Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-08-14
son up the tlue gave dcrlsivc ''IIah, hah,

son up the tiue gave a dcrsivc ''Ilah, hah,
hah -
was startled. sprang from my seat.
"Surelv," said I, half aloud "that is the
voice and tone and words which more
than once came from the maintop of the
Niger" And while was staring at the
professor. with eyes ready to leap out of
their sockets. he came to the front of the
stage to perform his part. Then. in spite
of his flowing board and other decorations,
saw in Professor Meredith the identical
Jack Chester who, over twelve months be-
fore, was believed to have lcaped. in a fit
of madness into the sea and was drowned.
"Chestcr.'' ] cried out in my excite
ment.
"Sit down." cried one; ''put him out -
said Others. In the meanwhile had come
to myself and resumed my seat, but not
before had got from the professor "A sign
of recognition.
When the performance was over my old
shipmate, for it was he. beckoned me to
him and taking me to his private room
he grasped my hand in all the fervency OF
ardent friendship. "Sit down my boy, y
he said, land YOU shall bave Il solution of
the mystery which hangs over me and the
past.
GLOW came YOU to be saved from wat
cry grave on tlat awful night when you
plunged INTO the raging sea-" impa-
tiently asked.
II did not Jump overheard replied
Chester laughing; "neither was | any less
sane than am at this moment. The en-
tire affair was a trick of my own invention
to frighten the captain and then get away
from his clutches. My madness a sham,
and the man overheard was simply a bun
die of old toys, topped by my old hat,
which had just put together. The mo-
ment pitched them over the rail | slip
ped down into the iore-peak, where lay
hid until the night after the ship entered
the port, when | stole out and went on
shore. had taken care to lay up plenty
of junk, and managed to avoid detection
until the Niger sailed. The cries which
YOU heard from the maintop, from behind
the long boat, and in the cabin, ! need
not explain
NO said | ; "all is made clear by the
doings of this night" Exactly so. - said
he And then he continued II had per
formed as "A ventriloquist in most large
cities and town in Europe before you knew
me but becoming somewhat restless in
my habits and having squandered all my
earnings in fit of recklessness took to
the sea- and in the capacity ofsailor, found
my way to Puget Sound. But l had moi
| in me the stuff of which sailors are made
so, after my adventure on board the Niger
went back to my oldprotcssion, in which
have done we'll. My wild oats are all
sown, hope, and having learned wisdom
by bitter experience, shall stick to that
line of life for which | have capacity
better thing than splicing old ropes or tax
ing in topsail reefs on blowing night"
II should think so, | said. but you
nearly killed the captain with fright,
whilst you caused us many heartache at
your supposed loss
For the latter | am sorry returned
Chester. But | cannot say ptied tn.
captain His cruelty TO me was terrible
and he would possibly have ended by kill
ing me, but Tor my fortunate gift of ven
triloqusm. AIS well that ends we'll"
True" | returned. And | rejoice
that you are alive to say 50. You KEEP
your secret famously from Captain Phil
lips and his crew. They never suspecte,
that incapable Jack Chester was the ghos
that haunted the Niger. '-[Argosy.
! Experience has proven that the best RENE
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