The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1908-08-29
By the Sea.

by the waves. ! would rather be near
them on moonlight nights than at any
otIisg time. especially when broken
clouds give the sky aud the waters
variety. never 60 to the hotels
get as far away from them as ! can.
stopping usually at some isherman's
cotislpe On this occasion I had
pitched q tent on the beach and In.
hahifed II alone was lying undrr
my ,aunry. the flaps thrown aside 80
that from my bed blankets oshy
could look cut 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 hcnispherc. Tho ocean
plane met the path of moonlight broad
ening iOwnrd me from afar. the waves
lazily rolling in and bursting on the
shore.
/ have wondered since n the music
OF the waters put, me 10 sleep and |
awakened or whether ! did not sleep.
AZ any rate. my attention was ar
rested by something white. at least
lighter than the sand. down near the
verge. watched t. There was nm
occasional iuttering about Il. IKE a
womnn's skirts gently moved by a
breeze It appeared 10 bc about the
height OF humnn figure. though really
IN my perception of II there was no
such thing as size. aud was gently
swaying Ike a very young tree shaken
by the wind.
Presently Il moved Then was con-
sclous that II was coming toward me.
had 30 superstltious fear was SIM
ply curious As the thing approached
it came gradually out Of ncbula into
the form Of woman. There was a
certain grace OF movement. n llghtness
which mingled with slight rising anl
falling. was confusing. Had the igure
appeared on the water surface
should have thought my eyes were
tlansGgurlng sail that was rising and
falling on the waves,
II was only when Il came ncar
that | distinguished the outline Of
girls figure not u summer visitor. one
Of palmer mold. doubtless q fisher las
sic she stopped n few yards from
me. turned aud looked ont on the
ocean. Then. turning ngnin without
appearing to uatlce or care who was In
the tent, shs asked:
lis that boat out thereT'
"What nre you doing out here at this
time Of night7 DO you know What
time 1t isr
"No"
L drew my watch srom my vest
pocket. slept In my clothes. "It's
half past l."
us itr' She manifested ao interest
at the hour. She stood looking out at
sea. apparently watching for another
sight at the boat
There Il is. Heavens, how they
bend to the work!'
raised myself on my elbows and
strained my eyes to discern II coulA
see what the girl saw Surely there
was no boat out where she was look
ing. The dark face of the ocean was
expressiouless except whore the moon
light trniled over It.
IL see no boat" | said.
ITS ia the trough cs the sea now.
There is but a slight trough. Even
II boat were lost to sight between
the waves It would rcappear in few
Moments
: she stood peerlng out on the ocean.
A cloud noated over the moon. She
said with moan. note OF despair.
rather, IL seemed 10 me:
"Oh, how blackr
The cloud was denser than any that
had obscurcd the moon before. The
last words | heard spoken by the girl
were, They're coming aud she began
10 move toward the ocean. fading away
IN the shadow OF HE cloud. When il
passed ! looked for her, but she was
nowhere to be seen. lay thinking.
wondering, for awhile. then. lullsd by
the waves, fell asleep.
When I awoke the sun was rising
out Of the ocean, while the waves were
piashing languidly The nrst thing |
thought Of was the girl Of the night
before ! drifted between many opin-
ions. Possibly | may have dreamesl Il
ALL But never before had | dreamed
about one a stranger 90 me whose face
aud figure I could remember. while
hers remembered distinctly Was
I She not some glrl who bad been de-
mented 10y misfortune?
/ I went 10 breakfast at fisherman's
/ cabin Il was rude place the only
decoration being a autograph OF the
Virgin Mary, but ! got there plenty Of
sea food The fisherman was prepar-
ing 70 90 ouf 90 his boat while his wife
waited on mo. ! was Fun ~ my dream
or whafryer it was. and related H.
The maa stopped his preparations
md listened with look Of horror
DnkHg the sign " the cross. while his
wife lurlcd aud covered her eyes with
her hauds
! lnpked nt them wonderingly. II
was plain That | had struck some
blight 10 their lives. Should I probe
/ d ly qsest!oas or spare themg What
had { 90 gain by forcing n rectal that
wouid give them indniie pain7 II
I there was any connection between
! theri auA my appaFlllon IL needed no
strong imagination 10 replace It.
vino IA nv fnttf dttrinr that dav /