The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-06-12
had never heard OF an adept in the art,

| | ha1 never nearu OF an ADEPT IN the ART
neither had any Of my shipmatcs. PooI
Nartyn. when. with us our most inteiii
gent shipmate. seemed TO be as much in
| the dark as the rest Of us. although he
was not in tine least put out by the &C
currence.
Strolling along the streets of San Fran
cisco one night, about a year after the
wreck. ready for anything in the way Of
amusement that might turn up, my eye
caught large poster which announced
the wonderful doings Of Professor Smiths
son. the unrivaled and world renowned
ventriloquist.
This. thought ], shall be the source Of
my evenings amusement Turning my
face i'm the direction of the 'IIall OF
Science and Emporium of Amusement,
| was soon seated in snug corner Of the
building and was not long in being car
ried away by the wonderful savings and
dongs of the professor. At last he told
us he would hold an imaginary converse
ton with person up the chimney. He
did so. When in the midst of dialogue
the person in the fine gave a derisive
"lia la ham | was startled. sprang
to my feet. Lord, said half aloud,
that is the voice and tones and words
which more than once came from the
maintop Of the Enrique" And while |
was staring at the professor with eyes
ready to leap from their sockets he came
TO the front Of the stage to perform his
part Then, in spite Of his flowing beard
and other DECORATIONS, saw i'll Professor
Smithsson the identical Tom Martyn,
who, over twelve months before, we be-
lieved TO have leaped in fit Of madness
into the sea and was drowned.
"Martyn!" | cried out in. my excite
ment.
Sit down. cried one. Put him
out" said others.
In the meantime | had come TO myself
and resumed my seat, but not before
had received from the professor a sign
Of recognition. When the performance
was over my old shipmate-for it was
he-beckoned me to him. and taking me
to bis private office he grasped my hand
in all the fervency of ardent friendship.
"1low came YOU to be saved from a
watery grave on that dreadful night
when YOU jumped into that raging sea2'
| impatiently asked.
II did not jump overheard" said
Martyr, laughing; neither was | any
less sane than am at this moment. The
entire plan was trick of my own inven-
ton to brighten the captain and then get
away from his clutches. Ny madness
was a sham and the man overheard
simply a bundle of old toys, topped by
my old hat. The moment pitched them
over tie rail | slipped down into the
forepeak, where | lay hid until the night
after the ship entered port. when stole
out and went on shore. had taken care
to lay up plenty of junk and | managed
to avoid detection until the Enrique
sailed. The cries which you heard from
the maintop, from behind the longboat,
in the cabin. need not explain.
no" said /, ''all is made clear by the
doings of this night"
Exactly SO, said he. Then he con-
tinued: II had performed as a ventrilo-
quist i'll most large cities and towns IN
Europe before YOU knew me; but becom-
ing somewhat restless in my habits and
having squandered all my earnings, in a
fit Of reck lessDess ! took to the sea, and
III the capacity of a sailor found my way
to Puget sound. But | had not IN me
the stuff Of which sailors are made; 50
after my adventure ON board the En-
rique went back 10 my old profession,
in which have done so well. My wild
oats are all sown, hope; and having
learned wisdom by bitter experience,
shall stick 70 that line Of life for
which have capacity-a better thing
than splicing old ropes or taking in top
sail reefs Oh blowing night"
Il should think So said, but YOU
nearly killed the captain with fright,
while YOU caused It's many a heartache at
your supposed loss
For the latter am very sorry" said
Martyn, but cannot say | pitied the
captain. His cruelty to me was dread
full, and he would probably have ended
by killing me. but for the fortunate gift
of ventriloquism. ANS well that ends
well.
True" replied, land | rejoice that
YOU are alive to say so. You kept your
secret, for neither Capt. James nor any
Of the crew ever suspected that incapable
Tom Martyr was the ghost that haunted
the Enrique. Sidney Herbert III New
Orleans Picayune.