Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1879-01-10

nice ABOUT MS papers MS table sol up one
side by the winder, where he could see to
read and write. Well, he'd been gone four
days, when one night-it was a bright moon
light night-Jack and | were sitting by the
fire reading, and between nine and ten o'clock
there came strong regular knock on the
window over by Toms table. We were sit
ting with our backs to the window. 'Hullo =
says Jack who's that We both jumped
up and went TO the window and looked out,
and see there warnt nobody there
"'This is Gurus said l.
Some of the boys trying to trick us, says
he. Let's keep watch perhaps they'll do it
again, says he.
1--WE sot down by the fire. and fore long it
came again.
Then Jack and both cut out of the door
and run round the house he one way and
the other. II was light as day, and nothin
for nybody to hide behind, and there warn't
a crittcr in sight. Wen, we come in and set
down, and looked at each other kind O. puz-
zled, when it came agin, harder'n ever and
Jack looked to the window, and got white as
a sheet
d" For the Lords sake do look " says he.
And you may believe me or not, but / tell
you it's n solemn fact Toms books was
movn'. Jest as if somebody was pckiu' 'em
up and putin EN- down again jest as I've
seen him do a hundred times.
Jack, says I, something's happened to
Tom "
"'Wal there had That very night Tom
was murdered by the Indians We put
down the date, and a week after the news
came"
Come now, captain, said |, breaking the
pause that followed the deacon's story, give
us your story You've been all over the
world, in all times and all weathers and you
amt II man TO be taken in did you ever see
anything of this sort -
well, now, boys, since you put it straight
at me, | don't care if | say | have, on these
ere very waters we're a-sailn' over now, on
board this very schooner in this very cabin.
This was bringing matters close home. w
felt an agreeable shiver, and looked over our
shoulders the deacon, in his berth raise up
Oh his elbow and calculated Dew tell ye
don't say So
Tell MS about it, captain, We both insist
ed. "WeU take your word for most any
thing"
"Wrll, it happened about five years ago.
It's goin' on eight years ago that 'uy father
died. lie sailed out Of Gloucester; had his
house there and after he died, mother she
Jest KEEP on in the old place | went down
at first to see her fixed up about right, and
after that | went now and them and now and
Thanksgiving time, as it is now, and ia ben
down to Boston and was coming back pretty
well loaded with the things I'd been buying
in Boston for Thanksgiving at home rasins
and sugar and all sorts Of West Ingy goods
for the folks Of liarpswell. Well, | meant to
have gone down TO Gloucester to see mother
but had so many ways to run and so much
to do ! was afraid | wouldn't be back on
time and so didn't see her
"Well, We was driving back with good
stiff breeze and we'd got past Cape Ann, and
I'd gone down and turned in, and was fast
asleep in my berth. 1t was past midnight, ,-
every one on the schooner asleep except the
mate, who was up on the watch. | was
sleepin RS sound as ever | slept in my life,
not a dream, nor a feein', no more'n if had
been dead, when suddenly | walked square
up my eyes flew open like spring, with
my mind clear and wide-awake, and sure as
/ ever see anything | see my father standing
right in the middle of the cabin looking right
at me. rose right up in my berth, and says
l.
" Father, is that you?
Yes, says ho, it is me-
Father, says |, what do you come for =
Sam, says he. do you go right back to
Gloucester and take your mother home with
you, and keep her there as long as she lives
Anu hhNh /, fhtner, 1 WILL Ana hs
said this he faded out and was gone. | got
right up and ran up on deck, and called out,
Bout ship Mr. More-he was my mate
then stared at me as if he didn't believe his
ears. Bout ship says | I'm going to
Gloucester
well, he put the ship about, and then
came TO me and says, What the devil does
this mean? We're way past Cape Ann; it's
forty miles right back to Gloucester
3" Can't help it, l said; to Gloucester l
must go as quick rs wind and water will car
ry me. I've thought of matters there that |
must attend to, no matter what happens.
We'll, Ben More and | were good friends
always, but tell you all that day he watched
me in curious kind of way to see if l
weren't took with a fever or suthin and the
men they whispered and talked among them
selves. You see they all had their own rea-
sons for wanting to be back to Thanksgiving.
and it WIS hard on EN-.
'Well, it was inst about sun up We got in
to Gloucester, aud | went ashore, and there
was mother looking pretty poorly, jest max
ing her fire and getting on her kettle. When
she saw me she held up her hands and burst
out crying
Why, Sam the Lord must "a sent you.
I've been sick and all alone, having drefful
hard time, and I've felt rs if / couldn't hold
out much longer
"'Well, says l, mother pack up your
things and come right aboard the sloop; for
I've come to take you home, and take care of
you; so put up your things.
well, | took hold and helped her and we
put things together lively and packed up
her trunks, and tied up the bed and pillows
and bedclothes, and took her rocking chair
aud bureau and tables and chairs down to the
sloop. And when | came down, bringing her
and all her things, Ben Morse seemed to see
what was after; but how or why the idea
came into my head never told him There's
things that a man feels shy of tellin, and
didn't want to talk about it.
well, when we was all aboard, the wind
sprung up fair and steady, and we went on
at right spanking pace and the fellows
said the Harpswell girls had got hold of our
rope, and was pulling us with all their might;
and We came in all right the very day before
Thanksgiving. And my wife was as glad to
see mother as if she'd expected her and fixed
up the front chamber for her, with stove in
it, and plenty of kindlings. And the chill
dren was all so glad to see grandma, and we
had the best kind of Thanksgiving,
"Wrll, said |, nobody could say there
wasn't any use in that spirit coming, If spr-
it it was; it had most practical purpose"
well, said the captain, 1--WE been all
round the world in all sorts of countries
seen all sorts of queer, strange things and
seen so many things that | never could have
believed it if hadn't seen 'em, that never
say won't believe this or that. If / sec
thing right straight under my eyes, don't
say it couldn't "a ben there cause college
folks say there amt no such things"
"lIow do you know it wasn't all dream ?"
said my chum.
How do l know cause l was broad
awake, and gently know when I'm awake
and when I'm asleep. l think Mr.. More
found me pretty wide awake
1t was now time to turn in, and we slept
soundly while the Brilliant plowed her way.
BY daybreak the dome of the State House
was in sight.
"Tve settled the captains story" said my
chum to me. 1T can all be accounted for on
the theory of cerebral hallucination."
"All right" said l "but it answered the
purpose beautifully for the old mother
Atlantic Nonthg for JaRWarG