The daily morning journal and courier., 1896-08-21
wI,nt Was It?

what Was lJE To the Editor of the JOURNAL AND COURIER;
 The wind howled and groaned around the old house, and the boom of the breakers sounded dull and indis- tinct on the shore.
 Rain came down in torrents and the trees bent under the sharp flashing of the wind.
 No boat could possibly live amid the waves in such a storm, and woe to the reckless person who should attempt to brave those angry waters. On this wild, wet night my father, my brother same old house, situated on Big Pump kin, one of the Thimble Islands Ris- ing high out of the water and thickly covered with trees, the island was beautiful and romantic, fully worthy of the legends told concerning the Pequot Indians and their life on these islands.
 Before the house on Big Pumpkin stood giant oak tree, gnarled, knotted and pierced in several places with the sears of Indian arrows. On this night the leaves of the huge oak lashed each other with savage fury, and 1t was al- most impossible to think, even Inside the house.
 It was three o'clock in the morning of September 18th, 1S89 and the storm re- quired my father and brother to change the fastenings of the boats at different stages of the tide and consequently they were sitting up wide awake; at least as far as my brother went. They were both supposed to be awake, but father had indulged himself in a short nap on the lounge.
 My brother was sitting at table | about two feet from the French win dows, which opened on broad veran- da. He was deeply interested in book and the dog, a very faithful watcher, was curled up at his feet, asleep.
 The windows were the only separa- tion between the occupants of the room and the storm outside, and in fact if it had been daylight any person outside the library could have been seen by my brother, had he chosen to look. All was silent in the house and nothing could be heard save the raging storm without. The rain beat against the windows and the old oak-tree moaned and roared in the heavy wind.
 In the midst of the heaviest part of the storm, when the rain was beating l 1,s I-a.4 Il.- l.. T and cracked, my brother suddenly rose and rushed to the door.
 As he did so father and the dog, both waking at the same time, followed My | brother opened the door and he and | father looked out into the night. Then my brother, who was the first to speak, 1 turned to father and asked: What did you hear?''
 | Father replied at once without mo- ment's hesitation, Your mothers voice"
 l "So did l." said my brother, and catching up the lantern he rushed out i into the storm, calling the dog to fol- low
 The dog obeyed but after walking a few feet he put his tail between his legs and ran around in circle, with his nose to the ground,
 Then my brother returned to the 1 house, ard putting on their coats, fath- CT and he took the lantern, and fol- lowed hy the dog they went out again | Although "Waif" was a remarkably good watch dog he could not be induced to go before them, and it was with diff ficulty that he was persuaded to fol- l low
 I Down the path to the wharf they went, but there was not sign of a person, and no strange boat was tied at the landing.
 Back they came and taking the path through the woods, they searched the | island over from one end to the other, and two hours later returned none the wiser.
 They both said that they heard what sounded like my mothers voice, appa- rently saying goodnight to the boat man who had brought her over. My 1 brother says that he could have easily heard the words if he had listened care fully and he fully believes that what | he heard was a human voice.
 My mother had, it is true, left the is- land only the afternoon before, and had beel expected back that evening, but in spite of the ghostly voice, she re- | turned the next day,-unharmsd. | However, if my father and brother made mistake, the question still re- mains: What did the dog hear that caused him to wake so suddenly and go to the door at the same instant that my father and brother did? | Expectations people might be led to believe that the fact of the night being the 18th, had something to do with the strange voice. but at any rate the ques- tion remains unanswered; the mystery renains unsolved
 | LUCY L. MERRILL.