Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1900-02-27

bloodshot with drink and despair. and,
swinging his mealbag over his shoulder,
staggered forth into the night
1t was one of those white nights char
acteristic of Long Island; no moon or
stars but more like deep twilight.
Mary stood at the gate, waiting fer
her husband. Suddenly there was borne
upon the night wind the creaking of the
mighty grist. But never had it creaked
so loud. Round and round went the
great sails in the gloom, and screech af
ter screech pierced the night, and then
suddenly all was still.
As she craned her neck in startled at
tention. the figure of q man. q sailor by
his garb passed quickly UP the lane.
For one instant he turned a white face
upon her and pointed to the mill as he
ran. speechless with fear. The face was
craven upon her memory.
In an agony of fear she barred the
door and stared from the window all
night long and when the dawn redeemed
the east set out for town
The mills of God grind slowly,
But they grind exceedingly small;
With exactness grinds he all.
Surveyor Harbourne murmured these
words pensively, as he wrought IN the
deepening twilight to obtain an ensemble
of the old mill, whose gaunt arms spread
specter-like across the saffron sky.
But who comes hereT
Seated aside his ''bonnie. riding slow
ly I'D the lane was Matt Rominy. the cX-
mill keeper-for since the tragic occur
renee of three years before, still cnvel-
oped in mystery, his mill stood there
abandoned. like thing accurSed; the evil
orist of that dreadful night being the last
it ever turned out. Something disturbed
1arbourne's vision. Was his drawing
wrong. or had the arms of the mill
moved?
High over the crest of the dun hill
against the fast fading sky, between the
rows of sorrowfully trailing willows that
stood lamenting over the salt marsh, the
great wings of the accused mill were
slowly beginning to move. and from its
unuSued hinges came creakingS as of Il
thing in pain.
Faster turned the skeleton arms and
louder came the dismal creaking, which
rose to q shriek-a chattering, broken,
awful sound, which suddenly ceased as
the arms stopped turning.
NarbOurne had risen TO his feet. ana
was gazing hXedly. scarce believing his
eyes, when Il something seemed to issue
frCm the mill and sidle and gyrate adown
the hill. On it came, past the salt tarn,
under the willows, anon melting in the
twilight.
"Pshaw." said Yarbourne. Its only
Nyler's red calf; must have got through
the gap. Oh. my God. look.''
Not twenty yards from him. lowering
Imply over the read, was a dark-red fig
ure with Haunting rags, and for a mo-
ment glimpse to his bursting eyes Of
what might have been face.
AS it wayered Yarbourne heard a CUR
Cling cry behind him. and turning he be
held the miller on his knees, whittier than
stone, with both arms stretched out be-
fore him.
Let me alone" he screamed. 81
won't go along. o Christ; look
Where are his arms?'' And he fell
frothing in the road.
1arbourne bent over him and shook
him. He sat up With CHASTITY smile.
Its Duthin'. Mr.. Yarbourne-a tech O
the jimjams, that's all. That Sag har-
Dor whisky always does it,
He mounted his horse and disappeared
in the dusk.
Yarbourne. much shaken, packed his
traps hastily and stalked slowly home
ward muttering:
The mills of God grind slowly,
But they grind exceedingly small.
A dog howled plaintively as he passed
Mary Heath's cottage, and ever the dark
ridge Of its roof hung gibbous moon.
Yarbourne went that evening to Moth
err Chsholm's to see the convalescent
sailor.
He SAT long, smoking, and observing
him
Incidentally he mentioned that he had
been sketching the old mill.
The man Immediately showed so much
agitation that the artist became appre-
hensiye, and passed him his pocket flask
There! Take a nip of that, and you'll
feel better"
The sailor did so, and Yarbourne began
to talk about the rescue and Rominys
Brave" whispered the man: land SOS
the devil brave, | reckon" and, showing
signs Of going to pi 5 again, he took
another pull at the flask at Yarbourne's
suggestion, and motioning to the door,
said:
"Shut it tight an fast an listen to
what / tell ye. It's been on my mind to
make this here deposition many day,
but I've had no chance. An I'm a gone
coon now, being struck by a spar, so
make the most Oh what | says.
Il come from down the island, an
about three years ago | was on my way
to Sag harbor, to ship aboard the Goliath,
Il Whaler, goin' for a three years cruise.
1t was night when [ passed in the lane
by the mill, and. being tired out, |
perched on Il fence to rest a bit.
Il was looking up at the big mill, when
all on sudden the arms began to go
roun' with a terrible creaking, an seemed
to me they was the sound Nv voices
mixed with it. | didn't see no light in
the winders, an | walked over thar won
derin' why they wuz workin' without any
light.
Twas what you call white night
you could see as plain as day, an as /
got nearer there WIZ sech Il screechin'
and chatterin as made my blood run cold,
'thOut KNOWN exactly why. | looked iii
at the winder-giye me some more o
mill had stopped, an the noise.
to0-and O Lord!-that devil Of Il boats
captain WIZ pullin' away from the grind
stones the armless body of man.
There" says he. Damn ye: yell
steal no more corn. nor sweethearts,
nuther He came creepin out the door.
and | hid i'm the bushes. Fur an hour he
was diggin' a hole down the hill. near the
swamps, under the forked willow--you
kin find it.
Il dasnt move. Pretty soon he went