Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1889-03-22

visit. / am in the most helpless condition
that can be imagined. / am not astonishcd
that you should have been startled by tho
appearance of this vessel and by tho figure l
make i'll these clothes; but, sir, you will be
much more amazed when you have heard my
story"
He eyed me stcadfastly, examining me very
earnestly from my boots to my cap, and then
cast glance around him before he made any
reply TO my address, IIo had tho gauntness,
sallowness of complexion, and deliberateness
of manner peculiar to the people of New Eng
land; and though he was worry ugly, lank,
uncouth man, protest no was as fair in my
sight as if he had been the ambrosial angel
described by Milton.
Gwen, cook my gizzard," he exclaimed,
presently, through his nose, and after another
good look at me and along the decks aud up
a.Olt, ''if this amt miraculous tcwl Burned
if we didn't take this booker for some ghost
ship ri8 from the sea, il charge of norman
rugged ont to cit her age. y are all alone,
dir you!"
"All alone" snidI
'Eroach me every barrel aboard if ever I
sec SIGH a vessel" he Cried his astouishmcnt
rising with the searching glances he directed
aloft and allow. GLOW old be shc''
"Shc was cast away in 11J2,n said l.
"Wcll, Tm durncdl She's frozc hard, sir
reel ] reckon she'll want n hot sun to thaw
her Split me, mister, if She amt worth
sailing home as q show box"
| interrupted his ciacul9tions by asking
him to step below, where we could sit warm
while related my story; and | asked him TO
invite his boats crew into tho cabin that |
might rocalo them with bowl of such liquor
as, | vcnturad to say, had never passed their
lips in this life. On this he went to the side,
and, hailing the men, ordered all but one 20
come aboard and drink TO the health OK the
lonesome sailor they had come across The
word drink acted like n charm; they in
stantly hauled upon the painter and brought
the boat TO the chains and tulnblcd over the
side, ORG of the negroes remaining in her.
They fell together in body, and surveyed
me and the ship with q hundred marks Of
establishment.
"Mv &7ds," -nid I, "rny rig is strange one,
hut I'll explain all shortly Tho clothes |
was cast away in are below, and I'll show
you them I'm no spccter, but as real as
you; though | have gone through so much
that, if | am not ghost, it is no fault of old
Ocean, but owing to the mercy of God Ny
name is Paul Rodney, and In native of
London. You, sir" says |, addressing the
long man, "are, presume, the master of the
Susan TuckerI'
"At your sarvce-Josiah Tucker is my
name, and that ship is my wife, Susan"
Capt, Tucker, and you, men, will you
please step below" says |. 1.-The weather
promises fair; have much to tell, and there
is that in the cabin which will give you pa
thence to hear men
descended the companion stairs, and they
all followed, making the interior that had
been so long silent ring with their heavy
tread, while from time to time gruff, hoarse
whisper broke from one Of them. But SUI
| perstition lay strong upon their imagination,
and they were awed and quiet. The day
! light came down the hatch, but for all that
| the cabin was darksome.
/ waited till the last man had entered, and
! then said: Before we settle down TO n bowl
and yarn, captain, | should like to show
| you this ship. It'll save me n deal of de
scription and explanation if You will be
pleased to take view"
Lead on, mister" said he; "but we shall
have to snap our cyelds and raise fire in that
way-for burned if |, for one, can see in the
dark
I fetched three or four lanterns, and light
ing the candles distributed them among the
men, and then i'll & procession, headed by the
captain and me, We made the rounds | had
half cleared the arms room, but there were
weapons enough left, and they stared at them
like yokels in a booth. ] showed them the
cook house and tho fOrecastle where the deck
was still Uttered with clothes and chests and
hammocks, and after carving them aft to
the cabins gave them q sight of the hold.
never saw men more amazed. They filed the
vessel with their exclamations. They never
offered to touch anything being too much
awed, but stepped about with their heads UNI
covered, as quietly as they could, as though
they had been in vault, and the influence of
strange and terrifying memorials was upon
them. / also showed them the clothes | had
come away from the Laughing Mary in; and
that might submit such an aspect to them
as should touch their sympathies, ! whipped
off the cloak and put on my own pilot cloth
coat.
There being nothing moro to see led them
to the cook room, and there brewed great
hearty bowl of brandy punch, which | sea
soned with lemon, sugar and spices into as
relisbable a draught as my knowledge in
that way could compass, and, giving every
man pannikin, babe him dip and welcome
myself first drinking TO them with brief
speech.
This ceremony ended, began my story
beginning with the loss of the Laughing
/ Mary ana proceeding Stcp by step. L tod
them Of the dead body of Mendoza, but said
nothing about the Frenchmon and the mate
and the Portuguese boatswain, lest I should
make them afraid of the vessel, and so get
no help TO work her. As to acquantne
them with my recovery of Tassard, after his
stupor Of eight-and-forty years, / should
have been muto on that head in any case, fol-
so extraordinary a relation could, from sucl
people, have carmel me but one of two opin
ious-either that was mad and beloved il
an impossbility, or that was a rogue anC
dealt in magic, and to be vehemently summed
Yet there were wonders enough in M,
story without this, and | rccitcd it to IA run
ming commentary of ali SORTS of queer Van
kCc exclamation.
They were good deal puzzled w!,cn toll,
them of tine mines hal made and sprung ii
the ice. Thcy rec;onel the notion fine, bu
could not conceive how had single handed
broken out the powder barrels, got them owe
the side, and fixed tGom.
"Why," said |. "'twGs slow, heavy worl,
Of course; Int man who labors for his III
win do marvellous things. IL is like the junl