newfoundland, the cap
tam and mate had been on deck q
noon, taking an observation of the sun
after which they both descended to cal
culate the days work.
The cabin, small one, was immedi
ately at the stern of the vessel, and th,
short stairway descended to it "a,
athwart-ships. Immediately opposit,
to this stairway, Just: beyond a small
square landing, was the mates state
room and from that landing ther.
were two doors close to each other, thu
one opening aft into the cabin, thy 9th
er fronting the stairway into the state
room. The desk in the state-room wae
in the forward part of it, close to the
door ; so that one sitting at it and look.
ing over his shoulder could look into
the cabin.
The mate, absorbed in, his calcula.
tions, which did not result az he had
expected, varying considerably from
the dead reckoning, had not noticed
the captains motions When he had
completed his calculations, he called
out without looking around, II make
out Latitude and longitude so and so.
Can that be right7 How is yours9
Receiving no reply, he repeated hle
question, glancing over his shoulder,
and perceiving,as he thought, the cap
tam busy writing on his slate. Still nc
answer. Thereupon he rose, and as he
fronted the cabin door, the figure he
had mistaken for the captain raised its
head, and disclosed to the astonished
mate the features of IN entire stranger
Bruce was no coward, but, as he met
that fixed gaze looking directly at him
in grave silence, and became assured
that it was no one whom he had eve,
seen before, it was too much for him ;
and instead of stopping to question the
seeming intruder, he rushed upon deck
in such evident alarm, that it instantly
attracted the captains attention.
"Why, Mr.. Bruce" said the latter,
"what in the world is the matter with
youf"
"The matter, sir9 Who is that al
your desk :"
"No one that I know Of"
but there IL, sir; there's q etranp.
or there"
A strangerl Why, man, you must
be dreaming. You must be dreaming.
You must have seen the steward there,
or the second mate. Who else would
venture there without orders -
"But, sir, he was sitting in your
armchair, fronting the door, writing
on your slate. Then he looked up full
in my face; and if ever I saw q man
plainly and distinctly in this world,
"Him' Whome". =: .
"God knows, sir, I don't. saw q
man, and a man I never saw in my life
"You MUST be going crazy, Mr..
weeks out!"
II don't know, sir, but then I saw
him."
"Go down and see who he is."
Bruce besitated. 81 never was q be.
lever in ghosts" he said, "but if the
truth must be told, sir. I'd rather moi
face it alone"
"Come, come, man, 20 down 1T once,
and don't make fool Of yourself before
the crew."
II hope you always found me will
ing to do what's reasonable" Bruce re-
piled, changing color "bat If it's al
the same tofVou, sir, I d rather we should
both go down together"
The captain descended the stairs. and
the mate followed him. Nobody in thu
cabin They examined the state rooms
Not q soul to be found
!" Well, Mr.: Bruce" said the can
tain, " did not I tell you you had bee1
dreaming!"
" It's all very we'll to say so, sir; bu
If I didn't see the man writing on you
slate, may I never see my home ant
family again"
"Ah writing on the slatel Then i
should be there STILL" And the captai,
took 1t up.
The captain exclaimed, "Here''
something, sure enough! Is that you
writing, Mr.. Bruce 2"
The mate took the slate, and ther,
in plain, legible characters, stood tn,
words, Steer to the nor'west.''
"Have you been trifiing with m,
sir?' added the captain, in ster1
manner.
"On my word as man and q sailor
sir" replied Bruce, "I know no NOR
OF this matter than you do. Ihave tol,
You the exact truth.
The captain sat down at his desk. tn,
slate before him, in deep thought. A
last, turning the slate over and push
ing it toward Bruce, he said, "Writ
down. Steer to the nor'west.'''
The mate complied, and the captain
after narrowly comparing the two hand
writing, said, "Mr. Bruce, go and tel
the second mate to come down here.
He came, and, at the request of th
captain he also wrote the same words
80 did the steward. So, in succession
did every man of the crew who coul,
write ut all. But not one of the yariou
hands resembled, in any degree, tn
mysterious writing.
| When the crew retired, the captai1
sat in deep thought. "Oould any on