The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1899-02-03
PHANTOM SHIP
EH OR
The Flying DUtchman.
Coy CAPTAIN MNRYAT.
CHAPTER I.

but fortified town Of T~erneuse, stu
ated IN the right bank Of the Scheldt
and nearly opposite to the island OF
Walcheren, there was to be seer In
advance Of a few other even more
humble tenemerts, a small but neat
cottage, built according to the prevail
ing taste Of the time. The outside front
had, some years back, been painted OF
a deep orange, the windows and shut
tiers of a vivid green. To about three
feet above the surface of the earth, ii
was faced alternately with blue and
white tiles. A small garden, of about
two rods of our measure of land, sur
rounded the edifice; and this little plot
was fanked by a low hedge of privet,
and encircled by a moat full of water,
too wide to be leaped with ease. Over
that part of the moat which was in
front of the cottage door was a small
and narrow bridge. with ornamented
iron hand-rails, for the security Of the
passenger. But the colors, originally
80 bright, with which the cottage had
been decorated, had now faded; symp-
SO"o VI 1oPio uSSGy "SlS Ill III
window-sills, the door-jambs and other
wooden parts of the tenement, and
many of the white and blue tiles had
fallen down. and had not been re-
placed. That much care had nee been
bestowed upon this little tenement was
as evident as that latterly it had been
equally neglected.
The inside of the cottage, both on
the basement and the floor above, was
divided into two larger room in front,
and two smaller behind; the rooms in
front could only be called large in COM
parison with the other two, as they
were little more than twelve feet
square, with but n window to each.
The upper floor was as usual, appro-
priated to the bedrooms; on the lower,
the two smaller rooms were now used
only as a wash-house and a lumber
room; while one of the larger was fit
ted up as a kitchen, and furnished with
dressers, on which the metal utensils
for cookery shone clean and polished
as silver. The room itself was scrupu-
lousy neat; but the furniture, as we'll
as the utensils, were scanty. The
boards of the floor were of a pure
white, and so clean that you might
have laid anything down without fear
of soiling it. A strong deal table, two
wooden-seated chairs, and a small easy
couch, which had been removed from
one of the bedrooms upstairs, were all
the movables which this room con-
tanned. The other front room had been
fitted up as a parlor; but what might
be the style of it's furniture was now
unknown, for no eye had beheld the
contents of that room for nearly sew
enteen years, during which it had been
Theoretically sealed, even to the in
mates of the cottage.
The kitchen, which we have de-
scribed, was occupied by two persons.
forty years of age, but worn down by
pain and suffering. She had evidently
once possessed much beauty; there
were still the regular outlines, the
noble forehead, and the large, dark
eyes; but there was a tenuity in her
features, a wasted appearance, such
az to render the flesh transparent; her
brow, when she unused, would sink into
deep wrinkles, premature though they
were; and the occasional flashing of
her eyes strongly impressed you with
the idea of insanity. There appeared
to be some deep-seated, irremovable,
hopeless cause Of anguish, never for
49, yoononnf parDoif3od 70 ha o1,or{
from her memory; a chronic oppres-
sion, fixed and craven there, only to
be removed by death. She was dressed
in the widows Golf of the time; but
although clean and neat, her garments
were faded from long wear. She was
upon the small couch which we
have mentioned, evidently brought
down as a relief to her, in her declin-
ing state.
On the deal table in the center of
the room sat the other person, a stout
f~air-haired, ford youth of nineteen
or twenty years old. His features were
handsome and bold, and his frame
powerful to excess; his eye denoted
courage and determination, and as he
,arelessly swung his legs, and whistled
an air in an emphatic manner, it was
impossible not to form the idea that
ne was a daring, adventurous and reck-
ess character.
"Do not go to sea, Philip; oh, prom
sc me that, my dear child" said the
'emale, clasping her hands.
".And why -:ot go to sea, mother?"
.cpiied Philip; whats the use of my
here to ~starve; for, by Heaven!
is little better. l must do something
or myself and for you. And what
Use can I do? My uncle Vanbrennen
las offered to take me with him. and
yill give me good wages. Then 1 shall
happily on board, and my earn
will be sufficient for your support
It home"
.Philip-Philip, hear me. I shall die
2 Won leave me. Whom have I in the
world but you? Oh, my child. as you
ove me, and 1 know you do love me-,
philip. don't leave me; but if you will,
+ all events do not go to sea-"
Philip gave no immediate reply; he
...lo5 for a few seconds while his