The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1907-10-03
Hunting a Grave.


Joined. though the distance by the road
between the two houses was half a
mile. l had been at ,Mary'S one even
Ing. staying much later than usual
There was no man to escort me home,
and 1 was forced to go alone. Mary
suggested that take the dog with me.
and l did so. 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
l didn't feel afraid. If there was Ii
Nudity in me it was rather due to super
stition than any real danger, a super
stition that every one feels, more or
less. OF course l made figures out
of the Stumps and patches of moon
light, but they always turned out
stumps and moonlight, and l was be-
coming more or less used to them when
suddenly the dog set up howl and
putting his tail between his legs, ran
off in the direction from which we had
come.
1 was the more astonished when |
saw the object that had frightened him,
man, for had relied on the dog for
protection. I proceeded on. my way,
and the figure advanced slowly toward
me- When we met saw a young
man about twenty-five years of age,
very handsome ard evidently q gentle
man. 1 was not unused to seeing city
folk in the region, for we We're near
the ocean, and there were summer re-
sorts above and below us, though the
season had passed, and the visitors
were mostly gone. 1 felt no fear of
injury, for the man raised his hat
politely, though with apparent effort.
Whether it was the moonlight that
shone full in his face oronot couldn't
tell, but he seemed to be very pale.
1t seemed also that there was an odor
of the sea about him, but this may
have been borne on light puff of air
that passed as l met him.
"Can you direct me to the church
yard?' he asked.
"FOllow the road in the direction
you are going for about mile"
replied, land you will come to it. 1t
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
liar 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-.
fectly tranquil, looking into my face
with a responsiveness 1 had never en-
countered before.
81 came out for a walk" he said,
''from the ocean. l thought I'd go in
land l heard there was church.
yard near here, and I wanted to see
it. But l don't feel equal to proceed
ing further I think I'll go back.
Would you mind my wall-;2g with
you-that is, as far as you g9:
He was so gentle, so deferential, Sc
spiritual, that 1 had nothing to fear
Indeed. his very presence threw over
me a singular spell. I gave the de
together.
"Why did you wish to visit the
hurchyard?" l asked.
Well there are peace and rest
about a churchyard, such contrast
with the living world One day we
are 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 notl-
ing disturbs us. How different bur
ial at sea! There we sink to the bot
tom or drift into some cove in the
rocks, but if we are not far enougl
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
is in store for us except that we must
drift, drift, drift"
The last three words were almost
wall.
We had by this time come to the
farm. | pitied my companion. He
seemed SO miserable out in the night,
as if he were seeking a place to rest
among the dead. / offered to awaken
my father and take him in for the
night, but he shuddered and declined.
II must go back to the sea-" he said.
Leaning on the gate, | 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 L 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 a VOl1np man who had been