Wichita eagle., 1889-02-16

till daylight"
"Oh yes, you are right; forgot it was
dark"
"But come and have something to eat,
sir" persisted the faithful fellow; "you
must be ready to drop"
s'All right, Jacob; / will" answered /;
and then, as l turned to go, said: Jacob.
come aft and have your tea in the saloon
Tonight we may as well keep each others
spirits up"
ssThank you, sir" ne said and dissap-
peared.
After little while, went down into the
saloon; and had the circumstances been diff
ferent, would have roared with lau ghter at
the scene which met my eyes. Jacob had
undergone quite a transformation, and
how it was managed in the time,
was at a loss to guess. He was
rugged out in his best suit, and in all the
glory of dress shirt of startling white
ness decorated with diamond studs. He
had not seated himself until / arrived,
and stood contemp plating himself and his
Surroundings in the mirror over the side
board, his ebony countenance shining with
meffable satisfaction All through the
meal his look of self-satisfed Importance
amused me greatly; but when tea was
over the old feeling OF depression returned
with renewed force. King Death reigned
over the ship, and the majesty and terror
of his presence were all around.
"Come into my cabin, Jacob" said 1,
"When you have cleared up, and we will
have smoke together"
He agreed, cheerfully, and / left the
saloon. My cabin was under the break Of
the poop, and had window looking right
On the main deck, as well as the usual sea-
ward portfolio. Before lighting my lamp I
looked out at the quiet ship. The full
tropical moon had risen while we were at
our meal, and filled the deck and the rig
giGg with her white radiance. About ten
yards from the window stood the deck
house where the dead man was lying, and
the moonlight gittered on its window and
the brass-work of the door. While looked.
wondered: "Shall I die, too, during this
awful visitationfs Then I thought 1 will
just write directions as to what is to be
done with my clothes and letters, now
while can.
sat down at small table at the other
side of the cabin, Gndled the little brass
swing lamp, and began to write. had
hardly begun when Jacob knocked at the
door, and when I called advanced into the
room pipe in hand. Asking him to sit down,
told him would finish writing soon. He
went over and, sitting at the open window,
commenced to smoke. The night was so
utterly still that the scratching of my pen
seemed loud and aggressive. Suddenly
was startled by Jacobs pipe going crash on
the floor of the cabin; and looking at him
saw that his black face had become a light
gray color, and that his eyes were starting
out of his head. Before l could move or
speak heard the squeak of a door-handle
softly turned. crossed beside the negro,
and gazed at the door of the house which
contained the dead carpenter. AS looked
my heart ceased TO beat and my hair stood
up. The door slowly opened, and out into
the bright moonlight came the tall figure of
the dead man! 1t seemed to pause and hes
itate for moment, and then advanced with
muff1ed tread straight to the saloon entrance
and my cabin. The moon shone full on the
CHASTITY face, bound about with an old red
handkerchief, from which the Enclosed
dead eyes shone as from under cowl. On
it came, nearer and nearer, while re-
manned frozen with horror. We heard the
soft footstep approach the passage-door,
and then heavy fall and all was still.
At that moment Jacob gave fearful
Shrek and tainted. This brought me to my
senses; and stepping over the PROSTATE
black I seized the lamp and hurried
out. There lay the CHASTITY figure across
the doorway. l had not been dreaming
then, and it was no fancy. almost dropped
the lamp in my renewed terror. But I
braced myself together, and STOPPING over
the body turned it on its back. AS did 50
faint sigh came from the white lips !
was man again, and roared: Jacob you
idiot, come here; the carpenter is not dead
at all"
'Well, my story is out We carried him
back to bed and nursed him tenderly, and
in the morning the doctor came, but we
said nothing to him about the performance
of the night before. The fact was, Jacob
had mistaken the deadly trance of the yell
low fever for actual death, and /, being so
broken down with watching, had never
questioned his statement.
Poor Chips had revived little, and in
the strength of delirium had wandered on
deck; and so it all came about as l have
told you. Would you believe it, That car
penter afterward recovered and is alive at
the present day. The captain, too, got
better. Neither Jacob nor caught the fe-
yer, and not many weeks later we left
that accursed place and were bowling
along for dear old England. A soft, still
night at sea like TINS, always makes me
think of that adventure, and do not relisi
it even yet.
One-two, three-four, ive-six, seven
rang out from the poop. The watch sud
denly drops his musings and answers on the
deep-toned forecastle bell. HOP off the coil
of rope, and remark:
:" say, Stevenson, your wretched story
has given me cold shivers all down my
back, and shall have the nightmare every
night for the next month. Let US go to the
ladies' on the quarterback and try to for
get it."
He lauChngly assents, and we throw down
our cigars into the sea and join the merry
crowd.-Chambers' Journal