The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1895-10-03


that he must stay at home.
"'But there is no good for the old
lady and my little girl to do so, he
told me when 1 went TO say good-by ;
they can go along with you, and l
shall insist upon this. Another trip
will make the season too late and i
think the voyage will benefit them. /
put them in your care and trust you
with them.
$50 the two ladies went out with
me, the only women on board the
ship, and we had hardly got out Of the
/ channel before the mother was taken
sick
ats queer for such an old sailor
as !, she murmured family as ] as
sisted her down below, but / suppose
I'm out of practice.
''5hc got enough practice in the
miseries OF seasickness that trip to last
her some time, poor thing, and in the
mean time the daughter, who, while
her mother slept, Invariably came mp
on deck, renewed her old friendship
with me. | had not seen much of her
for some years, since she had been at
school during my brief visits at her
home, and we found the recalling of
old times delightful.
Every night, even after her mother
had recovered partially, wo promen-
AIDED the deck together and our friend
ship grew apace. One night, when
the older lady was below, suffering
with headache, we talked until very
late and she told me queer tales Of
ghosts and sleep walkers and the like.
She had been filled with these stories
while at school and we enjoyed them
as only very young people do enjoy
listening TO and telling Of horrors.
Among other things she told me of an
experience she had once had herself
in the sleep walking line, in which she
had climbed down n ladder placed at
u second story window and reached
the ground in safety, but still fast
asleep.
"Whilo we talked we alternately
paced the deck and leaned over the
side, watching the phosphoresccnt
flashes in the water and talking as
young idiots will of the moonlight and
the beauty of the stars and che sud-
denly said:
"'How delightful it would be to
walk ont on that pole pointing TO the
main BOOM aud leap off into the sill.
very water
''!She spoke lightly, but / shvered
from an uneXplainable preseutment OF
evil, and she, catching the influence
of my mood, shuddered suddenly and
hastily turned the subject. We talked
for awhile longer, but the pleasure Of
our conversation had somehow been
spoiled by that careless remark, and
she soon bade me good night aud went
below.
CATER she had gone made tour Of
the ship. according to my custom, aud
finding nothing to need my presence,
| went to bed myself
"Aper the fashion OF youth, my
.... ....,. no 2ooner touched the pillow
than I was sound asleep, and it seemed
to me that only y moment had passed
before | was reused suddenly by
voice which called to me, Comet
81 did not recognize the voice as
that Of any one on the ship, but it was
SO full of terror, so thrilled with
quivering fear, that | sat mp hastily,
trembling and listening for the slightest
sound. The wind was rising and
could hear it wailing softly, with the
eerie sound which it always has at
night and at sea, but | could hear
nothing else, and | was about doing
when that call came again.
"This time it sounded as though il
were further off, but ITS appeal for
help was Just us clear to my brain,
and hesitnted no longer. Hastily
slipping into my clothing, | dashed
up the companion. and as | touched
the deck heard it plainly once more.
Come, 1T pleaded, in lingering cry,
and rs | stood straining my eyes to
pierce the stormy darkness which had
succeeded the brilliant moonlight j.
seemed to die away in the direction of
the mainboom. At the same time /
saw, or fnucied | saw, n glimmer of
something white creeping slowly along
the boom, and upon coming nearer |
saw that il was woman's figure,
slender and graceful and clothed in
, something long aud white and lowing.
The form was quite erect, and il
seemed to glide along the dangerous
way without falter or even so much
, rs Il feeling for footing in the dark
ness; the arms were spread widely in
n similar attitude to that which rope
walker assumes when crossing n slack
, rope, and the head WAS thrown back,
, as though the gaze was directed to the
) threatening sky.
| "My first thought was of the super.
5 natural, and for moment / stood
; still, struck with the dumb terror
| which such fancy causes, while the
, form, which had been near the mast
/ when ! first deserted 1t. went steadily
, on toward the end of the boom; then,
s rs tried to rouse myself, l felt u
r touch upon my arm, aud the mate,