The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1907-11-21
Hunting a Grave.
1Originall

hetwes.a the two houses was half a
mile. [ had been at Mary's one even
ing. staying much later than usual
There was no man to escort me home,
and L was forced to go alone. Mary
suggested that l take the dog with me,
and I did Sc. It was IL o'clock when
started, and it was bright moonlight.
We farmers daughters are used to
going about alone in the country, and
didn't feel afraid. If there was IL
midity in me it was rather due to super
stitiom than any real danger a super
stEtion that every one feels, more or
less. of course I made figures out
Of thu stumps and patches of moon
Eight. but they always turned out
sturauS and moonlight. and l was be-
eon7sng more or less used to them when
suddenly the dog set up howl and,
putting his tail between his legs, ran
III In the direction from which we had
come
I was the more astonished when
saw the object that had frightened him,
a nam. for / had relied on the dog for
protection l proceeded on my way,
and the figure advanced slowly toward
me when we met saw a young
aau about twenty-five years of age,
very handsome ard evidently gentle
uaau- was not unused to seeing city
foIk En the region. for we were near
the ocean, and there We're summer re-
sexfx above and below us, though the
SEASON had passed, and the visitors
were mostly gone. L felt no fear of
injury, for the man raised bis hat
politely, though with apparent effort
whether it was the moonlight that
sAgue full in his face or not couldn't
tell. but he seemed to be very pale.
Tt seemed also that there was an odOr
Of the sea about him, but this may
have been borne on a light puff OF air
that passed as | met him.
"t<an you direct me to the church
yard2~ he asked
s<FolIow the road in the direction
you are going for about a mile" |
replied, land you will come to 1t. Ii
lines the road You can't miss it.
For heavens sake, what did the
man want at the churchyard at that
time of night?
DO YOU know the hOur?" he asked.
'A little past H.
Was he i'll, staggering about In the
road or was there something the mat
ter with my vision? He seemed rath-
er to be swaying with a motion sim
1lar to that of waves. He looked at
me appealingly. A cloud passed over
the moon, and when the light came
again he was standing before me per-
fect1y tranquil, looking into my face
with responsiveness had never en-
countered before.
sT came out for walk" he said,
'sfrc1a the ocean l thought I'd go In
land I heard there was a church
yard near here, and 1 wanted to see
It. But l don't feel equal to proceed
ing further 1 think Tn go back.
Would you mind my walking with
you-that is, as far as you goT
He was so gentle, so deferential, so
spiritual, that 1 had nothing to fear.
Indeed, his very presence threw over
me a singular spell. I gave the de-
sired permission, and we walked along
together
'rWhy did you wish to visit the
churchyard?' 1 asked.
well, there are peace and rest
about a churchyard, such a contrast
with the living world. One day we
are q. part of the turmoil of living be.
ings, with our ambitions, hates, loving;
the next we are inhabitants Of a
dead city. We speak neither to our
companions nor to the living. The sun
and the rain fall on us, the winds
rock the branches above us, but moth
ing diSturbs us. How different a bur.
tal at sea! There we sink to the bot
tom or drift into some cove in the
rocks, but If we are not far enough
beneath the surface we undulate with
the waves that are rolling over us
now sucked partly out, now slowly.
driven in again. never knowing what
In I'm store for us except that we must
drift, drift. drift"
The last three words were almost
wall
We had by this time come to this
farm I pitied my companion. He
seemed so miserable out in the night
as if he were seeking a place to rest
among the dead. 1 offered to awaken
my father and take him in for the
night, but he shuddered and declined.
Ell must go back to the sea-" he said
Leaning on the gate, l watched him
as he retreated. There was again about
him that swaying had noticed before,
and shifted the salt sea smell. When
L could see him no longer I went in
and TO bed but not to sleep. All night
seemed to be rising and falling with
the waves and smelled the OdOr of sea.
weeds
In the morning | saw some people
coming up the road carrying bier.
questioned them, and they told me that
the body of young man who had been
drowned while bathing during the sea-