The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1910-08-29

then emptied bucket of water over
the rail. There was II gasp, then dead
silence. and nothing more was heard
that night.
When the watch went off duty he OF
course gave detailed and lurld ac-
count of the incident to his shipmates,
who listened, as he thought. in awcd
silence and then called on one of the
audience for his version of the matter.
This man. Tyne-Sider. who dearly
loved a joke and had no respect at
all for hoary superstitions, had con.
spired with his fellows to play n trick
on the watch. On the night In ques.
ton he had crept over the bows with.
out a sound. carrying with him the
ships cat secured in bag Crouch
ing under the stays. the joker let the
cats head out of the bag, which he tied
round the animals neck so that 1t
could not escape. He then applied his
teeth TO the unfortunate animals tail.
Everybody knows the fearsome sounds
an angry cat is capable of producing,
and those to which cat whose tail is
being bitten gives vent are among the
most hair raising The sound was
more or less regulated by squeezing
the luckless beasts body, The mates
bucket Of water was as unwelcome as
unexpected and caused the Tync-slder
10 beat hurried retreat
Not only is the origin OF many sea
superstltions "wropt In mystery" but
nIs ton af
and effect II would puzzle any one to
say why II should be unlucky for the
ships boy to whistle on the weather
bow. except that 1t Is generally un-
pleasant from music lovers point of
view for boy to whistle OH any bow
at all
On one occasion superstition aud
guilty conscience caused a practical
joke to have fatal consequences. The
incident arose through one of the sail
ors, Norwegian, boxing the ears of
the ships boy for the aforementioned
crime Of whistllng on the weather bow.
Not unnaturally the boy was annoyed
ana determined TO pay the Norwegian
out. Aided by two other sailors.
white shirt and some string, very
presentable "ghost" was arranged in
the foc'sle on the night the Norseman
was on watch. He was TO be allowed
only a glimpse of the "splrlt' on enter
Ing the foc'sle. and 1t was then to van
jsh from view, being jerked by means
OF string underneath the bunk of one
| nf hn inl. IN put
ana the three consprators lay in their
hunks awaiting their victim. Unfor'
lunately they all fell asleep. TO be sud
denly awakened by loud cry from
| the Norwegian. He stood gazing at
the ghost" the dim light shed by the
lamp falling on his ghastly face The
three were about to call out TO him
wheH .a spoke. INC, &C. he cried, II
did not mean 10 kill you, Morgan! oh,
mercy, mercy" And he rushed madly
from the foc'sle. Terrified, his ship
alntes followed him, but as they reach
cd the deck they saw the Norwegian
throw himself into the sea.--London
Globe.
A Line on Mother.
II don't see how I'm ever to get a
chance again with this boy around"
walled the little widow with the small
son. "The other day man like
awfully well asked me how old the
down was that we came from The
boy spoke up without giving me u
chance to put In II word:
~ non't know just how old 1t is.
lie said, lint 1t must he pretty old be-
cause hnmma was born IN H.. - New
York Press.
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