Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1879-01-16
LANCASTER WISCONSIN. THURSDAY JANUARY 49, 1879

OF philosopher, what shakes m,
faith in all supernatural stories is ,ha
can't see any nse or purpose il
them
Wal, if there couldn't nothin' hap
pen nor be except what you could see
a use in, there wouldn't much happen
nor be- quoth the captain.
| A laugh went round at the expense
of my friend
wal, now, I'll tell we what, boys,
piped the thin voice of the deacon,
folks mustn't be too presumptuous
there is providences permitted tina,
we don see no use in, but they dc
happen-yes, they do. Now what
Jim Larned's been a-tellin' is good
deal like what happened to me once,
when | was up to Umbagog, IN the
lumber business >
'Hullo! called out Jim, heres the
deacon's story! | told you every man
had one. Give it to us, deacon speak
out, and don't be bashiul.'
wal, really, it amt what like to
talk about, said the deacon, in qua
vering, uncertain voice but | don't
know but / may as we'll, though.
1T was that winter / was up to
Umbagog. / was clerk, and KEEP the
counts ana books and all that, and
Tom Huly-he was surveyor and
marker-he was there with me, and
we chummed together. And there
was Jack Cutter--he was Jest out O.
college he was there practicing sur.
veyin' with him. We three had g
kind O. shanty built out on a plain
near by the camp; it had fire place
and two windows and our hunks, and
each of us had our tables and books
and things.
'Well, Huly he started with party
of three or four to 60 up through the
woods to look out o new tract. 1t
was two or three days. journey
through the woods and jest about that
time the Indians up there was getting
sort o uneasy, and we all thought
mabbe t was sort o risky howsomd
ever, Tom had gone off in high spirits
and told us to be sure and take care
of his books and papers. Tom had a
lot Of books and thought everything
of 'em, and was sort o particular and
nice about his papers his table set
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 bright, moonlight
night-Jack and were sitting by the
fire reading, and between nine and
ten o'clock there came strong, regu-
lar knock on the window over by
Toms table. We were sitting with
our backs to the window. sHullo =
| says Jack, who's that?' We both
jumped up and went to the window
and looked out and see there warn't
| nobody there.
ssThis is curus,' said I.
ssSome of the boys trying to trick
| u.s. says he. Lets keep watch; per-
haps they'll do it again. says he.
sWe sot down by the fire, and fore
long it came again.
Then Jack and / both cut out the
door and run round the house-he
one way and the other. 1t was light
as day. and nothin' for anybody to
| hide behind, and there warn't crit.
ter in sight. Well, we come in and
sot down, and looked at each other
kind o puzzled, when it come agin,
harder'n ever /: and Jack looked to
the window and got as white as a
sheet.
'For the Lords sake, do look = said
he. And you may belieye me or not,
| but tell you it's solemn fact; Tom 8
books was movin'-jest as if some
body was pickin' 'em up and putting
'em down again, jest as I've seen him
do a hundred times.
Jack says I, Something's hap
pened to Tom =
wal, there had. That very night
Tom was murdered by the Indians |!
We put down the date, and week
arter the news came
Come now, captain said I, break
ing the pause that followed the dea
cons story, sgiye Us your story.
You've been all over the world, 10 all
times and all weathers, and you amt
a man to be taken in; did you ever
see anything of this sort p
well, now, boys, since you put it
straight at me, don't care if say /
have, on these ere very waters we're
sailin' over now, on board this very
schooner, in this very cabin.
This was bringing matters close
home. We felt an agreeable SILVER.
and looked over our shoulders /; the
deacon. in his berth, raised UP on his
elbow, and calculated, Dew tell We
don't say So
Tell us about it, captain we both
insisted. 'We'll take your word for
most anything
well, it happened about FIVE years
ago. It's goin' on now eight years
ago that my father died He 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
then, and now and then | sent nv
money. Well, it was about Thanks
giving time, as it is now, and I'd ben
down to Boston, and was coming
back pretty we'll loaded with things
I'd been buying in Boston for Thanks
giving at home: raisins and sugar.
and all sorts of West Ingy goods. for
the folks in Harpswell Well, | meant
to have gone down to Gloucester to
see mother, but / had so many WAYS
to run and 80 much to do was afraid
wouldn't be back on time; and so I
didn't see her.
We'll, we was driving back with a
good stiff breeze, and we'd got past
Cape Ann, and I'd gone down and
turned in, aud was fast asleep in nv
berth. 1t vas past midnight-every
one on the schooner asleep except the
mate, who was up on the watch. I
was sleepin' as sound as I ever slept
in my lite, not dream, nor a feelin,.
no more'n If had been dead, when
Suddenly ] walked square up; my
eyes flew epep like spring, with my
| mini nlaar and vida auoLa ocl ,x.-