Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1896-06-27

down mere.
He came, and at the captains re.
quest he also wrote the same words
So did the stewart So in succession
did every man of the crew who
could write at all. But not one OF
the various hands rcsembled in any
degree the mysterious writing.
When the crew retired, the captain
sat deep in thought. Could any one
have been slowed away ," At last he
said This ship must he searched,
and if don't find the fellow he must
be a good hand at hide and seek. Or
der up all hands"
Ever nook and corner Of the vessel,
from stem to stern, was thoroughly
searched, and that with all the eager
ness Of excited curiosity, for the re-
port had gone out that stranger had
shown himself ON board, but not Il
living soul beyond the crew and the
officers were found. Returning to the
cabin after iher fruitless search. "Mr
Bruce said the captain, what the
devil do you make of all this -
Can't tell, sir. | saw the man
write You see the writing. There
must be something in it"
"Well, it would seem So We have
the wind free, and | have great
mind to keep her away and see what
will come of it.
Il surely would, sir, if | were in
your place. It's only few hours lost
at the worst
well. we'll see. Go ON deck and
give the course nor west And. Mr..
Bruce" he added rs the mate rose TO
90, ''have Il lookout aloft, and let il
be hand you can depend ON.
His orders were obeyed. About 5
O'Clock the lookout reported an ice
berg nearly ahead, and shortly after
what he thought was vessel close to
| il.
As they approached the captain :
glass disclosed the fact that il was i
lismantlel ship apparently frozen 10
The ice, and with good many human
beings ON H. Shortly after they hove
To aud sen, out the boats to the relief
OF the sufferers.
Ii proved 10 he Il vessel from Quebec
bound to Liverpool, with passengers
on board She had got cniangled in
the ice and finally frozen fast. and had
passed several weeks in most critical
situation. She was stove, her decks
swept-ln fact, Il mere wreck-all her
provisions and almost all her water
gone Her crew and passengers had
lost all hopes of being saved. and their
gratitude for the unexpected rescue
was proportionately great
As one Of the men who had been
brought away in the third boat that
had reached the wreck was ascending
the ships lie the mate, catching a
glimpse OF his face started back in
CONSERVATION 1t was the very face
he had seen three or four hours before
looking up at him from the captain
desk.
At first he tried To persuade himself
it might be fancy, hut the more he
Iexamined the man the more sure he
became that he was right Not only
the face, but the person AMI the dres:
exactly correspond. As soon as The
exhausted creW and furnished passen
gers were cared for and the bark on
her course again the mate called the
captain aside. at seems that was not
a ghost | saw to day, sir. The man.
alive"
What do you mean Who,
alive p
why, sir one Of the passengers We
have Just saved is the same man | saw
writing on your slate at noon.
would swear to it in Il court of JUS
tice."
Upon my word, Mr.. Bruce" re-
piled the captain, This gets more and
more singular. Let US go and see this
man"
They found him in conversation
with the captain of the rescued ship
They both came forward and expressed
in the warmest terms their gratitud,
for deliverence from horrible fate -
slow coming death by exposure anC
, starvation.
The captain replied that he had hui
done wEa, he was certain they woult
have done for him under the sam,
circumstances and asked them both to
step down into the cabin. Then turn
ing TO the passenger he said, Il hope
sir, you will not think am triilin2
with you, but | would be much Obliged
to you il you would write few word,
on this slate" And he handed hin
the slate, with that side up on whicl
the mysterious writing was not. 81
will do anything You ask, replied tht
passenger, but what shall ! write p
"A few words are all want. Sup
pose you write, Steer to the nor
west.
The passenger, evidently puzzled l.
make out the motive for such re