The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1896-09-03
A DEEP-WATER GHOST.
BY PAUL PASTNOR.


men, who happened to meet during the
partridge shooting season at a little
hostelry in the southern part of Vir-
ginia. There was a real Oldfashioned
fireplace in the waiting room of the
hotel, and here we used to gather every
evening to smoke our cigars, compare
notes on the sport of the day, and swap
yarns"
l remember in particular the story
that Lloyd told us, the night before we
parted. twas unique and weird. Lloyd
was tremendously big, athletic fell
low, and he had way of saying things
in that deep bass voice of his that made
them doubly impressive.
He had been sitting for some time
with his chin on his hand, looking stead
lily into the open fire. Benson had been
telling rather commonplace ghost
story, and the rest of us had dutifully
oh-d and ah-d and pretended to SILVER
at the proper laces, but Lloyd said never
Il word. When silence settled upon the
aittle group once more, however, Lloyd
sat up in his chair, Incrossed his feet,
and remarked:
"Now, boys, am going to tell you a
ghost story the like of which you never
heard before, and the best of it is it's
all true, for it happened to me exactly
as l shall tell it.
"When [ was in Sweden, some IS years
ago, l had an opportunity to do con-
siderable cunning, as my friend and
host was landed proprietor and con-
trolled the hunting and fishing rights
of a large and valuable territory. In this
tract was one large lake, called Lake
Fryllsdal, which abounded in fine fish,
particularly pike of remarkable size.
lowering over this lake almost con-
stantly were a few pairs of whitish-
gray birds which the Swedes call sea-
eagles great, magnificent, broad
winged creatures, whose food consisted
of the large fish that were so plentiful
in the waters of their habitat.
II had strong desire to shoot one of
these birds, although 1 knew them to
.be held in almost sacred esteem by the
inhabitants, who believed that if anyone
should kill one of them, he would be
haunted by the sprite of the bird as
Dong as he lived. But not being the
least bit superstitions, my passion for
obtaining specimen of each new bird
or animal | came across in my travels
easily overcame all scruples, and I forth
with laid my plans to secure one of the
:sea-eagleS.
Il shall never forget the circum-
stances connected with the shooting Of
this bird. 1t was a bright, still after
noon. | had been lying for hours be-
hind large rock on the shore of the
lake waiting for one of the birds TO
come within range of my fowling-piece.
A pair of them were sailing hither and
thither above the surface of the lake,
waiting for an opportunity to pounce
upon some pike or other fish that might
be summing itself at the top of the water.
At length l saw one of the eagles drop
like a snot from height of more than
lC0 feet, and strike the water in cloud
'of foam and spray. The next moment
She rose, bearing a goodsized fish in his
'talons, and flew heavily toward the
shore. My heart began to thump
against my ribs, as | saw that, if the
CdSlC uClI " HIS COuISe, lie WOulu pass
almost directly over the place where l
lay concealed. Crouching down, /
waited for the shadow which l knew
must precede the bird, as he was flying
between me and the sun.
'At length it came--a big, slowly
travelling blot of darkness-and the mo-
ment it passed me on the shingle of the
beach, | leaped up, with both barrels
of my gun cooked and ready. There,
sc9rcely 40 yards away, and little to
the left, the eagle loomed in the clear,
Hun-lit air. The gun sprang to my
shoulder, and quick, loud report rang
cut on the silence. With an almost
human scream, tie bird dropped the
fish from his talOng, and came sailing
down with OutsprAAd, Guivering wings,
graceful even unto death. Slowly he
settled upon the leach, wings extended.
] dashed towards aim. The great winrs
were vibrating silently on the stones.
The head and neck had fallen prone in
the weakness auc stupor of DEATH But
as stood over my victim, the eyes of
the great bird Saet mine with .rlance