The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1882-06-01
A STRANGE STORY.
Told by the Wife of Engineer
Melville of the Inflated
,TaanRtta

The Philadelphia Record tells the fol-
lowing story: The wife of Engineer
Melville, the officer of the luckless Arc
tic exploring steamer, Jeanette, who is
now searching for his lost comrades
around the ice bound coast of Northern
Siberia, occupies a picturesque little
cottage embOwered amid tWining honey
suckles and fragrant blOssoming lilies
at Sharon Hill.
although it has been more, than three
years since George left us here" said
she, yesterday, "and went 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 year."
Startling as this statement was, Mrs.
Melville was evidently in earnest.
"On the 10th of last June" she con-
tlnued, II retired to my room late at
night. Days of anxious waiting for
news of the jeanette, without bringing
a ray of hope, had almost caused me to
despair of ever again seeing my hus-
band. | 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 l was wide awake,
that l became conscious of strange
presence In the room, and you may we'll
Imagine with what mingled feelings of
joy and fear heard Georges voice, and
looking up | saw him standing by the-
bedside. He was saying, Count the
bells, count the BELLS and as he spoke
distinctly heard the bell of a ship strik-
ing two by two the strokes of the hour"
Count them,' continued my hus-
band, and / said, Yes, GeOsge.' I re-
member that when the seventh stroke
sounded l thought that if it was a ships
bell there could be but one more, and aa
the last sound died away my husband
said, Eight bells-the Jeanette is lost
and vanished from the room. At that
moment the clock of the sitting-rOOm
struck four, and it was the morning of
the 11th of June. At that very hour, on
that very morning, the Jeanette went
down in the fathOmless depths of the
Arctic Ocean, and the ice foe closed over
her grave"
81 am no spiritualist," continued
Mrs. Melville, nor do believe in spirits.
do not attempt to explain what have
told you, but it is every word true.
never expected after that to hear of the
safety OF the crew of the jeanette. A
few weeks after the occurrence which 1
have narrated, and at the same hour in
the morning, | had arisen for the day,
and was in the hall, which you see
here. Again l saw my husband-nay l
even felt his breath in my face. | was
dreadfully startled, but had sufficient
courage, to call out, George, is that
you?'' when the figure disappeared, as if
swallowed up in the air."
And did you ever speak of this be-
fOreg said the reporter. Frequently"
said Mrs. Melville; Frequently to our
little household; and once to Mrs. De
Long, the unfortunate wife of the Com
mander of the Jeanette. Last summer,
or in the early fall, l met her in PhiIa-
delPhla. She was hopeful, even conf
dent of the return of her husband. L
was cast down, and finally told her what
have just related to you. She was dis
posed to laugh at me, but L told her that
| believed the Jeanette had been lost on
the IL h of June. Alas for poor Mrs De
Long, my prophecy was too true. Here
is letter from her to my little girl, on
the very day the news came that Capt.
De Longs dead body had been found"