The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1884-10-31

man looked stupid with surprise, and
muttering something to himself went
forward. Ten minutes after he
came up again to the skipper and
says Yes. sirT as a man might who
answers to call. The skipper began
to swear at him and called him luna
tic. and SO on. but the man, finding thai
he was wrong again, grew white, and
swOre that if he was on his deathbed
he'd maintain that the Captain had
called him twice. The skipper, who
was rather nervous man, turned to me
and said: What do you make Of this,
Mr.. Green? 1 can't doubt the cooks
word. Who's calling him in my voice.
20, it's some illusion, sir, said /, feel.
ing rather puzzled for all that But the
cook, with the tears actually standing
in his eyes, declared it was no illusion;
he'd know the Captains voice if it was
nine miles of, and then he walked in a
dazed way to the forecastle, singing out
that whether the voice he had heard be-
ionged TO a ghost or . Christian man,
it might go on calling 'Cook!' for the
ne'lt twenty years without his taking
further notice of it. This thing coming
SO soon after the call to Jimmy that had
so alarmed the two ordinary seamen,
made a great impression on the crew,
and l never regret anything more than
that my position should have prevented
me from getting into their confidence,
and learning their thoughts, for there is
no doubt should have slowed away
memories enough to serve me for many
a hearty laugh in after years. A few
days rolled by without anything par
ticular happening. One night it came
to my turn to have the first watch. 1t
was quiet night, with wind enough to
keep the sails Still whilst the old ship
went drowsily rolling along her course
to the African port. Suddenly heard
a commotion forward, aud, fearing that
some accident had happened, called
ont to know what the matter was. A
voice answered.: Ghost or no ghost,
there's somebody talking in the fore
hold; come and listen, SIR The 81
lence that followed suggested good
deal of alarm. l sang out rs / ap-
preached the men,. Perhaps there's a
stowaway below its no living voice.
was the reply; it sounds rs if it comes
from a skelington.' / found crowd of
men standing in awed postures near
the hatch, and the most, frightened of
all looked to me to be the ordinary sea-
man Dick, who had backed away on
the other side of the hatch, and stood
looking on, leaning with his hands on
his knees, and staring as if he was fas-
| waited couple or three
minutes, which in a business of this
kind seems long time, and, hearing
nothing, / was going to ridicule the men
Tor their nervousness, when hollow
voice under the hatch said, distinctly:
It's terrible thing to be ghost. and
not be able to get out was greatly
startled, and ran OFF to tell the,Captain,
who agreed with me that there must be
/ stowaway in the hold, and that he had
zone mad. We both went forward, and
he hatch was lifted, and we looked on
OPP of the coal; and l was then about
o ask some of the men to join me
n a search in the forepeak, for upon
ny word had no taste single-handed
or job of that kind at such a moment.
when the voice said: There's no use
ooking; you'll never find me. I'm
lot to be SEEM .Confound men cried
he skipper. polishing his forehead with
! pocket handkerchief, if ever l heard
If such thing. I'll tell you what it
s. he shouted, looking into the hatch,
dead men can't talk, and SO, as you're
,ound to be alive, you'd better come up
'ut of that. and smartly, too, dye hear,
49, -nrrfn fsrI This ha ,%l
that was ever made There
vas short silence, and you'd see all
lands straining their ears, for there was
light enough for that given out by the
antern one of the men held. You
couldn't catch me because you couldn't
ee me- said the voice, in die-away
one, and this time it came from the
Erection of the main hatch, as though
t had fitted aft. 'Well,' said the Cap
ain, may l be jiggeredr and without
mother word he walked away on to the
'oop. ] told the men to clap on the
latches again, and they did this in
louble quick time, evidently afraid that
he ghost might pop up out of the hold
they didn't mind their eye.
"All this made us very superstitious,
rom the Captain down to the boys. We
alked it over in the cabin, and the
nate was incredulous and disposed to
idicule me. ANY way he said, its
tranga that this voice is only heard in
our watch. It's never favored me
With any remarks. The creaking and
roaming of an old wooden ship is often
ike spoken words, and what you've |
'een hearing may be nothing but de-
option of the ear "A deception in
our ear cried the skipper. The tim
'er of an old wooden ship may strain
md creak in the Dutch language, but
lang me if they ever talked good sensi-
lie English. However, l am not going
o worry. For my part said he. with |
nervous glance around him, I don't |
'elieve in ghosts. Whatever it is that's |
alking in the hold may 60 on jawing.
o long rs he sticks to that and don't |
righten the men with an ugly mug nor |
ONE upon us for mans allowance
If it's anybody'sg ghost said /. it must |
'e the Italians, the chap was starved |
n the forepeak.' 1 doubt that said |
he skipper. 4 didn't detect anything
oreign in what he said. To my ear it |
ounded more like Whitechapel than
taliano.' Well, for another week we
leard little more of the ghost. It's !
rue that one middle watch chap had |
ent aloft to loose the mainroyal had |
rarely steered out of the lower rigging,
fter lingering in the crosstrees to over
laul his clewlines, when he comes rush
ng up to me and cries out: I've been
Iailed from aioft, sir voice has Just |
Jung out Tommy, jump aloft again
hat may have good look at you p
Who's up there?' asked him. staring
nto the gloom where the mast and |
ards went towering There's no one