The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1892-01-20

AnoHaS maue no response until within
a few boats length he sprang to the
rail and, screaming to keep off, hurled
pieces of wreckage which he had gath
cred about him at the advancing boat.
Hes mad!'' we cried, "the night on
board has made him mad"
We stopped pulling, and then back
ed water to keep clear of the missiles
which the maniac never ceased throw
ing at US.
We hesitated, undecided what to do.
Of course we might dash up and board
the ship. but then there was danger
that Thomas, in his present excited
state, might throw himself into the sea
and be drowned, and so it was decided
best to act with caution. and if possi-
BILE to gain foothold by stealth, and
then to seize and put him in the boat.
We pulled slowly around the ship, Mr..
Horton by soothing words endeavoring
to calm the maniac who followed us
as we circled about, and with many
threats warned us to keep away.
When we reached the other side
horrible sight met our eyes. Propped
up against the stumps of the mizzen
mast was the skeleton which Thomas
had dragged from beneath the fore
castle, and the grinning jaws and
sightfess sockets were surmounted bv
his own ragged cap. Around the
bones he had drawn the old peajacket
found in the cabin, and the long and
whltened fingers hung limp below the
| sleeves.
And as. the ship plunged and lurched,
the arms swung to and fro and ratified
against the mast. while the shiny head
N nd h@h
| tation.
'Horrorsr' cried Mr.. Horton; II
can't stand that. Give way, my lads,
and board her!'
We shot the boat through the water
and In an instant had gained the ves-
sells deck. The moment the boat
touched the side Thomas fled and,
grabbing the skeleton as he ran with
a swlftness born of the terror that
possessed him, mounted the rigging,
and clutching the dangling bones with
one hand and the shroudS with the
other. gazed down upon us with fear
| distended eyes. With fair words and
promises we tried to tempt him down,
but there he hung. a terror-stricken
maniac. II we approached he would
ascend still higher on his treacherous
support, until at last, crouching on the
extreme end of the swinging mast, he
swept back and forth with the rolling
ship.
Every moment we feared that his
hold would loose, but he, apparently
fearless of everything but us, gave
heed to nothing but our movements
down below. There seemed no escape
for him now except by the sea. and
while some of us manned the boat and
stood ready to pick him up should he
jump, others climbed cautiously up
either side of the mast to seize him.
He betrayed no sign that he OBJ
served the men as slowly they ap-
preached, and we hoped that his mad
ness was leaving him and his own quiet
nature returning, when just as one of
his pursuers was about to stretch forth
his hand and lay it on him he sprang
to his feet. With a wild shrek he
hugged the skeleton to his breast and
hurled himself into the sea, and the
bubbles that floated up from his fleet
ing breath as he and his ghastly COM
rade shot into the oceans depth mark
ed his grave for an instant and then
were swept away by the hurrying
waves.
Half an hour later the Henrietta was
blown into thousand fragments and
shortly after the Croydon making all
sail speedily left behind her the float
ing debris of the abandoned ship.-N
Y. advertiser.