Warren sheaf., 1908-02-20
amMatt'hews
Ghost
How Il Warned Captain Ezra


the pedestrian. The vessels tied up
at T wharf looked bleak and cheer
less; but they were very comfortable
under hatches In the cabin Of the
schooner Emily Parsons brisk fire
was burning in the round stove, and
the odor of tobacco SO appetizing to
those who like it scented the air.
Capt Ezra Parsons, in a comfortable
chair, with his feet upon the stove
fender, was pulling upon q villainous
looking pipe, while reclining upon one
of the hunks which lined the cabin
was Seth Jenkins, and half dozen
members Of the crew were distributed
about the little room. ...,.. +,
kind O. snug here" said Seth Jen-
kins with grunt of content. "Just the
same l wouldn't like to be outside
the bay in this"
''The Emily is as safe as church in
any kind of weather." said Capt. Ezra.
"Course she gets little wet now and
then, but you expect that. wouldn't
change her for the White House, no
SIR ''
WELL" said Seth, "'taint likely that
Roosevelt II ask yer to swap. don't
like these wet ships myself"
"You don't?" sneered Capt. Ezra.
well, don't see you ownin' or COM
mandin' any dry ones or wet ones
either. Just pass that bottle this
way"
"I don't know if 1 ought to let you
have it," hesitated Seth. Spirits
amt good for man with your hot
temper. First thing you know you'll
be SEEM things, snakes and green
bugs and maybe ha'nts"
Ezra acquired the bottle and poured
himself a liberal drink
II saw ghost, once," said Capt
Ezra.
There was a sensation. Several of
the boys sat up in their berths, and
the Nova Scotia man jumped out upon
the deck. Only Seth laughed.
Il knew you'd be seein' things If
you took another drink" he said.
'Tell us about it, cap," said the
Nova Scotian
"'Taint much of story" said Ezra,
"but it happened, all right. Any O.
you boys remember Sam Matthews?
Well, he was an old dory mate O.
mine, and one O. the whitest lads that
| ever breathed. We sailed under Capt
Duncan McGann in the schooner
Cheyenne, one of the fastest boats out
o. Gloucester Is years ago.
ho1 a.
together and some tough ones; but
the last was one January day. We set
out from the ship in the morn1n' with
not drop to drink or bite to eat In
| the dory. We set our travis and tend.
ed them till about noon, when fog
came on and we started for the ship.
She was gone and we couldn't find
her. We was SO miles from shore
with wind and tide against us and
1t was bitter cold. Sam wasn't easily
scared, but he sez to me: L guess it's
| all day with us, Ezra and I couldn't
see much chance for us. But we
! started to row ashore, and we rowed
until our hands was blistered terrible,
and the salt water would get into the
blisters.
| The first day we couldn't ha' made
20 miles. That night it come on to
blow and we shipped so much water
that our clothes froze on us. That day
| we couldn't ha' gone ten miles and we
wasn't sure we were goin' right. We
both was so weak we couldn't hardly
keep at the work, but somehow we
was able to live till mornin'. Then
Same give in and lay down in the bot
tom and couldn't get him up. ''Taint
no use, mate he said, we've got to
co. In little while he died. Not an
hour after we was picked up. got
we'll, but l lose a toe from frostbite.
l never forgot Sam, and always kept
! thinkin' if he only could ha' held on
an hour more.
"A little later I bought the Emily
Parsons and took her out. guess 1t
was five years after that I was on
Browns bank gettin' fish, and started
| for home. There came on thick fog
and heavy sea, and I had to go by
reckonin', but knew the place pretty
we'll and I thought was goin' right.
I remember it just as plain as can be-.
was at the wheel, Joe Willis was
forward as lookout, everybody else
was below. It was just about mid,
night. All of a sudden seen man
standin alongside O. me in oilskins,
drippin' with wet. He looked up and
! it was Sam Matthews.
Il was so scared could hardly hold
the wheel, and l could only look at
him His face was terrible pale, just
as he looked when he died. /.
EZRA, old friend he sez to me.
DO you know where you're goin'! !
You're goin' straight for Cape Sable.
| an you'll be on the beach In i've min.
utes. Get your anchors out Then
he seemed to kind O. fade away and
was alone. I let out q yell that
brought the whole crew up, an got
| them anchors out in q jiffy. But we
dragged and dragged, and it seemed