Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1895-11-08

channel before the mother was taken
sick.
Its queer for such an old sailor
rs l., she murmured family MS as
sisted her down below, 'but suppose
I'm out of practice.
''5hc got enough practice in tho
miseries of seasickness that trip to last
her some time, poor thing, and in the
mean time tho daughter, who, while
her mother slept, invariably came up
on deck, renewed her old friendship
with me. | had not seen much OF her
for some years, since she had been ut
school during my brief visits ut her
home, and we found tho recalling of
old times delightful.
Every night, even after her mother
had recovered partially, wo promen.
AIDED tho deck together and our friend
ship grew npacc. One night, when
the older lady WAS below, suffering
with headache, we talked until very
late and sho told me queer tales OF
ghosts and sleep walkers and tho like.
She had been filled with these stories
while ut school and wo enjoyed them
us 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, i'll which she
had climbed down n ladder placed Mt
second story window and reached
tho ground in safety, but still fast
asleep.
while VIC talked we alternately
paced the deck and leaned over the
side, watching the phosphorescent
flashes in the water and talking MS
young idiots will of the moonlight and
tho beauty of the stars and she sud-
denly said:
How delightful it would he TO
walk out on that pole pointing 20 the
main BOOM and leap of into the sill
very water.
''Sho spoke lightly, but shvcrcd
from an unexplainablc prcscntmcnt of
evil, and she, cntching the influence
OF my mood, shuddercd suddenly and
hastily turned the subject We talked
Tor awhile longer, but the pleasure of
our conversation had somehow been
spoiled by that careless remark, and
she soon bndc me good night and went
below.
After she Ind gone 1 mndc tour of
the ship, according TO my custom, aud
finding nothing to need my presence,
| went to bed myself.
"AIter the fashion of youth, my
hcnd had no sooner touched tho pillow
than was sound asleep, aud it seemed
to me that only Il moment hnd passed
before | was reused suddenly by
voice which called to me, Come
II did not recognize tho voice as
that OF any one on the ship, but it was
SO full OF terror, SO thrilled with
quivcring fear, that sat up hastily,
trembling and listening for the slightest
sound. The wind was rising and 7
conld hear it wailing softly, with the
ecric sound which it always has at
night and ut sen, but / could hear
nothing else, and was about doing
when TINT cnll camo again.
"This time it sounded rs though it
were further of, but its appeal for
help was Just rs clear TO my brain,
and | hesitatod no longer. Hastily
slipping into my clothing, I dashed
up tho companion, md MS | touched
Tho deck heard it plainly once more.
Come, 1t plondcd, in lingering cry.
ana us stood straining my eyes to
pierce the stormy darkness which had
succeeded tho brilliant moonlight il
seemed to die away in the direction of
the ma'nboom. At the same time
saw, or fnncied L saw, n glimmer of
something white creeping slowly along
the boom, and upon coming nearer |
saw that it was woman's figure,
slender md graceful and clothed in
something long and white and lowing.
Tho form was quito erect, and it
seemed TO glide along the dangerous
way without n fnlter or even so much
as feeling for footing in the dark.
ness; tho arms were spread widely in
n SniIar attitude to that which rope
walker assumes when crossing slick
rope, and the head was thrown back,
MS though the gaze was directed to the
threatening sky.
My FIRST thought was of the super.
natural, and for II moment L stood
still, struck with tho dumb terror
which such fancy causes, while the
form, which had been near tho mast
when l first deserted 1t, went steadily
on toward the cud OF the boom; then.
as tried 10 rouse myself, I felt
tonch upon my arm, and the mate,
who was then on watch, spoke to me,
his face white with horror and his
voice shaking.
What do you think OF it, sir 2? he
asked, falteringlY. q saw it come up
the cabin stairs and go out there, and
it climbed up on the boom without
seeming to need hands Mt all think
Miss Alice must DO dead, and that's
her ghost, sir
cat the mention of Alicc's namo
shook of his hand and made leap
for tho boom myself, for her talk of
sleep-walliing and her remark of how
nice it would be TO walk along the
boom and jump into the water hal
suddenly required 10 me, and like II
flash l realized that she was walking in
her sleep, going out TO her death in
the sea, which was tossing roughly,
with now md Then n Iyovn hrnoI-;n,,