The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-10-30
THE DAILY STAR
A MYSTERY OF THE SEA


isjust enough air to keep the Dolphin
moving at quiet rate, and the passcn
sers are gathered on the deck to enjoy
he matchess evening.
A short distance AWAY stand two lovers
Edmund Prescott and Florence Har
fis-looking upon the ocean, and me,li
tating and conversing upon the scene.
"i[ow different this sky from our north.
ern irmanentW remarkedithe. latter, afte,
a pause. Il can hardly recognize nv fav.
orite Constellation. The Southern Cros,
is beautiful, but then | miss the others
Ursa Majnr has entirely disappeared, and
rs for the Minor Bear scarce a star of him
is visible"
At this observation. which was intend
ed for no particular ears, Adolphus Fitz-
sibhon aroused himself.
"Aw-wha,'s chat, Miss Harrh9 Awl
nave you seen bears at s>a?'
'Yes, and monkeys, too" was the
quick but good-natured reply.
All of US laughed, while Fitzgibbon
looked very silly, then grinned hugely,
then seemed to mediate some scathing
vticism, then concluded he would not,
md stretched out upon his side with his
back toward the lovers, and pretended
TO, OF really did, iall asleep within the
next fifteen minutes.
| was reclining on the deck, about a
dozen feet from where the lovers stood
not with any tention of listening to
their words, but simply because | had
taken my positisn first, and was too M
tuid to change it. had been IN invalid
;or years, and was now recovering from
Il very severe spell of Sickness.
| was Iazingly drawing at my Havana,
puffing the thin fragrant smoke from my
lnouth without removing the cigar, and
gazing upward at the brilliant stars as
hey slowly s,iled overhead. 1t was in
hat delicious dreamy state, half asleep,
aud half awake, hearing only the MUIR
lnur of the voices around me, as une
hears the faint sound Of distant water
fall.
presume had lain thus for nearlvan
bour, and my cigar had burned almost to
nv mouth, while the long column of
lshes WIS still unbroken, when some
hing struck my ear like the sound of n
3ell. 1t was not until I had heard it
several times that it seemed really to af-
feet my senses.
Al ut once gave start the ashes
dropped upon my bosom, and arose to Il
sitting position and gazed around me.
"liuki" said |; didn't you hear that
,ell!"
just what have been trying to make
Edmund believed" laughed Florence
Harris; "he persisted in not believing
it,"
wistenw | said, raising my hand.
And immediately there fell death
ike silence
AID while thus intently listening,
here came across the sea- faint but dis
iinct, the soft, distant of sound a bell.
We scarcely breathed for minute. The
strange, solemn sound was repeated at
yegular intervals, as if swung by the
aand of some exhausted sufferer, or tolled
hs lhe swell of the ocean.
The captain had by this time ap-
,roached and stood in the attitude of at
1entihn.
1--WE must be near the land?" I VEN
tnred to say, rather in the form Of an in
quiry than that of an assertion.
"No, sir" responded tie captain. "The
nearest island is good eight hundred
niles away, and this doesn't come from
there, I should think"
"What can it bef' asked several, in
he same breath
"1he sound comes from that direc-
ion," s,id Florence Harris, pointing to-
yard the equator.
Perhaps it is on board strip, / again
yentured.
"Don't think it is," replied the cap
;ain, with shake OF the head.
What can it be?' asked Florence.
To this no one ventured to reply for
,oyeral moments In the meantime the
.olling of the bell had become quite dis
,inct, and Adolphus Fitzgibbon gave
yawn, a groan, u kick, and awo!se.
"Aw--yes-aw-T WAS about to sug-
re-t--lw--that the tea-bell should ring
aw--aw--awV he stammcrcd, confusedly
Using to his feet, and pitching back and
forlh. Then, seeing us all in the attitude
af attention, he asked. "Wbat--aw--the
sooee is the maLter?"
'Its the Bell of Doomw exclaimed
Back~tay Bob, tall, Scared sailor, from
lis position at the wheel. @
'pshaw! you're too childish" replied
the captain. "Whatever it is, We are
rapidly approaching it, for notice how
much louder it sounds.
such was the case. The bell was now
!ieard clear and distinct to the south, and
YEAS approaching nearer every moment
shortly after, the captain took his night
tlass and gazed long and intently in that
direction. When he lowered it he said:
Il can just discover dark body rising
!nd falling on the waves, hut nothing
more. Baekstay Bob, you have got the
5est eyesight u any one Oh board. See
What you can make Of it."'
Bob resigned his place at the wheel to
one of the men, and came forward and
took the glass. He held it to his eye for
several minutes without speaking, and,
toali appearance, withoa even breath
ing, while we awaited his word with the
,ieeuest interest Finally he gave a great