Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1908-08-28
By the Sea.
fOriSiuai

other time. especially when broken clouds give the sky and the waters variety. never go to the hdtels. 1 get as far away from them as ] can, stopping usually at some fisherman $ cottage. On this occasion had pitched q tent on tue beach and in- habitcd il alone was lying under my canopy, the flaps thrown aside so that from my bed-blankets only-l could look out on the ocean. There was the sky, light clouds slowly drift ing across the face of the moon. the line of the horizon dividing the lighter from the darker hemisphere. The ocean plane met the path of moonlight broad ening toward me from afar, the waves laZily rolling in and bursting on the shore.
 l have wondered since if the music of the waters put me to sleep and l awakened or whether 1 did not sleep. At any rate, my attention was ar rested by something white, at least lighter than the sand, down near the verge watched it. There was an occasional huttering about it. like a womans skirts gently moved by Il breeze. II appeared to be about the height of human figure. though really in my perception of it there was Go such thing IS size. and was gently SWaying like Il very young tree shaken by the wind.
 Presently it moved. Then was coil scious that it was coming toward me. I had no s,lpcrstitious fear. l WAS sim ply curious As the thing approached it came gradually out of nebula into the form of q woman. There was certain grace of movement, lightness which, mingled with slight rising and falling. was confusing. Had the figure appeared on the water surface should have thought my eyes were transit @uling |, sail that was rising and falling on the waves.
 IL was only Wheu 1t canm near that l distinguished the outline of q girls figure d sumner visitor, one of pail,er mold. louhtless q fisher las- sic s'hc stopped Il few yards from me, turned and looked out on the ocean Then. turning again without appearing to notice or care who was in the tent, she asked:
 ..Is that Il boat out there:'
 "What are you doing out here at this time of night? Do you know what time it is:'
 "No"
 drew my watch from my vest pocket. slept in my clothes "lt's half past l.
 ''Is it." She manifested no interest at the hour. She stuol loonins. out it sea, apparently watching for another sight at the boat.
 .There it is. Heavens, how they bend to the work!'
 raised myself on my elbows and strained my eyes to discern if eotlld see what the girl saw Surely there was no boat out where she MRS look ing. The dark face of the ocean was eXpressionless except where the moon light trailed over 1t.
 II see no boat" said
 Its in the trough of the sea now
 ''Therc is but slight trough Even II DOstt NCtC lOSl to SiSht bNtN SNh the waves it would reappear in a few moments"
 She stood peerng out ou the oeean A cloud iloated over the moon. She said With d moan, note of despair rather, it seemed to me:
 "Oh, how black!'
 The cloud was denser than any that lao Il, i,.>f. last words heard spoken by the girl were, "Ifhey're coming" and she began to move toward tl1e ocean, fading away in the shadow Of the cloud. When it passed l looked for her, but she was nowhere to be scen l lay thinking, wondering, for awhile, then, lulled by the waves. fell asleep.
 w hen l aWolxe the sun was rising out of the ocean. while the waves were plashins langudly. The first thing thought of was the girl of tue night before. drifted between many opin- ions. Possibly may have dreamed it all. But never before had l dreamed about one Il stranger to me whose face and figure l could remember, while ttSlS | ltulCtilpcIct 0IStllttiN. W US she not some girl who had been de mented by misfortune?
 1 went to breakfast at fisherman's cabin. It was d rude place, the only decoration being r hograph of the Virgin Mary, but l gal there plenty of sea food. The fisherman was prepar- ing to go out in his boat while his wife waited on me. l was full of my dream. or whatever it was. and related it.
 The man stopped hiS preparations and listened with look of horror, making the sign of th ross, while his wife turned and coveHe, her eyes with her hands
 I looked at saa= w.a,'eriugly. It was plain that ! s3 struck some blight in their lhae~, should l probe it by questions or spare them? What had to gain by forcing recital that would give them infinite pain? If there was any connection between