Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1900-12-04

cd In our ears ike thunder, and them
swell, and them" said the captain Of
the Batavia, breathless.
'And them" replied the other captain,
sole,nnly, "the fog and all disappeared as
If by magic, the whole horizon was clear,
and there was nothing to be SEEM"
"Is 1t possiblep"
"There are 20 men on deck to tell the
story, replied the captain, land the old
Catholic priest to boot for he stood by me
the whole time was on deck. The men
said that some accident would happen;
and In the morning watch, on sounding
the well, we found four feet of water. We
took to the pumps, but it gained upon US,
and we went down, as I have told you.
The mate says that the vessel is we'll
known-it Is called the Flying Dutch
man."
Philip made no remarks at the time,
but he was much pleased at what he had
heard. "If," thought he, ''the phantom
ship of my poor father appears to others
as we'll as to me, and they are sufferers,
my being on board can make no differ
ence. do but take my chance of falling
In with her, and do not risk the lives of
those who sail in the same vessel with me.
Now my mind is relieved, and can prose
cute my search with a Quiet conscience.
The next day Philip took an opportun-
ity Of making the acquaintance of the
Catholic priest, who spoke Dutch and 9TH
er languages as well as he did Portuguese.
He was venerable old man, apparently
about go years of age, with a white flow
Ing beard, mild in his demeanor, and very
pleasing in his conversation.
When Philip kept his watch that night,
the old man walked with him, and it was
then, after long conversation, that Phil
Up conf1ded to him that he was of the
Catholic persuasion.
Indeed, my son, that Is unusual in a
Hollander.
1T is so," replied Philip; "nor is it
known on board-not that am ashamed
Of my religion, but wish to avoid dis.
CUSTOM"
You are prudent, my son. Alas! il
the reformed religion produces no better
fruit than what I have witnessed in the
east, it Is little better than idolatry."
Tell me, father" said Philip-"they
talk Of q miraculous vision-of ship not
manned by mortal men. Did you see it?'
II saw what others saw, replied the
priest land certainly, as far as my senses
would enable me to judge the appearance
was most unusual-I may say supernat.
ural; but I had heard of this phantom
ship before, and moreover that its appear.
ance was the precursor of disaster. So did
1t prove in our case, although indeed, VIC
had one on board, now no more, whose
weight of guilt was more than sufficient
to sink any vessel; one, the swallowing
up OF whom, with all that wealth from
which he anticipated such enjoyment in
his own country, has manifested that the
Almighty will, even in this world some
times wreak just and awful retribution
on those who have merited his vengeance. u
The weather continued fine and the
Batavia hove to in the evening, with the
intention of anchoring the next morning
In the roadstead of st. Helena. The Bata
via waited q few days at st. Helena, ant
then continued her voyage. In six week.
Philip again found himself at anchor in
the Zuyder Zee, and having the captains
permission, he Immediately set off for his
own holnc taking with him the old Portu
guese priest Matthias, with whom he hat
formed great intimacy ana TO whom h,
mad offered his protection for the time h,
might wish to remain in the low countries
TFNn I,a pnnfin,,aI1