National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-12-06
A VIGOROUS GHOST.

n VIGOROUS GHOSI.
Tho Forecastis OF n West India vcs-
sci Haunted by q Murdorous WISH
tnnt From the other side.
Philadelphia Dispatch 10 he Truth.
The brig Frances, o West India trader,
of Machias, Me-, is lying at the Prime
street dock waiting for the arrival of n
crew to enable her to put to sea. Capt
HAL Ii. Thomas, her commander, q bluff,
hearty old sailor, who has, in his time,
nsvigsted nearly every ocean oftho globe,
sat under tho bit Of awning stretched
across the quarterback Of the brig and
told of the predicament which has kept
his vessel hero for several days. Tho
Frances finished taking her cargo on
board on Thursday last. She is $50 tons
register aud laden with hoops, slaves,
and heading, consigned to sugar export
ing house at Matanzas, Cuba. Capt.
Thomas said: ITO begin, none of my old
crew stayed by the vessel when we ar
rived here, so 1 shipped new lot. five
soamen, and sent them on board last
Thursday afternoon.
ut never has been my plan to put q
crew Ou DOhtu until WAS Tehuy W tOW
out to sea, but there was q new spanker
to bend. lot offorerigging to set up, and
so listened to tho advice of the mate,
and told the shipping master to bring
tho crew down. That's where l made my
mistake to put q crew on board along
side of dock. Well, they turned to and
cleared things up pretty fair that after.
noon. got my new spanker bent and
some of the rigging tautened up, and as
the men worked pretty we'll l knocked
'em off early SO as to give 'em q
chance to clean the forecastle q bit
and stow away their chests. 1
liked the appearance Of the men. There
was big Russian Finn, two Danes, and
two Liverpool cockneys. / told the stew
ard to feed 'em up pretty well until we
dropped down the river. About o'clock
Thursday night l looked In the fo'castle
deck line. They were smoking and
spinning yarns, and turned In soon after,
thinking that had got good, quiet set
Of men.
ut must have been about 2 o'clock in
the morning when was reused by noise
and the scuffiing of feet on deck. I ran
out and found the men throwing water on
| tho big Russian-Finn. He leaned against
the forecastle house, pale as ghost
went up and looked at him. The man was
trembling like q leaf.
"'What's all this?' says I.
"'That ere TO castle Is 'aunted, says one
of the Establishment.
"By this time the Russian. Finn was
able to talk. He rested on tho hatch
combing and says:
az sat up talking with my mates here
until after o'clock. Then, rs they all
| 80. ;r T tha xu,o To-, he
swinging lamp n little, filed my pipe.
and took turn on deck to get my smoke
out. / expect was on deck nearly On
hour, for when won't in the forecastle
everything was quiet / had taken off
my duds and was just going to turn in
my bunk when ! felt cold breeze blow
| ing over me. j turned to look at the
hatch, thinking had left it open. but 1t
was closed. Then looked up to the fur
thor end Of the forecastle. and saw that
the sliding door leading into the chain
lockers was wide open. shut it, sup
posing one Of my mates had been in there
and forgot to close it. turned in and
fell asleep very soon.
az must have been sleeping about an
hour and half when woke up with my
hair on end. 1 felt drops of sweat on my
face. A chilly draught still came from
the direction of the chain lockers. /
looked. Tho door was wide open. As l
put my legs out Of the bunk to 60 and
close it saw an arm, o woman's l will
swear, stretched out of the the gloom Of
tho chain locker. It seemed to touch the
door, which closed with out squeak.
My hair stood up on my head like bristles,
l rubbed my eyes and jumped out of the
bunk. took down the swinging lamp
and trimmed it, then 1 examined the
locker door. 1t was fastenedj the bolt
was shot into the socket
az lit my pipe and sat on chest think.
ing about the matter. decided that
had been having dream, SO l turned In
again and soon dozed Off
"'I couldn't sleep sound. It seemed to
mo that could hear womsn's screams
then heard laughter and sobs alternately
then an awful Shrek aroused me- Every
thing was quiet in the forecastle, and Z
ships bell struck midnight. l dozed of
again. Then the first thing know fell
myself gasping In my sleep. woke VI
and put out my hands. 1 couldn't speak
Somebody had both their hands on my
throat, and 1 knew / was choking.
felt the fingers, but couldn't touch any.
body. / was parslyzed. felt was suffo
eating, when l managed to sing out fol
help, and tho fellows jumped out of their
hunks and dragged me on deck
II could help laughing at the fright Of
the man." said tho captain, ''and l was
just going to open up on 'em for raising
such muss,because q man bad the night.
mare. when the Cockney sang out, Look
at the Firms throatY
"The mans shirt bosom was open and
there were five purplish spots on each side
of the neck.
at made me feel queer, confess.
mot one of 'em would 60 in the fore
castle that night. They sat up in the
galley until daylight, and when turned
out at o'clock every mothers son of 'em
had their Ghosts on the dock.
II tried to ship ano ther crew on Friday
but these fellows gave 1t out In the board
ing houses that the brig was haunted ant
/ couldn't get man. sent to New York
for crew yesterday, and as soon as they
put their feet on deck out to sea 60
ghost or no ghostW
"Bnt what Is you opinion, captain 2"
II give it up" said the old mariner, as
no lit fresh cigar. Strange thing:
happen aboard ship sometimes"
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A Story OF Landlord and Tenants.
| ELbeton NelV South.