Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1910-10-15

came again and again, sucking up the
sand and piing II over and about the
dark object until II was entirely hid
den from view.
With appalling suddenness the storm
vanished as IL 1t had never been. Over
head the stars shone gently. and the
waves softly Tapped the quiet beach.
Jarvis found his motive power as IL
mngically restored. With n leap he
was Off the cot and dashng down tho
stairs TO the sand There he stood
dumfoundcd.
TO the touch of his stockngcd feet
the sand was warm and dry. His
cropping fingers confirmed that fact.
The tide was rising. and almost 20 Its
verge the sand showed no trace OF
dampness. The sea stretched a level
cxpanse. broken here and there by dim
pling wavelets.
on be hanged II know what to
make OF IT," muttcred Jarvis dazedly
Il couldn't have been dreaming, and
yet He looked At his watch. TITS
certainly up to me or the tobacco I've
been smoking. Nine o'clock when !
turned in. and now it's $50. Even
In these swift times they don't turn
storms or and on at that gait
Chagrned. he walked over TO the
place under his balcony where the
waves had tossed the dead man for
brief instant before they reclaimed
him. Jarvis had watched II with his
own eyes, and he had seen the follow
ing waves heap sand about small.
dark object the man had left behind.
There should be little sand mound
here-and there was!
The painter was too excited TO re-
turn TO his bed: therefore he went into
the cottage. found an old fashioned
lantern. In which he stuck n candle
end. took up coal shovel and went
back to the beach.
Here by the candles dim light he
grlmly dug into the shallow heap OF
sand. II was a fools business. he told
himself as he delved downward 10
where the sand was soaking wet and
the water oozed up into little wells and
impeded his labor
At last came rags and shreds of
something that might have been an oil
skin coat, and afterward. deeply en-
bcdded In the sand. Jarvis found
small water soaked box bound with
iron bands. This was treasure trove.
Jarvis FASTENED TO the cottage and
with hammer and chisel pounded
away Mt the little box until its rotted
sides fell inward and the iron bands
crumbled 10 rusty flakes.
PItiful indeed was the little treasure
contained In the tiny chest-a sailors
kecpsakes. Bits of coral and pretty
shells and stones. woman's lovely
face smiling from a furnished frame.
a baby's first photograph. the mothers
loving inscription penned on the back;
a few letters, intimately tender. from
wife TO husband: copy OF will.
few months wages tied In little oil
skin sacks, the owners name on the
inside OF n memorandum book-James
Petrol, master OF the freighter Sea
Nymph-that was ALL
So the man who had been thrown on
the beach as revealed to Jarvis In the
yision-for such the painter believed
his strange adventure 10 be-must have
been the captain OF the III fated vessel
On the morrow he would inquire con-
corning the wreck of the Sen Nymph
and try to find the relatives of james
Petrol.
After that Jarvis tumbled into bed
and went 20 sleep, wondering why he
OF all men had been chosen to bring TO
light the long buried box He dreamed
about the curly headed baby, whose
charming smile pursued him through
his dreams.
Yes" said the Oldest cottager when
Jarvis guardedly made inquiries con.
corning wrecks on the coast. 1T was
as far back as 1885 that the Sea
Nymph went ashore Off here. She got
on the shoals. but the seas were riding
so high she didn't stick. Back she
went. and they simply swallowed her
up so the story goes Bits OF cargo
lloated ashore long af,erward--one or
IVY bohitS VI 1HUI WAS uil.
Divers never found trace OF her. II
was the worst storm ever known on
the coast. After that they built the
breakwater ana the lighthouse. At
that time there was an old tisherman's
hut on the spot where your cottage
now stands. Tradition has II that the
old man lured the steamer TO her ruin.
II he did It was small profit to him.
for the storm washed his hut into the
sea, and he went with IT, The man
who owns your cottage once found n
copper canister filled with choice
smoking tobacco buried in the sand
near by. II pleased him TO resurrcci
1t and smoke It. He quit using Il aft.
er awhile because. he claimed. II gave
him the Nightmares the Sea
Nymph went ashore every night IN his
dreams. II there's any Of It Lee you
better not smoke It." added the oldest
cottager whimsicaily.
IT'S all gone" replied Jarvis. with n
cryptic smile.
And this Is the treasure that Jarvis
found When he Ind traced the wild.