Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1903-04-13
Inc MYSTERY OF
THE BRIDAL STATEROOM.
By Edward Dobson.

lStLI dppcuIeu, anu II uppdlcbliy 1851
| ed on the wooden end of the berth.
While was surveying the scene, i'm
| agining all kinds of plausible and i'm
| possible explanations for it, the three
raps which l had previously heard
were repeated. Then the transparent
figure gradually disappeared, followed
| by another three raps, the sound of
| which always coming from underneath
me.
"Well, 1 had become decidedly in
terested in the nocturnal disturbances,
as 1 had given up all hope Of any
/ sleep that night. The gale had in
creased in intensity, and the plunging
of the ship gave me any but pleasant
sensations. l got up, groped around
| for a match, and struck a light.
examined everything in the room. tried
the door, which found to be securely
| locked, looked under the berth and
found nothing, as only foot space in
| tervened between its bottom and the
floor; investigated all around the foot
of the berth, and there everything was
as serene as when 1 retired. l gave
up in despair of finding any clue to the
mysterious occurrences, blew out the
| light, and then once more tried to sleep
The apparition, accompanied by the
! three knocks, appeared several times,
and it was with a feeling of thankful
ness that l welcomed the dawning of
another day, as 1 was then able to
secure several hours of refreshing
slumber before l got up.
| "When 1 got on deck the gale was
pretty well spent, but heavy sea was
still running. The ships rudder had
! been broken, however, which was the
extent OF the injury which the vessel
had sustained. However, some tenn
porary arrangement was effected,
which permitted the ship to proceed
slowly. After breakfast, as we We're
near port, l went into my stateroom to
write few letters to my folks which
1 wanted to post upon landing. While
| writing the three knocks again sound
ed, and kept repeating for about five
minutes. An examination revealed
nothing, and / called the Captain, a
bluff, genial, stout old gentleman, into
the room, but the knocks, in order to
be provoking, would not perform for
him. I told him my nights expert
ences, however, and a quiet smile IL
Illuminated his features when I had
concluded. l then suspected that he
was not ignorant upon the matter,
and, after further talk, I persuaded
him to let me into the secret Of the
! stateroom
"'Well, let me see; what was the
date Of yesterdays? he said re1ectively.
81 informed him.
"'Ah, that apparition was due to
appear last night
"'Due% l exclaimed. Does it fire.
quently perform for the amusement
of those who occupy this berth?
"'Only once year. You see about
ten years ago young couple who had
just married, sailed on. this ship for
Il wedding trip in the South. 1 was
then the Captain and I interested my
self in the newly-wedded pair, as
love romance. (You wouldn't believe
it, sir. to look at me. but romance is
the soul of my existence.) The couple
appeared to be ideal lovers, and they
also came to be the life OF the ship
while they We're aboard.
"'Well, just as We We're days dis
tance from the port of destination he,
the bridegroom, began to act queerly,
but did not think his actions were of
much Importance. They retired as
} usual, after particularly merry even
| ing, but he previously distributed some
money among the crew, who had done
| many little things for the pair which
. We're not in their line of duty. About
: midnight, while 1 was reading in my
, cabin, a woman's piercing scream came
; from the bridal couples stateroom, q
: pistol shot then followed. I rushed
upon deck just in time to see the bride
} groom throw his brides body over
| board, and himself following 1t into
l the sea. Well, the night was intensely
l dark, so, while l stopped the ship and
: lowered a boat, l could find no trace
D of either of them, and 1 proceeded or
my way. Their cabin presented no un
: usual appearance, save for small poo
p of blood which was upon the floor
+ The revolver could not be found, ant
e 1t must have accompanied the mur
t derer to his watery grave. OF course
/ the tragedy, unexplainable as 1
seemed, created tnsation through
n out the ship, and still greater sen
f sation when we reached port and re