The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1876-03-16

dered at it, for he always had neglected /
his family shamefully. Well, to make a |
long story short, they never found him,
and they never suspected the truth. 1t
was believed that he had run away, for
he owed more than he owned, and had
writs out against him.
! kept on going to the ship Just as be-
fore. I suppose you think that there
was one spot that | avoided, but YOU
mistake. The same place where the
hole was-that particular hole that I
have spoken Of-for there were others--
was the most attractive place on board
for me. l kept near it constantly, and
when / could get a chance I looked
down. Sometimes l would throw a little
block, or perhaps a shaving down, and
listen to the sound. The blocks used to
fall long time, but not so long as they
had, and they always brought up against
| something that was hard like wood.
! But one thing made me uneasy, and
| that was Jackson was entirely changed.
/ He grew sober and quiet, and kept out
of my way, though he watched me con-
/ stantly. / knew from the very first that
| he suspected me of doing something to
| his chum. He never said a word when
! they talked about the others running
away. Well, I wasn't much afraid, since
nobody could find the body, and nobody
had seen the deed done, and I didn't be
lieve that Jackson had any idea of the
place; but it fretted me to be watched.
Besides, had begun, after day or two,
to want to tell somebody.
Sometimes / had great mind to tell
John, but [ didn't. By the end of a
week my nerves were on edge about tell
ing; and about Jackson. The way he
watched me was awful. When l passed
near him he wouldn't raise his head ;
but l could see him rolling his eyes round
to keep me in sight, and watch me out of
the corners. [ couldn't stand it. Be
sides, that black hole was a nuisance. l
couldn't help looking in. l saw and
looked into it in my dreams, and in my
sleeping and waking fancied l saw awful
sights there.
One afternoon, late, just before the
workmen left off, / went and lay down
out of sight near that awful hole.
meant to wait until it was .duskish, and
then throw down some shavings and
chloride of lime. The smell made me
crazy. l lay still about an hour, anC
heard them go. They thought / was
gone, and pretty soon all was still.
was waiting till 1 thought no one would
see me, and Just going to start, when
I
emily there was Jackson. He did not Sc,
me, and hid again quickly. First h
bent over the hole, then drew quickl,
back, holding his nose.
/ " He is in there" he said to himself
? He took tiny little lantern out of
5 paper in his hand, lighted it, tied strin
to the handle, tied d handkerchief owe
his nose and mouth, and kneeling besid
the hole, bent over it, and slowly lowere
2 his light. He thought he had me, yO
s see, and that the body had struck some
t where, not 50 far down but he could ge
r a glimpse of it with his light. He wa
s too much interested to hear a step bt
e hind him, though it would have take
sharp ears to hear it any way.
e Why didn't he mind his own bushes
t and look out for his own life? What di
|, he want to meddle with me for, and g
spying round? Why didn't he let n
l. alone? If he had, l wouldn't hay
Il touched him. He knew that ThOmso
l deserved what he had got for his met
Il ding. / gave him a sharp, quick ii
" and down he went, lantern and all
It must have been a pretty safe lantern,
e go out without setting anything afire.
r Someway | felt sick, though I'd give
d? him only what he deserved, and / wei
/, back to my place and lay there all nigh
It and l kept hidden till late in the NOR
y ing alter the workmen had come All
a waited for then was to hear the mast
t tell them to plank up the hole. Then
d went ashore. And then 1 took a vess
to France.
i But 1 couldn't talk to the people ther
l and all the time / have been looking
Of somebody to tell my story to. l haveT
id done any harm. They might have mind
n. their own business, and I wouldn't ha
If touched them. But for all that it tC
Ot mentS me.
p. see that ship everywhere. Al
[ wherever | see it, the insides are traI
~ parent, and l see what's inside of 'el
I've read in the papers that two m
mt were lost in the walls of the Great Ea
er ern; and it must be a spirit that told,
re nobody knows but me, until this narl
On tive shall be published.