The Press., 1898-03-31
A PHANTOM VOICE.

The vast circle of the horizon is un- broken, yet here is no solitude, for birds in thousands sweep circling about. from the huge albatross, flying past at his 60 miles an hour, to the little swallowlike Mother Carey.
 The scene for the time is peaceful. The laundering storms which lash ocean's face into fury and fill the air with hurrying wraok and sweeping rain are stilled.
 But though the surface of the water is smooth. save for little ripplets like those on the summer face of river, the great bosom of the south Atlantic heaves in mighty pulsations to the long, rolling pillows, which follow in a stately, end less procession and tell of some distant hurricane past or to come.
 Above, the great dome of heaven is a cold, steely blue, fecked here and there with cloud masses, snow white as All pine peaks. reflecting in their shadows the colors of ocean s face.
 The sinking sun flashes a sparkling lglory over the scene, and the great cloud forms change tint after tint. AS he declines westward above him shafts of light shoot up half way to the zenith
 Rolling on the swell lies a boat. Three of its crew appear to live; of the others the living souls have fled. Two crouch with bowed heads. The third, young fellow in his first man. hood, looks wistfully round. The great birds fit by him with bright eyes They do not settle yet.
 Once as a great pillow lifts the boat skyward he thinks he sees, far away to the east, @ silvery speck. What is it-a ship? Had the God of that cruel blue sky heard his prayers? For he had been praying as few ever pray and seemed to have feeling that he had been heard Anxiously he waits for huge wave to rush past and lift them again to the same altitude, but it comes not, and the sun sets.
 They have robbed their dead comrades of their coats, and now the three huddle together for warmth and meager com. fort, for another awful night is before them. Will dawn see them alive? The nearest succor is 50 miles away.
 In highly decorated apartment, half divan, half sitting room in appearance, a thin, wiry man sprawls on a couch. He is smoking a Burmese cheroot, one of stock he laid in last voyage, but he does not appear to be in that calm, peaceful frame of mind which is neces- sary for the full enjoyment of the blessed weed-nor is he.
 Captain Abel Cushman of the Ameri- can ship Paul Revere has {. fine craft under him, strong crew, good officers; has made a smart passage this far, and yet is greatly troubled. An hour ago he woke from bis after dinner nap " most scared to death. A young man, a stranger, had stood over him and said, "Steer west by south.' Even when he had opened his eyes there stood the stranger, who, as the skipper lifted himself up, vanished.
 This happened some half hour since.
 "Waal, I swan to gracious!'' said the captain. "West by south, hey? Naow, what in thunder did it mean?" He began pacing up and down his lit tie saloon, muttering and thinking Many old sea yarns anent similar cir cumstances came into his mind, and a strong feeling was creeping over him that he must obey this supernatural or der. And yet merchant skipper does not care to pose as a fool in the eyes of his crew.
 "What will the boys think?' he mutt tered. "Cush, my sonny, guess you s bewitched.
 His rowing eyes fell on book which lay on little side table. Aimlessly he took it up, and as he did so-was it mere fancy?-again the voice spoke, "Steer west by south." He dropped the book, whispering ill wonder, '.Waal, dewl"
 The volume had fallen open and lay at his feet. As be picked it up he saw it was Bible.
 ''Cush," he whispered to himself, "that was spoken on the gorspels. ' He turned over the pages and looked at the fly leaf:
 "Eliphalet Coleby. From his loving wife, Mizpah. ''
 His brows contracted. He was trying to remember the method of some modern "sortes'' which the old women at home used to praotice-something to do with a key.
 Presently he again muttered to him. self, "There ain't no harm anyhow.
 Opening the book at random, he laid it on the table and placed forefnger on the open page. Then he looked at the verse thus selected.
 "There came out two women, and the wind was in their wings"
 ..-.--L, he whis pered, .'there ain't Tartitle of sense ill thatr'
 Again he turned as if to walk away and looked wildly round. The same voice seemed to have whispered in his ear once more.
 He hesitated no longer. Going up the companion into the glory of the sunset, he called to the seaman at the wheel:
 "Hi, you thar I''
 "Sir?;'
 "Sing out to the mate want him. ''
 In a few moments stout, red faced man stepped up. He had no coat on, but wore a waistcoat cut low, showing a large expanse of shirt front, in the cen- ter of which sparkled what might have been diamond. He came forward fon- ding long goatee whisker. "D'you want me. Cap'n Cushman?''
 "Yes Put her round on the other tack and stand west by south.' "RightP' answered Coleby (for he was the owner of the Bible), and, turn ing, he began to shout out his orders tu "'bout shipr' Eat
 "Say, Coleby, your Testament's lay in around; you'd best take it." And Captain Cushman handed. him the book, as though glad to be rid of such an un- reliable guide. W | Then as the men began to tumble