Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1909-01-20
By the Sea.
lOrisinal.1


them on moonlight nights than at any
other time. especially when broken
clouds give the sky and the waters
variety. l never go to the hotels. |
get as far away from them as | can,
stopping usually at some fsherman's
cottage. On this occasion | had
pitched a tent on the beach and in
habited it alone. | was lying under
my canopy, the flaps thrown aside SO
that from my bed-blankets only
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
I have wondered since if the music
Of the waters put me to sleep and |
awakened or whether | 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 fiuttering about it, like a
woman's skirts gently moved by a
breeze. 1t appeared to be about the
height Of human figure, though really
In my perception of it there was no
such thing as size. and was gently
swaying like very young tree shaken
by the wind.
Presently 1t moved Then l was con-
scious that it was coming toward me.
had no superstitious fear. was sim
ply curious. AS the thing approached
1t came gradually out Of nebula into
the form Of 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
TRANSPORTING sail that was rising and
falling on the waves.
1t was only when 1t came near
that / distinguished the outline Of
girls figure-not a summer visitor, one
of palmer mold, doubtless a fisher las
sic. She stopped a 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:
us that a boat out therer'
what are you doing out here at this
time Of nightl Do you know what
time 1t is7"
NO.
drew my watch from my vest
pocket. l slept in my clothes. "It's
half past L"
lis lit" She manifested no interest
at the hour. She stood looking out at
sea, apparently watching for another
sight at the boat
'There 1t is. Heavens, how they
bend to the work.
raised myself on my elbows and
strained my eyes to discern If l could
see what the girl saw. Surely there
was no boat out where she was look
Ing. The dark face Of the ocean was
expressionless except where the moon
light trailed over 1t.
See no boat, / SdlQ.
ITS in the trough Of the sea now"
'There Is but slight trough. Even
II boat were lost to sight between
the waves IT would reappear in few
moments"
She stood peering out on the ocean.
A cloud foated over the moon. She
said with a moan, note Of despair.
rather, 1t seemed to me:
AOh, how blackv'
The cloud was denser than any that
had obscured the moon before The
last words I heard spoken by the girl
were, They're coming" and she began
to move toward the ocean. fading away
In the shadow Of the cloud. When 1t
passed looked for her, but she was
nowhere to be seen. / lay thinking.
wondering, for awhile, then. lulled by
the waves, fell asleep.
When ! awoke the sun was rising
out Of the ocean, while the waves were
FLASHING languidly. The first thing
thought of was the girl Of the night
before. drifted between many opin-
IONS Possibly may have dreamed 1t
ALL But never before had / dreamed
about one stranger to me whose face
and figure I could remember, while
hers l remembered distinctly. Was
she not some girl who had been de-
mented by misfortune?
went to breakfast at fisherman's
cabin. 1t was rude place, the only
being a Autograph Of the
Virgin Mary, but got there plenty of
sea food. The fisherman was prepar-
Ing to 60 out In his boat while his wife
waited on me. I was full Of my dream.
or whatever 1t was. and related 1t.
The man stopped his preparations
and listened with look Of horror
making the sign Of the cross. while his
wife turned and covered her eyes with
her hands.
I looked at them wonderingly. It
was plain that had struck some
blight in their lives. Should I probe
It by questions or spare them? What
had to gain by forcing a recital that
would give them infinite pain? If
there was any connection between |
them and my apparition 1t needed no
strong Imagination to replace it.