Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1893-08-22

around the delaying pins and there was l
sign of disorder about the decks. thre
over the end of one of the running re;
into The boat SO that the skipper migI
= hang on 10 1t and Chamber up. The ol
ran caught hold Of it. and having lot
@ low cunning; just tried It's strength.
was so rotten that II parted ut once. I'll
skipper muttered an oath and looked da.
gers at me. Finally lie climbed up wit
the help Of the puinter and after passin
the boat astern. with one hand TO take car
of her we proceeded TO investigate.
The vessel had evidently been clipper
, Her skylghts were beautifully carved an
the companionway leading to her cabil
was as elegant rs that OF a yacht. Til
, door, however. was locked. a thick, blu
mold incrnstsrl the glass of The skylight OF
tho inside, and the frames would not lif
up. The liatchway leading to the fore
clstle was closely barred and bolted, whit,
the lore ard main matches were tightly
battened down.
Captain CULVER, while cruising arourd
the decks, stumbled across an old rusty
iron crowbar. aud with this he pried open
the doors OF the after companiouway. He
peered down below. and II was tlusiy and
murky as Il tomb
He sang out, Below thercl l. there any.
body below" and then he hesitated as il
In qnandary
This was the first time ever saw the old
man show the white feather
| After n little while lie braced IN and.
seizing the crowbir, broke open the cabin
skyii2hts. using, rs II seemed to me, un.
necessary force In so doing. A mysterious.
pestiient otior assembled from the aperture,
Go down below. BILL" said the skipper
70 one Of his boats crew, land see what
there is"
Captain. I'd rather jump overheard and
never come up again than 20 down that
there compansonway alone" was the reply
OF tue scared ssiior, whose timbcrs actually
shivered with fear.
You wretched coward, you've drank
your last tot of grog aboard my sbiD.u
ronred the skipper rs he plunged down the
cabin steps.
! Followed him at n cautious distance.
being far more frightened than he was
Inc stairs led down into handsome and
ioity saloon, beautifully hung with oriental
tapestry. In mahogany swinging tray
above the cabin table were decanters md
tnmblers OF cut glass. Although every.
thing was covered with blue mold an inch
thick, it was evident that u careful steward
Ind been accustomed to rule over the dos.
TIMES OF the saloon.
On either side of the main cabin were n
number Of doors leading into stnterooms
fhe skipper tried the one nearest the stern
on the starboard side. 1t was locked.
Pass down That crowbar, Bill" said the
captain In quiet tones. He no longer mt
on the mir of staggering blusterer. but
acted as though he was In church listenino
TO sky pilot
The crowbar WIS handed him, and with
IL he pried open his stateroom door A
strange and startling spectacle was reveal |
ed. With her hea; buried in the cushions
OF low couch, on her knees before the |
mage OF the blessed virgin, and with her
Jet bitck hair hiding her cheeks and de. |
seeming IN raven torrents down her buck. |
was beautifully dressed woman. Beside
aer were Oreviary and Il rosary.
Inc skipper started back us thouph he
ia.i been shot. The woman actually seemed
% near the Excuse me, madam, for iutrud.
ny he began, but ut that moment. renliz.
hg that she could not be alive, he took
ioiu OF her gently AT his first touch the
orm collapsed AND fell to the floor. the
iead being separated from the body, and
eVeaiiny the grlnning, CHASTITY skull of a
keleton.
d, We all rushed on deck and found the
iurAafu within mailing distance. Twenty
"iio's were seut on board the strange Shin.
MA u was curious TO ses how brave we be-
ahe When reinforced by such lot of
,uruy JACK tars- 70 make long story
mort, we ransacked the vessel from stem
o stern. In her lower hold we fouud rho
keietons OF 80 persons, all in iron mana.
les Ihere were just go Of them, because
ana fellow "midshipman" counted Their,
. order OF TIE skipper.
Inns accounted clearly for the vessel She ,
ad been Il shaver and had been abandoned
hough Tor what reason nobody could un
erstand. She had probably drifted for ,
ears on the African coast far out of the
rack OF shlps, ami this accounted for her s
OF having been reported before A sud. =
en- shitt OF wind must have waited her off r
ne iand and driven her into the highway /
the ocean frequented by homeward :
onnd East India men. :
ne mystery OF the woman was deeper :
1d darker. a brown sheet of paper. with :
X spots on II, telling clearly of tears, and y
'he faded characters, which looked like !
pahish, was found beside her. Nobody :
'uld interpret it,
lhe mate wanted the captain to tow the -
'hooner to st. Helena and sell her for \
nae she would fetch. The skipper. being c
ne OF the old school and superstitious nj
la' wouldn't listen to him. He said he
as GolnE 10 burn her and burn her he did
barrel OF coal tar and bundle of oaknu n
arranged worked admirnblv
ia the poor Africans had Il splendid fuue. Fl
4 Pyfe.-A- j. IL. in New York Recorder. c