The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1905-02-28

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soul" replied Philip.
Then you have conquered me, Phil
ip Vanderdecken; you have made me
your friend, and your wishes are about
to be accomplished. You would know
who am. Listen. When your father
defying the Almighty's will, in his
rage. took my life. he was vouchsafed q
choice OF his doom being cancelled
through the merits OF his son. L had
also my appeal, which was for venge-
ance; II was granted that / should
remain on earth and thwart your will.
That as long as we were enemies you
should not succeed. but that when you
had conformed to the highest attribute
IT Christianity, proved on the holy
cross, that Cf forgiving your enemy,
your task should be fulfilled. Philip
Vanderdecken. you have forgiven your
enemy, and both our destinies are now
accomplished"
As schriften spoke Philips eyes were
nxed upon him. He extended his hand
to Philip-it was taken; and as 1t was
pressed, the form OF the pilot wasted
as It were into the air, and Philip
found himself alone.
Philip then pulled toward the Phan-
tom Ship. and found that she no long
er appeared to leave; on the contrary.
every minute he was nearer and near
er, and at last he threw in his oars and
climbed up her sides, and gained her
decks"
The crew OF the vessel crowded
around him.
Your captain" said Philip; Il must
speak with your captain"
Who shall say, sirT' demanded
one, who appeared to be the first mate.
'Who?" replied Philip. Tell him his
son would speak to him-his son, Phil
ip Vandercecken."
Shouts of laughter from the crew fol-
lowed this answer of Philip, and the
mate, as soon as they had ceased, OBJ
served, with a smile:
You forget. sir; perhaps you would
say his father"
Tell him his son, If you please, re-
piled Philip; take no note of gray
hairs"
Well, sir, here he is coming for
ward, replied the mate, stepping
aside, and pointing to the captain.
What is all this?" inquired the cap
tain.
Are you Philip vanderdecken, the
captain OF this vessel?"
Il am. sir" replied the other.
fou appear not to know me! Blu.
how can you? You saw me when
was only three years old; yet may you
remember letter which you gave to
your wife"
Hal" replied the captain. And
who, then, are you?"
Time has stopped with you. but
with those who live in the world he
stops not; and for those who pass
life of misery he hurries on still faster.
In me behold your son, Philip Wander
decken. who has obeyed your wishes;
and. after life of such peril and mis-
cry as few have passed. has at last
fulfilled his vow. and now offers to his
father the precious relic that he re-
quired to kiss"
My son, my son!" exclaimed he, ris-
ing and throwing himself into Philips
arms; my eyes are opened-the AL
mighty knows how long they have
been obscured." Embracing each other.
they walked aft, away from the men.
who were still crowded at the gang
way.
The elder Vanderdecken knelt down;
Philip did the same, still embracing
each other with one arm, while they
raised on high the other and prayed.
For the last time the relic was taken
from the bosom of Philip and handed
to his father-and his father raised his
eyes to heaven and kissed it. And, as
he kissed 1t. the long, tapering upper
spars of the phantom vessel. the yards
and sails that were set, fell into dust,
futtered in the wind. and sank upon |
the wave The mainmast, foremast. |
bowsprit. everything above the deck |
crumhled into atoms and disappeared. |
Once more did he put the sacred en-
blem to his lips, and the beams and |
timbers separated, the decks OF the
vessel slowly sank, and the remnants
Of the hull floated upon the water: and
as the father and son-the one young
and vigorous, the other old and de-
crepit-still kneellng, still embracing
with their hands raised to heaven. sank
slowly under the deep blue wave. the
lurid sky was for moment Illuminated
by a lightning cross.
Then did the clouds which obscureo
the heavens roll away swift as thought
1.-THE sun again burst out in all its
ripping waves appeared
to dance with joy. The screaming sea-
gull again whirled in the air, and the
scared aibatross once more slumbered
on the wing; the porpoise tumbled and
tossed In their sportive play. the abb
core and dolphin leaped from the
sparkling sea. All nature smiled as
II it.rejoiced that the charm was dis
solved forever. and that the Phantom
Ship was no more.
THE END.
J