The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-10-19
The
CailsnstOrrne
. Bell .,... ..;:.r ..,..
EDGAR MAYHEM BACON
Il opyright lSpa by Irving Bacheller.l

the half-starved cattle had wallowed In
it. The live oaks were ragged and the
gray moss had about killed Off the cy-
presses. Nightshade and poison IVY
literally covered the place where the
garden had been and the broken Jaiou-
sizes on the veranda tapped with the
wind"
There were some tales about visit
ors from the water side" interposed
Dallett.
"Yes. That was where the bell came
in. The story went that Cairnstorme
had got in with a gang of freebooters
or pirates and the bell was signal.
DO tell us about the bell lisped Miss
Love.
We'll, it's just this. The bell rings
all by itself when a storm Is coming
up and people in the channel in their
boats can hear II and always get under
shelter. 1t tolls like n funeral bell. 1t
used to toll when Cairnstorme was
alive and then people said he was ring
ing as a signal to some of his bucca-
neer associates; hut then after his
death, when no one was living on the
island at all, 1t kept on ringing just
the same. Then they said that his ghost
rang it,"
Decidedly grewsome. But what sort
of a bell Is it?''
oH, lHdl is the strange part VI II.
There isn't any bell. Different parties
have hunted the island over and have
not found n trace of a bell anywhere.
When you hear it tolling you would
swear that some one was being buried,
but il has never been located. one
man. who was Storm-bound there, was
almost frightened out of his wits by it,,
He got away as far as he could from
the house and the shadow of the trees,
where he could breathe, he said, down
by the barren rocks on the shore and
according to his story the bell followed
him and tolled in the air right over
his head
There is a belief" interrupted Dali
lett. that when that bell is heard by
the people on q vessel they are sure to
be wrecked, 1t is like seeing the Fly
ing Dutchman."
THAT is pleasant" I said. "I should
follow a classic precedent and stop up
my ears when passing the island
II suppose 1t amuses Cairnstorme,"
continued Burnbee.
"-Amuses Cairnstorme. Why what
are YOU thipkinS of? Cairnstorme has
been dead for generation"
Yes. but he has an unpleasant habit
of hanging around still, if the colored
people are TO be believed"
''U, lblIstuSt.
perhaps it Is. hut they will not tell
you SO. Cali Tom, he was raised there.
Tom"
our negro steward came aft in re-
sponse to the summons and saluted the
company.
Cocktail. Mass Burnbee?"
well, that is not a bad idea of yours,
Tom, but it isn't what | called you for.
Did you ever see Cairnstorme's ghost?"
40. now Mass Burnbee. YOU es' askin'
that to make spo'te of de ole man.
Shucks | mos fo'got dat 'sperience
sense come way rum de cos. an dats
some yeahs now"
But we want to hear bout it. What
We're you doing on the island?'
Now Mass Burnbee. yous poken fun
lax you allus does. I ain do nutten
lar 'cep jest 'splore 'roun an projec'
On de granger of de ole time" Tom
twisted his cap in his hands and looked
deprecatingly at his questiOner
Il know jes' wat you goin' to dis
snuate but tain so, sab. | want
thinkin' of stealin' nothin', on'y jes'
splorin 'roun. an l get ketch when
cum nightfall cause | done fas'n my
boat poly an de tide drift her away.
Fus thing ] know it bin CROWN dark
an den I see light troo de trees, like a
llsuLln buG VA luD SAAduItl' 4 NtS
that skeered / like to froze. but some
thin er another KEEP a pushln an
pushin' to me. lax 1t say: Tom, you Is
boun' to go see wat goin' on yander
al de big house l crope up on de pl-
azzah an look in troo de moth winder
what de blin ben off an / see a sight
aim goin' forget twell | cross obcr Jer-
den. Yes, as true as | am standln'
yere. Mass Burnbec. | see the ole man
Carnstorme. on'y he ain ole man
nuther. on'y we jes Gals him dat,
settn' in one dem highback red cheers
wild a decantah of wine befor him an
he body sahvent wat use to wait on
him wen he live. stan'in' behine he
cheer.
Mass Cairnstorme he sit an he sit
lax he ben thinkin' but / ain year an
| ain see he sayin' nuthin'.
''Torrecey he tu'n towds Llge, )dat de
name of he body sahvent wat walt on
HIM an ne make motion wild he lip an
wild he han. | done lis'n but I amt
yere he sayin' a wud. De wool rlz up
on top of ma he'd when ] see dat niggah
a movin' towards the place wha l done
hole de winder sill wild bote hand; To-
/ pow'fu weak bout dat time. But he
70 open do do an he bow an he scrape
twell presently in come fo' oder genl-
mans, dress lax de ole pictures on de
wall. I ain see nqne dem pass me on
de po'ch but dere dey is, a bowin' and