The herald., 1897-10-03

port to complete the list. Every cabin
was occupied but the port cabin by the
companion way and to that I was as
signed.
We had jolly wardroom mess that
night and I retired from it early. as I
was tired by my journey to join the
vessel, the others who still at the
table regarded my retirement to the
port cabin in absolute silence hav-
ing bade me good night. Their si-
lence did not lead me to suspect any,
thing, though 1 knew that the Eagre
had once been the Mohawk. My cabin
door had the usual cabin lock of brass
and the port hole was also securely
fastened. There could have been no one
under the bed or sofa, as beneath each
was facing Of solid oak paneling.
I undressed lazily and left the light
burning dimly in my bracket lamp. I
tried conscientiously to 60 to sleep, for
I don't know how long, with my back
turned to- the light. The noise ceased in
the wardroom after a time and knew
the others had turned in, but I felt un-
accountably nervous and restless
turned over and faced the light, thor
oughly wide awake, and there in the
single chair sat an elderly man, SEEM
ingly rapt in deep thought. He was
dressed in blue yachting REFER and
had long, gray beard. His hands were
clasped in his lap and his eyes were
downcast. His face was not pale and
ghastly, as the faces of ghosts are popu-
larly supposed to be, but ruddy and
weather beaten.
I regarded him in scared silence for
don't know how long. though it SEEM
ed an hour when he or it or whatever it
was disappeared. During that time the
ghost, and such 1 now believe it to
have been, made not a motion nor did
it say anything. Presently I looked
again and it was gone.
At breakfast the others watched me
critically as took my seat. I had not
intended to say anything about my ex-
perience, for I thought then had seen
some sort of hallucination and strongly
suspected that I was verging on insan-
ity. Lieut.. Irving asked me if I had
slept well. replied that I had.
Didn't you see anything?" he inquired.
then frankly admitted that I had and
described my experience. Then learn
ed that each one of the seven others
present had tried the port cabin at one
time or another and each had seen the
selfsame apparition. 1t had acted in
exactly the same way in each case ex-
cept in the case of Irving. who shot at
it with his pistol, when it Immediately
disappeared. Some of the others had
been led by their curiosity to enquire if
any one lost on the Mohawk resembled
the figure and found that none of the
unfortunate ones at all fitted the de-
scription. It had been dubbed by them
the "misfit ghost" That one experience
was enough for me and after that I by
courtesy shared the cabin of another
fellow.
Lieut.. Irving and others corroborate
the story Of Lieut.. King and as addi-
tional evidence that the Eagre is haunt
ed, Lieut.. Irving describes New Years
Eve experience Of the Eagre's officers
that is, to say the least, novel in the
way of supernatural manifestations.
1t was at mess. The first toast
"Sweethearts and Wives" had been
drunk as it always is by Yankee sailors
the world over on occasions of festivity.
Every one was feeling happy or as
Thackeray has it pleasant" when sud-
denly the sliding doors separating the
wardroom from the companion way
closed slowly with a loud squeaking
noise. They had seldom been closed
and it took the entire strength of man
to start them from their rusty fasten-
ings. Yet upon this occasion they start
ed easily and closed tightly while the
officers jumped to their feet in breath
less establishment. Half a dozen men
hauled them open in haste, but not
hnh inJ
about. 1T must be our old friend of the
port cabin" suggested one, and in awe
stricken silence the health of the "misf1t
ghost" was drunk.
Copyright. 1897. by Bachelor Syndicate.