The Centre reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1871-1940, 1877-06-21
Clara's Strata gem.

Aud that is all.
Clara's Stratagem.
II was an autumn evening, The dead leaves
were falling about the garden. and all was still
save the noise of the Aood tapping the seawocd
on the shore Two persons we're walhlUg NV-
meath the old trees IA the garden ono Was $
Young man IN wh0m was exhibited somewhat
of the mIoa ot sailor, though scarov twenty
summers had broadoucd his shoulders and
though foreign san had browDci his chcyA,
vet he was " fun ~ luSty life Upon ms arm
leaned a lovely, laughing creature, just burst
ing into glorious vumanhoa3 hvr eve sPaTA. Cd
with the fires ~ vii and mischief she seemed
one who could laugh az every disappointment
and by whom To be beloved was hiss. SILVER
toned words Wor5 dropping trom her rosy hps,
She gayly ropraNed HIM q. the hro@d shoulders
az her side.
DO you sail 50 so1n. tlNns How naughty,
Rupert. ! shall bc scttgps Jealous ~ Nlstcvss
Ocean. Aon have >carcgiy arrived, and now
YOU are anxious 20 So Msyhsp SOME pretty
one Of tho l,gNUriaul South calls YOU froU your
cold maiden of the North HS rnrthlnkS That
brown cheek WAKES = little brighter ~ the aocg-
sauou. Oh, Yen naughty, uaOShy toy he-
luNlu s Few DAYS leDScr and attend our picnic
I
Come, say you viii
Were i. possible Clara, would. hut mus,
sail. / ShoUl3 have beeD away thrvc DAYS atv
but Tor those sUpSrst.l,ous fellows wbg have
got an idea that the vessel IS haunted Aad
now th5y wlll not sal without stay Tonight IN
the fogeoSStle aud UuTayol The mystery for
them. II succeed IN shAn.lus them NS arc O.
SAL tomorrow. The whole village Is -st-r with
their foolish stories
You don't believe IN ghosts then
&c Nor dots Clara, presume.
II believe IN ghosts, the evil spirits which
haunt the vessel of Rupert Lyons and in ~
.. '.Goud-night, Clara. And Rupert ws4&gd
toward the wharf.
The scene was On the hanks of one % those
quiet little hAr5ors, where merchants sometimes
grow silently rich. away from the noise and
smoke % the crowded city. Il wAs IN Prince
Edwards island. guod many years ago, when
commence was an infant there. Was Young
man then, and had charge q a small trlg ssil-
Ing 90 The south. We had Just completed tax
ing III = cargo for New ORLEANS, aud intended
trading among the West India Islands uuu.
spring should UnlooA the harbors of my father
land. Whlc-- winter always fastened With strong
bars Of iec. Ny employer was the principal
merchant u t4a place, Aad lived near IAe
wharf. We were ll>t4ltly related Oy marriage,
hut ue2r Tie of friendship bJuni q, closer
than blo0i. Perhaps that tie wSs Clara Sea,
perhaps Il WAS rot AZ any rate had always
lived WITH hlm previous 20 gulns % sSA, and
now, when n port, spent al NY leisure hours
81 their pleasant home there was Rupert s
room stiu sud Ruperi's slippers. and Lls vrlt-
ing desk, and his riEc, and his dog.
was pSSSIluatCly fond ~ the sya, and being
sc4rce our u uly teens. the acme q my aula.-
ton WAS "a uaake shorter stays and quicker soy
ages than any ether vessel and nOW that had
s share ia the business, private interest sup
pAed % ambition what i might be losing OF
youthful enthusiasm. Upon the whole am
afraid was but sorry lover, aud my GOODNESS
and neslec. were sufficient incentives 20 awaken
the witty sarczslus Of the pretty Clara, which
were Lwzys joined BY the Joyi2l laugh Of CID
Mr. Sea.
According 70 the statements q the crew. the
brig had been haunted for several nights pre-
ylous 70 the completing Of her load. by noctur-
nal visits and these sui continued % be kept
NJ. One had seen q small, wEitish fig,uro jump
from the wharf. hop quickly across the deck and
leap into the wster another had seen two hs-
ures passing quickly around the shed on the
whsrf, and 2u had heard loud reports a. mid
night. of the explosion of gun upoa the
deck The combination Of these strange events
had 50 terrified the supersuuuus sailors. that
rnauv of them refused 10 sal Untll / should
convince them by other means than words that
they were laborIng under q delu-iOn. And
now. when three DAYS were gone, and their
lively lEAE1aatlous were eli2rElug everything
tenfold. determined 20 watch one night and
weigh anchur on the morrow and for that pur-
pose, on the evening alluded %. after taking G
hASty leave q Clara. proceeded in the direc-
ti0n of the vessel The long wharf was desert
ed by al the craft, aud not 4 spar arOsa shove
the wharf save those 0f our little hrig which
lay uoured at the further end Two small
schoOuers had Just moved into tIe channel,
and were awaiting more favorable wind. The
night was growing rather dark but disturbed
only by soft zephyrs which sighed softly in the
rigging. Having arrived 81 the outer block,
and before going on board. I made review OF
the place. Near the bow of the vessel end
opening IN the other direction. was SID or
storehouse. erected on the wharf, for .conve-
nience IN loading and unloading. Entering and
casting s searching glance around the interior.
/ satisfied myself that no one was there con-
os4Ie3. Barrels and boxes were piled A,ains;
its walls. IN this corner WAS heApei lot Of
large turnips in that were arranged oars. and
spare yards. and oyster t1ugs. and in the center
were several heavy anchors and two or three
superaunuAted. heavy guns. Leaving this and
stepping on board / found the men ID q fever
in state of excitement.
/ eudeayorsd to shame them ont of their
fears by laughing st what I termed their folly.
upon which they promised that II I watched In
the forecastle- where they deemed the most
danger was 70 be encountered. and II I could
explain the mysterious visitation 20 their salts
faction, they would sail the next day. Taking
with me two Of ths most timid. and sending the
rest to the cabin. went below and stretching
myself On a sea chest, vas sinking into q deep
Eiuuber, when 8 noise. s. OF something falling
on deck. brought Ee 70 nv feet ard immedi-
ateiy rolling sound was heard followed by a
sudden plash Of something falling over
board this was repeated thrice AZ interval. Of
about minute. esch time, however. increasing
in loudness. when an was hushed. Taking ad-
vantage Of the pause, directed my two men
~ he "A
/ called, and went on deck.
After searching everywhere. and putting nv
ear down to listen. until completely tired out
wrapped myself MP in foresail aud awaited IN
curious anxiety. Remaining half an hour with
out any signs Of repetition l again went be.
low and prepared to sleep. I had barely time
70 get comfortably stretched, when. a. had
just begun 70 doze, noise, louder, heavier and
more terrible than any preceding one. brought
my tmid companions trembling 70 NV side
but, unlike the former. il did not extend be-
yond the deck, 10 rlmbh1g overhead. no
splash q water wa heard-it ended A. i some
thing had been crushed TO atoms where IL fell 3;
then followed the same geutle, lullinC sound OF
the water upon the vessels prov the same
gentle breeze was heard moaning IN the rlg-
ging. and the dread silence Of the forecsstle
was broken only By the lOud heart-beais Of NV
superstit.0us attendants
I crawIed noiselessly from below. and hearing
slight ristlBg in the direction Of the shed. i
passed over the bow aud moved softly round 10
listen. On arriving at the opening IN front
looked cautiously ia, and what was my surprise
70 see figure approach from the further cor
ner, with something held in what appeared 10
be an outstretehed arm. It moved slowly aud
guardedly toward tho spot where / stood con-
cealed by large box. Quick as lightning the
truth flashed across fny mind. closely scrufi-
nlzed the object. Ii was held bv a small
gloved hand, which was now near nv face. and
10, it was huge turnip, The figure placed
itself Ia an attitude as II to throw il with more
than ordinary strength, when l stepped for
ward and there fell into my arms the form OF
Clara Sea. Another slight report might have
been heard, and the ghost would trouble Us no
more. / waited till the day Of the picnic and
the one f0llowing-and another, and another
until the old man began TO go oftener than
usual on the wharf, and then sailed ont Of
port, perhaps not so enthusiastic a sailor. but a
more devoted lover. .Clara's artifce. il il did
not frighten us into giving up the voyage, hast
ened marriage ceremony.
None Like Him.
At tha Detroit and ATjlwal1kea de,,o+