The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-09-10
A Modern Ghort Story.
nrIllen lor ,hn wheslIng InleIllrenper.


Written for the wheeling lntelligeucer.
Among the many reeollechons Of my
long travels the following incident was a
great puzzle to all, at the time 1t took place,
and is still shrouded in profound mystery,
After q delightful tour in the sunny land
Of Portugal, We wished to leave for Liver
pool, and took the first steamer which
touched at Lisbon. The Marathon ap.
peared to be fine vessel, and 1t was only
after being day on board that We found
that she could only make seven knots an
hour, MS she had yards OF sea-weed hang
ing from her keel, and was going into dry
dock on reaching Liverpool to be cleaned.
The company on board was pleasant, al.
though the vessel was crowded. begged
the purser to see II must have q COM
panion in my cabin, that 1t should
be some one nice and agreeable.
He said there was a nice young lady, Miss
Mary s., going home with his mamma
and Younger sisters. She seemed bright,
cheerful lassic off about fourteen summers,
and We became pretty good friends and
chatted together, while looking on the
fine coast Of Portugal, becoming more and
more indistinct every moment. Most OF
the messengers soon had to retire into the
secrecy OF their cabins, but we held our
own, and enjoyed the breezes until +; y.
when We assembled at tables, after which
we did q little stnr-gazing, and mooned
away our time until I r. ~, when we re-
tired. Miss Mary asked me II ! had any
objections TO take the bottom berth. l
said 1t was immaterial to me so We re-
tired. slept soundly until about one
o'clock, when was awoke; in fright
by what soOmed TO 10 the clasp. OF
a clammy cold hand clasping. mine,
as 1t dropped over the edge OF the bed. ]
awoke very easily; so ! sat up directly
and asked Miss Mary II she had touched
mo. and II she was III +? She answered with
a grunt, and had to shake hQr before J
got reply. When did, II wasa startling
one. "What!" said she, "has that ghost
Qomp 10 your J Ind to leave this cabin
where l Slept aione, on that very account;
but they told me that as you were coming
It would be all right" We had no more
Sleep that night; We looked, and talked,
and onIegtlfed, OIL to no purpose. In the
morning told the Captain, and h9 sa y
the young lady had complained and said
she would not sleep there again. He gave
orders to steward to turn the whole cab
In out, for, unfortunately, it was the
only vacant one on the ship.
went 10 look on; there was not
even. q rathole to he seen; asked the
steward what he supposed it could be, he
answered in u most luguhrious tone; ~
don't know miss, our cook died on the.
way from Naples TO Leghorn!! What con-
nection he could sec between tho death OF
the cook, and our ghostly visitant, ! could
not discover-EIowever, having seen with
our own eyes that there was nothing in
the cabin, We thought We would be able
to rest In peace so wc passed the day
merrily, although tho Marathon was any.
thing but satisfactory boat, We felt as II
we could walk as quickly as 1t went, and
then she had a cargo OF iron ore, which the
rollers OF the Bay Of Biscay caused to
move about terribly, and then Iheard that
ore OF any kind and cattle are the worst
cargo 10 have In storm; they both
shit around so much. Well, night
Cdlllt vi 10 uSuht hAh W. 'stt.se
without thought to mar our
slumbers. We ueain slept well, and again
about tho same hour tho sensation OF the
clammy hand awoke me : reused Miss
Mary, and by the silycry rays Of the moon
shining in upon us, We looked around and
ut each other in amazement, told the
Captain at breakfast and said VIC would
not sleep there again. He went round
and asked some gentlemen il they would
change cabins with lis; but they did not
like the Idea. As all he could do was TO lot
us have light all night, he did so, and TO
our delight we slept until morning undis-
turbed. .E..r.,7.g. .ylf..E 81
That was the third night. The next
night l went. 10 sleep quite comfort.
ably and awokc with fearful weight on
my chest, put up my hand and felt some
thing warm, soft and furry. i flung it off
and It scratched my Rr,n from elbow 70
wrist. II disappeared and ] saw thati
was cat. This was not IN apparitiop,
for they do not scratch. Some poor cat
had hidden itself on board, and attracted
by the light, had entered our cabin blythe
small opening Of the window. That was
easily explained, but the mystery OF the
cammy hand remains mystery to this
day. ll5s "a y. - % -...I- O.
How Grnnt Is flxed Financially.