The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1880-03-31

of reporting him to the consul, ss they
declared they would, they were
ready to shout bis praises all day long.
10 ,bis, however, | did Rot sgrse; but
unable to bring the tyrant to justice
single.handed, l resolved to quit the
Niger.
l did so. After hiding in the woods
several days, l was caught and
brought back to the ship. As my cd
ventures rs fugitive are not essen
tisl to the unfolding of my story, !
pass them by, and take up the thread
of my narrative.
We set sail on our return voyage.
Captain Phillips was an altered man.
DE abstained from spirits be con-
trolled his temper. and this. with the
addition of fine steady breeze, made
our lives on board happy. But, alas
We were doomed to sad ending up
Of the voy age Keeping TOO near the
land, and a squalI laying hold on the
ship, We were driven on q lee shore.
it was just after midnight when We
struck, aud the darkness was terrible;
and, leapiDg out of my hammock, l
ran on deck l could see nothing
save the wild waters racing over the
deck. l cried out to my ship-mates,
but got no answer. 1t was not pos
sible to reach the after-part of the
vessel where the lite belts were kept
So, acting on the impulse Of the mo
meut, / leaped into the sea- Catch
ing hold of friendly rock, l was
saved. Daylight came after q weary
waiting. The first thing | saw was
the dead body of poor Captain Phil
lips, aud not very Tar from 1t that of
our Chinese cook The rest were
saved.
We made our way to Portland,
where we were paid of. Tnence l
proceeded to Ssu Francisco. | had
Ofien asked myself whence came those
strange voices and fearful words
which had SO alarmed our captain
aud put Lost of the crew 10 terror.
aud mad 80 opportunely on one occa-
sion saved me from the vengeance of
the captain. But it was beyond nv
power to answer the inquiry !; neither
could the mate ner any of the sur.
sivors throw light thereupon. Had
we known what veutriIoquism was,
we might have had therein solution
Of the mystery; but had never heard
au adept 10 the at, neither bad any
Of my sbipmates otuer~ise judge
such fact would have been mentioned,
aud the voices accounted for on that
ground. Poor Chester, when with "a,
our most intelligent sbipmste, seemed
To be as much in the dark as the rest
of US, although be was not in the
east put out of the way by the occur.
Fences. Strolling along the streets of
San Francisco one night, about year
after the wreck. ready for any thiog
in the way of amusement that might
turn up. my eye caught large poster
which announced the wonderful do
logs OF Professor Meredith, "tbe uo-
rivaled and world-renowned ventrilo-
quist."
This. thought |. shall be the source
of my evenings enjoyment Turning
my face in the direction of the "Hsll
of Science and Emporium of Amuse
ments," was soon seated in a snug
corner of the body of the building,
and WAS not long in being carried
away By the wonderful sayings and
doiugs os the Professor At last he
told Us be would hold an imaginary
conversation With person up the
chimney. He did 30. When, 10 the
midst ot dialogue, the person up
the fue gave derieive "Hsh, hah,
bah 7"
| was startled. sprang from my |
seat. Surely" said /, half aloud,
",tose are the voice and tone aud |
words which more than once came |
from the maintop Of tbe Niger" And
while | was staring at the Professor
with eyes ready to leap out of their
sockets, be came to the front of the
stage to perform bis part Then, in
-pite of his flowing beard and other
decorations. saw in Professo.
Meredilb, the identical Jack Ches-
ter, who, over twelve months before,
" ss believed TO have lesped, in fit
Of madness, iuto the sea and drowned
Chester y l cried, in my excite
nent.
sit down" cried one; "Put him
out u said some Others.
lu the meantime | Rad come to
myself and resumed my seat, but not
before | had got from the Professor
-Ign OF recognition.
When the performance was over,
my old sbipmate (for it was be) beck
,ned me to him, aud takiog me 10 bis
private room, be grssped my hand
n all the tervency Of ardent friend
ship
'Sit down, Henry, my boy" said
De, "snd you shsll have solution of
he mystery which hangs over me and
be past
"Huw came you to be saved from
Satery grave on that awful nigi
y hen you plunged into the raging
.es ?" | impatieDIly asked.
Il did not jump overheard" replied
Chester, laughing; 'nei,he was xuy
ess sane than | sm a. this momrnL
Then entire affair was q trick of my
,wn invention TO frigbten the captain
md then get away from bis clutches
My msdness was q sham. and the
nan overheard was simply bundle
If old togs, topped by my old hat,
which | had jast pnt together. The
u pmenr | pitcheo them over the rail
slipped down into the fore peak,
y here | lay bid uotil the night after
be ship entered the port, when stole
,ut aud went On shore had taken
are to lay up junk, and msnaged
o avoid detection upIil The Niger
'siled The cries which you heard
rom the maintop. from behind the
ong boat, aud ia the csbia, need not
,ow explain
No." said | "sll is made clear BY
The doings Of this night"
Exactly So" said be And then
be continued: 81 had performed as
\ ventriloquist in most Of the large
cities and to wns 10 Euoope before you
knew me; but, becoming somewhat