The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1880-04-01

What do you mean BY that, sir Z"
ask you again, who is up there 7"
mo one known TO me-" returned
the man. "Ali are present. All
are on deck, Ia sight"
Such was the case, But the sec.
ond mate, without awaiting orders,
sprang up the rigging and looked
over che top-rim, then made tho cir
cult Of it, looking all around tho
masthead, then reported himself
alone.
Then the ship must be haunted T.
cried the chief mate.
The captain thereupou dropped
che ropes end which he had held in
his hand, snd went below. II was
evident that he MAS strangely affect.
cd by what had occurred. Aud 90
my fellow country man escaped fur
ther puuishment that night
Bat in Q few days our skipper had
forgotten bis isars, and, looking out
for another object on which 10 vent
his spleen, I had the ill-fortuue to
fesl his with. He ordered me %
make o knot in the end OF an old
tagged rope TO be used for q lashiug
IN . little while I returned, saying
that I had made the beat job I could
Of . rope that was quite tagged out.
"Wsll," said he, III that's your
best, you are ~ much 81 lubber 90
your friend Chester. bat Ill dock
you both to ordinary seaman's wa.
ges.'
Tried TO show him that che rope
Was too much worn to make Z neat
piece OF work Of IL.
Indeed" said, 1t in sadly fagg.
ed Tagged, is itf' cried be,
scornfully "then Ill fuish il over
your lubberly back"
"No, you won't!" roared out q
voice from behind the long boat,
The captain rushed in the direc-
ton Of the sound, but he failed "a
discover the speaker.
who was that T. he cried, in q
storm Of wrath, adding, Let me
know who it il, aud Ill thrash him
within an iuch Of his life."
"Will youi Hs ha ! ba T. was
the hooking reply dropping seeming
ly from the maiutop.
It was broad daylight when this
took place, 10 every one could see
that there WAS no one mp there.
Vas a. much startled aud mys-
tilted by the occurrence as WAS the
captain but neither he nor I, nor
any Of tie crew to whom he appeal.
ed. could throw light thereon. But
whoever or whatever uttered the
words. my purpose was served, as
was Chestsrs on q previous occs.
sion, The irate captain went below,
tilled more with fear than rage,
throwing behind him, as h, stepped
apou the cabin ladder, the rope ..
snd which had 90 vexsd him.
Sailors 10 general are sIpersti. /.
tious beings. Whatever caanot be
easily made out or accounted for on
natural principles, is lil to the &C.
count Of tue supernatural. Our cap.
tain was no bctter in this respect
tLau his crew, for he was as illiterate
as they, except in the msttor OF nav
igation, aud as rough and untutored.
lie evidently belived that his ship
Was haunted, and that spirit from
the vast deep hal mind to torment
him by it's interferences. Ills fears
we're increased not many days after.
On retiring to rest, at tue cad Of his
evenings watch, his slu,ubers we're
disturbed by q loud aud fearful cry.
which seemed to enter the cabin BY
the sidelight. which was loft open
for ventilation. Tue cry was heard
by the second officer, who was on
the quarter deck, and by Chester,
who Vas at the wheel, neither Of
whom could throw light npou the
incident 10 the captain, who had
rushed on to the dock 10 q state Of
terror, and demanded in vain for the
production Of the offender.
From that day Il was clear to oil
that Captain Philips was tormsnted
by approximations cf coming disaa-
Ter. An idea wss 6xed in his mind
that his ship was visited by Q spirit
from the Invisible world, which pre-
fsrrsd 10 make itself heard rather
than seen. And shis idea was
strengthened by the faot that when
he was on deck and became angry at
tho conduct Of any Of the men. o.
pecially when his anger was made
manifest in osths and blows, the un-
seen but svsr-vigilsut visitor from
siar, would-perched apparently on
the top Of the msinmast-utter the
insolsnt laugh or the solofous warn
ing. On these oooarions the poor
man would rush of 10 bis cabin with
blauched cheek and tottering LIMB,
and there abide until the gale in his
moral ssnsibilitiss should subsids
That Il was asgry With 10 one else
but the csp,ain was clear. from the
feet that it never took notice OF the
soadsct Of any other person. The
mate or boasswsis might cot - shsy
Iitsd. or the men night jibe aud call
sach other hard names 20 nsttsr--
the voice vas mot hsard--neither
laugh nor moan fell upoo our ears.
But most Of those Who lived 10 the
forscsstle wore Tar from being happy;
snanu AZ ihem shsrsd Aha fAaea af thA