Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1882-06-08
AIellvIlle's Phantom.
A Prophetic Story Of he Loss Of The Jean.
Heffe,

Il Ffophetic StoTy Of he Loss Of the Jean
Betfe.
Tho wife of Engineer Melville, the
gallant officer of the iuckless Artic ex-
ploring steamer Jenmette, who is now
searching for his lost comrades around
the ice bound coast of Northern Siberia,
occupies a picturesque little cottage
embowered amid twining honeysuckles
and fragrent blossoming lilacs at Shar.
on Hill. "Although it has been more
than three years since George left us all
here" said she, yesterday, and went out
on that ill fated voyage, and although
oceans of cruel waters and leagues
of land have separated him from us.
have seen him twice within a year"
Startling as this statement was, Mrs.
Melville was evidently in earnest. ION
the 10th of last june" she continued
IL retired to my room late at night.
Days OF anxious waiting for some news
of the JedHnette without bringing ray
of hope had almost caused me TO de.
spair OF ever again seeing my husband.
| had fallen into an uneasy sleep, from
which one OF the children aroused me.
1t was, perhaps, more than an hour
after this, and while was wide awake,
that | became conscious OF strange
presence in the room, and you may
well imagine with what mingled feel
ings OF Joy and fear | heard George :
voice, and, looking up, saw him stand.
ing by the bedside. Saw him as plain
ly as | now see you. lie was saying :
Count the bells Count the bells I and,
as he spoke, | distinctly heard the bell
of ship striking, two by two, the
strokes OF the hour. Count them, con
tinued my husband, and said: Yes,
George remember that when the
seventh stroke sounded thought that
if it was a ships bell there could be but
one more and, as the last sound died
away my husband said: Eight bells
the Jeanette is lost ~ and vanished
| from the room. At that moment the
sitting room clock struck the hour ot
1. and it was the morning OF the lth OF
June. At that very hour on that very
morning the Jeanette went down into
the fathomless depths of the Arctic
ocean, and the ice foe closed over her
grave. am no spiritualist," continued
Mrs. Melville, "nor do | believe IN
what have just told you, but IT Is every
word of it, true. | never expected after
| that to hear of the safety OF the crew oil
/ the Jeanette. 4 few weeks after the
occurrence which | have narrated, at
[ the same hour in the morning, | had
arisen for the day, and was in the hall
which you see there. Again | saw my
husband, nay, even felt his breath in
my face. was dreadfully startled, but
| had sufficient courage to call out :
George, is that your when the fig.
ure disappeared as il swallowed up IN
/ the air p
"And did you never speak Of this be.
| fore p said the astonished reporter
"Frequently" said Mr. Melville; fre-
quently TO our little household, and
once to Mrs. belong. the unfortunate
wife Of the poor commander of the
JsaHHetfe. Last summer. or in the early
fall, met her in Philadelphia. She
was hopeful, even confident. ofthe ultt.
mate return of her husband. | was cast
down, and finally told her what have
just relate to you. She was disposed TO
laugh at me. but / told her that | be
lieved thatIthe JeaHa<ic had been lost
on the llth of June. Alas! Tor poor
Mrs. DeLong. my prophecy was too true.
Here is letter from her 10 my little
girl on the very day the news came that
Captain belongs dead body had been
FnnpI - DI.f. Ds.-~F