The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-08-04
THE OLD HULK.

the barracks, ana Nhcn Ldu Deeu very
good hc would give rae in charge Of Bres-
lin. the old pcnsioner, who would row me
about the harbor and tell me strange
stories of the sea. Then we would row
over 10 the old black hulk of the Bcllona,
which was chained there in the harbor
many years before was born The masts
were gone long since; the tall sides were
dcntcl with the marks of battle and the
neglect of years which Is still more de
structivc. and Breslin would tell me how
this vessel had been with Nelson and the
Victory at Trafalgar He would hobble
up and down tie dock. talking loudly and
pointing out TO me the beauties of the old
man-c mar Here, on sLIis spot, the cap
tain had stood over ~ was the place
where the shot came Though that killed
nim-and would fall on my knees and
begin looking TO sec if there yet remained
any Of the hero's blood that the rain and
timo had not washed away.
Ircsln would take me forward and
holl me over the bows so that could ad-
miro the fgurehead--a beautiful lady,
with rold ewes and blue hair. Tho nose
had rome years ago bat there seemed q
certain majesty i'm the lOo5 even then
What a piece Of art it was Breslin
oorcol with me fully that there had been
nothing like it since. But. indeed, with
Broelin tho rood old DAYS were long passed,
and he would have placed tho decadcnce
of the English navy with great eXactness
~ lSiO-tho year be left it and got his
pension.
Yes. it was pleasant to row about the
old ship and listen to the old sailors
stories Of her-stories Of the times when
she sped through the waters like a swan,
with merry crew and her white sails set
In the breeze a terror 10 the enemies OF
England wherever met-poor thing she
was so helpless now.
put oven now there was some mystery
connected with the BcllOna, as she lay,
broken and useless old hulk, chained i'll
the harbor Breslin limited strange things.
IL was known throughout the town that
my father had given strict orders that no
ono should 20 on board except Breslin and
myself Vague conjectures were INDUCED
in by more than one village gossip There
was some mystery, no doubt an awful
one
Each time ! had visited the ship had
noticed the hold full of long black bones,
all stamped with the government seal
What the cargo was | would have given
my ears to find out.
st length | could contain myself no
longer and so made known my suspicious
10 Brcslin as we sat together on the quay
one sunny afternood.
"Why don't people go on board the
Bellonag" | asked. is it haunted? Please
tell ne" But the old sailor pulled at his
Pine very sagcly Tor q moment or two and
yeatured his opinion that he had no doubt
that there were ghosts there, no DOUBT
whatever. such things were natural, most
natural Had never heard the story OF
the Flying Dutchman.' And thereupon
he began 10 relate tale OF such hoIrl-
bic aud bloodthissty nature that | was
frightened near 10 death Of the phantom
ship AID the ghosts who had TO appear by
night and as misty forms set the airy
sails and clear the deck for action and act
over the fight again until some kind NOR,
tai woald release them from their dread
full task.
II seemed TO me an awful story, but
B-eslin said it was true, for he had sailed
once with man who had seen the FLYING
Dutchman and the phantom crew. What
more proof could | ask?
That evening went home in strange
state Of mind At dinner my father
noticed M silence and asked me where |
had been told him. and he inquired if
Drcsllu had left his pipe on shore, a ques-
ton y hich seemed TO me at the time to be
most aingular. and only strengthened my
belief in thc old sailors tale of the
ghosts Ny father knew the facts, too,
then. but what relation could there be
between ghosts and pipes? Did he wish
10 turn my thoughts from so terrible a
subject? Truly, must learn more about
ghosts. Tomorrow | would ask the
cook, who was an authority on the sub
ject.
That night | went to bed early, but not
TO sleep; visions of cloudy spirits
haunted me continually. All the terrible
stories Of Brcsin came unbidden to my
mind. began TO count hundred in hopes
of bringing on sleep; IL was useless. The
village clock began striking the hours as
| Law there awake. Eleven-twelvel l
arose timidly and approached the window.
There in the moonlight stood the old
ship; slight mist seemed lowering
around il My breathing on the window
pane had ma III luOuleht' ioONSu
again No | could mako out nothing.
Perhaps the clock was not right; perhaps
the spirits were invisible except from the
deck of the ship Truly, it was hard,
hard task 10 see them-so | went to bed
full Of great ideas for the morrow.
Next morning arose rather early and
Immediately sought the cave of the sibyl
or, in palmer words, the kitchen. The
cook seemed rather astonished at my
question.
did she know Of ghosts Faith, why
shouldn't she? She was lowly Chris
tian woman, and her own sisters hus
band Mike Doogan, bad seen ghosts
often. till Father Tom McGonigle whit
out and laid them" had sought the
right shrine.
How did he lay theml" / asked.
Faith, dunno; but he TUX two blissid
candles an some howly wather and spake
In Latin, and they just were laid and
nivir throubled the family from that
day.
What did be say in Lating'
"Begorrr,h. I'm no schollard. Shure,
isn't Latin Latin, and isn't it all the