The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1876-02-25


Not a soul TO be found
"Well, Mr.. Bruce" said the Cap
tain, "did not tell you you had been
dreamingl"
{" It's all very well to say SO, sir; but if
| 1 didn't see that man writing on your
slate, may / never see my home and fam
lily again!" =.
"A All! writing on the slate Then il
should be there still, and the Captain
took up the slate.
"My Godl" he exclaimed, "here's
something sure enough Is that your
writing, Mr.. Bruce 2"
The mate took the slate, and there, in
plain, legible characters, were the words,
"Steer to nor'west."
"Have you been trihing with me, sir9"
| inquired the Captain, sternly.
"On my word as a man, sir" replied
Bruce, 81 know no more of this matter
than you do. have told you the exact
| truth"
The Captain sat down at his desk in
deep thought, the slate before him. At
last, turning the slate over and pushing
it toward Bruce, he said, "Write down,
steer to nor'west.
The mate complied, and the Captain,
said, narrowly comparing the handwrit-
ing, after "Mr. Bruce, go and tell the
second mate to come down here" He
came, and, at the Captains request, he
also wrote the words. So did the
steward. So, in succession, did every
man of the crew who could write at all.
But not one resembled, i'll any degree,
the mysterious writing. After the crew
had retired, the Captain sat deep in
thought. "Could any one have been
slowed away 2" at length he said. "The
ship must be searched, and if l don't
find the fellow, he must be a good hand
at hide and seek. Order up all hands.
Every nook and corner of the vessel,
from stem to stern, was thoroughly
searched, and that with all the eagerness
of excited curiosity-for it had gone out
that a stranger had shown himself on
board-but not a living soul beyond the
crew and the officers was found.
Returning to the cabin after their
fruitless search, Mr.. Bruce" said the
Captain, "What the devil do you make
of all this2"
Cant tell, sir. / saw the man write
you see the writing. There must be
something in it."
"Well, it would seem so. We have
the wind free, and l have great mind
to keep her away and see what will come
of il"
CT surely would, sir, if were in your
place. It's only few hours lost at the
worst.
"Wen, We'll see. Go on deck and
give the course r'west. And, Mr..
Bruce" he added, Us the mate arose to
go, shave lookout aloft, and let it be
a hand you can depend on"
DISCOVERY.
At about 3 o'clock the lookout report
ed an iceberg nearly ahead, and shortly
afterward what he thought was vessel
close to it. AS they approached, the
Captains glass disclosed the fact that ii
was dismantled ship, apparently frozen
to the ice, and with many human beings
on it. Shortly afterward they hove to,
and sent out the boats to the relief OF
the sufferers. 1t proved to be vessel
from Quebec, bound to Liverpool, with
passengers.
As one of the men who had been
brought away III the third boat that had
reached the wreck was ascending the
ships side, the mate, catching a glimpse
of his face, started back in con-
sternation. 1t was the very face that
he saw three or four hours be-
fore, looking up at him from the Cap
tain's desk.
The exhausted crew and furnished
passengers having been cared for, the
mate called the Captain aside. at
seems that was not ghost L saw to-day,
sir the mans alive"
What do you mean Who's
alive9"
"Why, sir, one of the passengers
we have just save is the same man /
saw writing on your slate at noon.
would swear to it in q court of JUS
tice."
upon my word, Mr.. Bruce" re-
piled the Captain, "this gets more and
more singular. Let us go and see this
man.
They found him in conversation with
the Captain of the rescued ship. They
both stepped forward, and expressed in
the warmest terms their gratitude for
deliverance from horrible fate-slow
death by exposure and starvation. The
Captain replied that he had done only
what he was certain they would have
done for him under the same circum
stances, and asked them both to step
down into the cabin. Then, turning to
the passenger, he said: 81 hope, sir,
you will not think / am trifing with
you but 1 would be much obliged il
you would write a few words on this
slate" and he handed him the
slate, with that side up on which
the mysterious writing was not. 81
will do anything you ask" replied the
passenger "but what shall write 2"
"Suppose you write, Steer to nor
west. ,"
The passenger cheerfully complied
The Captain took mp the slate and ex
amined it closely; then, stepping
aside so as to conceal the slate
from the passenger, he turned it ovei
and gave it to him again with the other
side up.
&C. You say that is your handwriting9'
said he.
81 need not say So" rejoined the
other, looking at it, "for you saw me
write it"
"And this 2" said the Captain, turn