Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1888-05-30

Strolling along the streets of San
Francisco one night, about a year after
the wreck, ready for anything in the
way of amusement that might turn up
my eye caught a large poster which an
nounced the wonderful doings of Prof
Smithsson, "the llnrivaled and world
renowned ventriloquist."
This, thought /, shall be the source of
my evenings amusement. Turning my
face in the direction OF the "Hall of
Science and Emporium of Amusement, )"
the building and was not long in being
carried away by the wonderful sayings
and doings of the professor, At last he
told us he would hold an imaginary
conversation with a person up the
chimney. He did so. When in the
midst of dialogue the person in the
fue gave a derisive "Ha ha ! ha !" /
was startled. [ sprang to nv feet.
"Lord," said I 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 in Prof. Smithsson
the identical Tom Martyr, who, over
twelve months before, we believed to
have leaped in fit of madness into the
sea and was drowned.
"Martyn % [ cried out in my excite
ment.
''Sit down p cried one. "Put him
out ~ said others.
In the meantime [ had come to N.Y.
self and resumed my seat, but not be-
fore had received from the professor
a sign of recognition. When the per-
Torrance was over my old shipmate-
for it was he-beckoned me to him and
taking me to his private room he grasped
my hand in ali the fervency of ardent
friendship.
''How came you to be saved from a
watery grave on that dreadful night
when you jumped into that raging sea ?"
1 impatiently asked.
Il did not jump overheard" said
Martyr, laughing neither was / any
less sane than [ am at this moment.
The entire plan was a trick of my own
invention to frighten the captain and
then get away from his clutches. NV
board simply bundle of old toys, top
ped by my old hat. The moment
pitched them over the rail l 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 main
top, from behind the long boat, in the
cabin, need not explain"
mo" said I, "all is made clear by
the doings of this night"
Exactly So" said he Then he con-
tinued: 81 had performed as a ven
trlloqulst IN most large cities and towns
in Europe before you knew me but be-
coming somewhat restless in my habits,
and having squandered all my earnings,
in a fit of recklessness took to the sea,
and in the capacity of sailor found my
me the stuff of which sailors are made;
SO after my adventure on board the En-
rique [ went back to my old profession,
in which | have done SO we'll. Ny wild
oats are all sown, [ hope; and having
learned wisdom by bitter experience, [
shall stick to that line of life for which I
have capacity-a better thing than splic-
ing old ropes or taking in topsail reefs
on blowing night"
II should think So" I said, "but you
nearly killed the captain with fright,
while you caused us many heartache
at your supposed loss"
''For the latter | am very sorry" said
Martyr, "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 ventriIoquism. 'All's well that ends
well.'"
True" I replied, ''and I rejoice that
you are alive to say so. You kept your
secret. for neither Capt James nor
any of the crew ever suspected that in
capable Tom Martyr was the ghost that
haunted the Enrique"