Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1888-06-27

ft, from which he did not recover tin
the bark, again on her course, had left
the CHASTITY spectacle a mile or two
astern.
Examination OF the stump of the
gasket left on the lackstay showed that
two strands and part of the third had
been cut through so that IL would take
but little to part it, but whether by
accident or design. when and by whom
It had been done, no one knew, or IL
any one did, he kept his own counsel.
But from the hour of the sea burial
Jerry Pepper was-as the rest or the
crew dsclared-a haunted man. He
could not sleep without starting up
with horrified scream. He looked
continually over his shoulder at some
thing or somebody invisible to other
eyes.
Smith and the Australian, who went
aloft with him to stow the t'gallant
sails In squalI on the following
night, declared that in the quarter of
the yard where Pepper stood the sail
was rolled upl by unseen hands while
the sailor himself was securing the
brunt.
at the wheel it was the same. In
any kind OF heavy weather il always
point of her course; but the slightest
touch of Jerry's hand kept the Sestrls
on her course, the wheel moving with
strange rapidity.
The men were ready to swear that
when he paced the deck in the night
watches, other footsteps kept pace with
him.
He grew pale, haggard and taciturn,
ate but little, and. by all reports, did
not sleep at all.
Fairly inside of Lands End, we
caught what old sailors call a ''smoky
south-easter. 1t blew ,heavily for a
few hours, and in the eastern horizon
were incessant flashes OF lightning after
the sun had gone down in bank OF
dense, dark vapor.
The clouds were surcharged with
electricity, and when just before mid
night all hands were called to shorten
sail, noticed some of the iron work
on the masts and yards tipped with the
soft phOsphorescent points SO often wit
messed In this peculiar condition OF the
atmosphere.
l did not know it until afterward, /,
but it seems that ever after the night
of Jim's tragic death, Jerry could
neither be coaxed nor driven near the
cllngS OF the fore or main-yard. He
invariably made his way to the yard
arm, where, hanging with one hand to
the lift. with the other he picked up
the slack sail or hauled out the ear
ring as easily as other men using both
hands.
The foresail was hauled up on the
yard without much difficulty, and
was standing By the break of the quar-
ter inrr fnr ha inn To 10 mi tod
when my attention was arrested by the
sight OF the largest and most luminous
corposant have ever seen, suddenly
appearing Ike ball of blush. flicker
ing flame on the iron jackstay of the
lower tOpsail yard, where it remained
for brief moment. and then slowly
gliding in toward the mast, seemed to
rest for a moment on or near the iron
band at the foremost cap, where the
fore-yard lifts are hooked on
Some one of the crew on the yard
below noticed it, and called the atten-
tiOn OF the others in a low tone to this
quite common though always-to the
SupsrstitiOus sailor-unwelcome vIsi-
tant.
'It's Jim's spirit, uneasily muttered
Smith, who stood next To Pepper, who
himself was astride the yardarm.
Hardly were the words uttered, when
the corposant slowly gIIded down the
lift with a strange waveTing motion
and rested almost directly before
Jerry's face. which, in the ghastly
glare { Smith afterward told mel were
a look that he should never forget till
his dying day.
With shrek that rose above the
howl OF the gale, Jerry threw both
hands above his head and fell back
ward as the bark gave a heavy lee roll,
and by a sudden flash of lighting saw
his body plunge beneath the surface of
the black waves, never 10 rise again,
while the corposant, rising in the air.
vanished out of sight.
Our only available boat had been
stove a fortnight before, and all that
two life preservers over the stern AMI
toss over grating, while the bark
went reeling and rolling on her way.
But when the wheel was relieved by
3 10, he beckOned me to his side.
"'Scuse me, SIR" he said, in an awe
struck voice, but l'se got somet'ng to
tell. Dat Jim Pepper have fifteen hun
dred dollars In gold he wear about him
all time in he money belt. 1 hear him
tell Jerry so. Night Jerry sew him up
in canvas, lay in my bunk and peek
froo crack in p'tion tween carpenter
shop and forec'stle. L see Jerry take
belt of Jim and buckle 1t round his
self. Den he finIsh sew him up. EDbeI
since IN go with him, want he money
1 spec, and now hab got it. OATS all.
sah-steady it is, sah- "