Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1891-04-09
For the Ellsworth American
The Wreck of silvery Bay.
Bl A. T. SMALL.

Bl 4. Z. SMALL.
Upon a prominence over looking the
sparkling waters of Silvery Bay, stood a
low but pretentious cottage, famous in all
the surrounding country as the Thropp
House the only hotel in the little village
of Sunset Its roofs and gables were COW
cred with clinging vines and shaded by
several wide spread trees, and its appear
ance, though not imposing or grand, was
picturesque to say the least. The lawn
/ >loped downward to the very waters edge
and east its reflections in the placid waters
of the bay ...
All was excitement within the little sea
side inn. The host, Capt Thropp had
! been taken suddenly i'll. and could not arise
| from his bed and the host tess. Mrs. Thropp
and her daughter Letitia were kept busily
engaged in the culinary department for
/ bearded stranger had Unexpectedly arrived
! from foreign land, and taken rooms at
| the inn.
Th. stranger seemed 10 be very much in
.,res,,d about the old place. For hours
/ he would walk along the shore in
| thoughtful mood or from his boat on the
! inlet would seem TO search for some par
! ticular place on the surface which was evil
IDENTITY marked by the two opposite points
| He made no inquiries however and all the
| inqIisitiveness of the fishermen IN the
neighborhood. could not elicit word
/ fro -
or intentions Day after day he repeated
the same strange acts, much TO the mysti-
fcaton of the neighboring people.
As the dayS advanced the old captain
grew alarmingly i'll. To-day he lay there
with palid face; and the careworn ex-
preston engraveu upon his aged features
told many years of suffering and hardship.
1t had been said that many years ago, the
| captain had been a very desperate man,
and to enrich himself he had robbed
wrecked ship of its cargo and few peo-
pie whispered that he even took human
life to accomplish his ends. But this was
only tn. floating rumors Of the gossiping
neighbors and in short time, by his many
acts of charity, he established trm friend
ship with them But it was plainly evil
dent that some heavy burden was weighing
upon the old sailors soul that only repent
ance and reparation could relieve. Form
erly for many days he would sit despond-
ent and no kind words of those around
him could dispel the gloom that surround
ed him. Whenever the moonlight fell up
on the water it seemed to awaken unpleas-
ant thoughts and for hours he would walk
the floor with wild eyes aud haggard looks.
Thus he lay to-day with his eyes fixed up
on the sunlit waters. He seemed to lie al
most motlonless and his labored breathing
showed that he suffered the most intense
agony.
The day dragged wearily by and soon
the shadows were lengthening along the
green fields and across the silent waters.
The stranger had returned from his daily
task and the low murmur of his voice as
he conversed with the landlady, fioated in
upon the sick mans ear The old man
started from his stupor. He clutcbed the
counterpane with his skinny fingers and
strained his ear to listen. The low voice
began again. MY God" the old man
moaned, falling back upon his pillow. 'It
is John Reynolds voice as heard it fif-
teen years ago. He has found me at last
Oh, why could he not have left me to die
in peace 'Tis true, l have done him a
deadly wrong, but my suffering has more
than compensated for my crime Day and
night, have lived over that awful hour,
J and my conscience has never given me q
peaceful moment since. l can see tina,
well-known form as it sunk beneath the
cold waters of the moonlight bay, stretch
ing his arm high above his head and be-
seeching me to save him. can see the
have seen that white face every nigh,
, since. In life, he was my constant com
panion, in death he would not leave me
Oh God, my punishment is too hard, helK
: me in my hour Of DEATH"
The old man dropped upon his pillow
his whole soul quivering from his menta
suffering. He looked wildly about tn,
room. Would his wife and child never
come? How slowly the moments crep
by. At last he saw the stranger passing
Z the door. He beckoned him to his bedside
He fixed his stony, CLASSY eyes upon tn
strangers face. "John Reynolds" he criet
putting up his hands as to ward off blow
"you have sought me out, see, am dying
The cold fingers of Death are slowly tight
ening their grasp upon me. Do not xii
D me until have unburdened my soul of tn
crime that has been my Nemesis for 1fteeI
long years. You must be John Reynolds
: son, for l know those piercing eyes
Seat yourself by my bedside, and let m
tell you the whole horrible story"
The stranger drew his chair close to tn
bedside of the dying man, and the interes