La Junta tribune., 1899-03-18
PHANTOM SHIP
The Flying Dutchman.
Coy


|
poured down. | felt unusual fear-I
knew not why. l rose from the couch,
and dipped my finger in the blessed
water, and crossed myself. A violent
gust of wind roared round the house.
and alarmed me still more. / had n
| painful, horrible foreboding: when, of
a sudden. the windows and window
shutters were blown in. the light was
eXtinguished, and ] was left in utter
darkness. | screamed with fright; but
at last | recovered myself. and was
| proceeding toward the window that |
might reclose 1t. when whom should |
behold, slowly entering at the case
ment, but-your father-Philip. Yes,
| Philip, it was your father"
| "Merciful God" muttercd Philip, in
| a low tone almost subdued to whis-
| per.
| Il knew not what to think-he was
| in the room: and although the dark
ness was intense. his form and fea-
lures We're MS clear and as defined as If
| 1t Were MONDAY. Fear would have in
| clined me to recoi from-his loved
presence to fly toward him. | remain
| ed on that spot where | was. choked
| with agonizing sensations. When he
had entered the room, the windows and
| shutters closed of themselves, and the
| candle was relighted-then | thought
! it was his apparition, and tainted on
| the floor.
when | recovered | found myself
| on the couch. and perceived that a cold
/ oh. how cold,-and dripping hand
was claspcd in mine. This reassured
me. and | forgot the supernatural
signs which accompanied his appear
ance. imagined that he had been un-
| fortunate, and had returned home.
! opened my eyes. and beheld my loved
! husband. and threw myself into his
| arms His clothes were saturated with
| rain; | felt as IL | had embraced ice
but nothing can check the warmth of
woman's love, Philip. He received my
| caressCs, but he caressed not again; he
| spoke not. but looked thoughtfully and
| unhappy VILLAIN" cried L.
speak, Vanderdecken; speak to your
dear Catherine
| 81 WILL replied he, solemnly, for
my time is short
"'No, no, you must not go to sea
| again; you have lost your vessel; but
you are safe. Have not you again?
".Alas. no--be not alarmed, but lis
ten, for my time is short | have not
lost my vessel. Catherine. but l have
lost Make no reply. but listen. ]
am not dead, nor yet am | alive.
hover between this world and the
world of spirits. Mark me-
For nine weeks did try to force
my passage against the elements round
! the stormy Cape, but without success
! and | swore terribly. For nine weeks
more did | carry sail against the ad-
verse winds and currents, and yet
could gain no ground; and then l
| blasp sphernod-ay, terribly blasphemed.
/ Yet still | persovered. The crew. worn
/ out with long fatigue, would have had
/ me return to the Table Bay, but | re-
| fused; ray rlore. | became murderer
-unin:entiorally. 1t is true. but still
n murderer. The pilot opposed me,
I aud persuaded the men to bind me, and
IN the exceas Of my fury, when he took
me by the collar, ! struck at him; he
| recled; and with the sudden lurch of
| the vessel be fell overheard, and sank.
Even this fearful death did not re-
strain me; and | swore by the frag-
ment of the Holy Cross, preserved in
| that relic Eow hanging round your
! neck, that | would gain my point IN
1 defiance of storm and seas. OF light
ming, OF Heaven, or of hell. even II
| should beat about until the Day OF
Judgment.
My oath was registered in thun-
| der, and In streams OF sulphurous fire.
| The hurricane burst upon the ship, the
canvas flew away in ribbons; noun
tains OF seas swept over us, and in the
center of deep overhanging cloud,
which shrouded all in utter darkness,
were written in letters of livid flame,
these words: Until the Day of Judg-
| ment.
Listen to me. Catherine, my time
is short. One hope alone remains, and
! for this l am permitted to come here.
| Take this letter. He put sealed
paper, on the table Read 1t. Catherine
dear, and try If you can assist me.
Read 1t, and now farewell-my time
| is come
Again the window and window
| shutters burst open-again the light
was extinguished, and the form of my
| husband was, as 1t were, waited in the
| dark expanse. l started up and fol-
| lowed him with outstretched arms and
| frantic screams as he sailed through
| the window; my glaring eyes beheld
| his form borne away like lightning on
the wings of the wild gale till 1t was
lost as speck of light. and then it
disappeared Again the windows
closed, the light burned, and was left
alone!
Heaven have mercy! My brain!-
my brain! n!Philip!-Philip" shrieked
the poor woman: don't leave me
dont-don't-pray don't!"
During these exclamations the fran