Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1911-06-03
HE CAME HOME !.
WITH THE SHIP
Drowned Sailor Reappears to
sf. His Sweetheart.

Choir. Lieutenant Edward FLETCHER anu
bis flancee, Grace Banning. were stand
ing In. corner OF the deck speal king
the last hurried parting words.
"From all 1 can learn. sweetheart
he said, "we'll get back here within
six months, and when we do
cOh, Ned. suppose something should
heppenl"
"what can happen in these times Of
peace2 No; I'll be here with the ship,
and them
Don't speak so confidently; there
are storms and, down there. hurri-
canes"
"Darling, tell you I'll be here with
the ship, no matter what happens"
There was signal for visitors to
leave the ship, long. impassioned
embrace between the lovers. and Miss
Banning went ashore. fr
On reaching Rio, Lieutenant Fletcher
was ordered TO command a boats crew
to go ashore and bring Off supplies.
The passage WIS not considered dan
| gerous, but strong wind and tide. de-
spite the oarsmen's efforts to keep the
| boat steady, carried her bow around so
that she fell into the trough Of the sea.
| At the moment gigantic wave dash
ed against her side, capsized her, ana
the young commander and all OF his
| crew were drowned,
The shock to Grace Banning ut hear
ing of her lovers death well nigh up
set her reason. At, first she cried to
him piteously to come back to her;
that he had promised to come back
with the ship. Then she fell into
stupor, lack Of interest in everything
about her. In vain her mother en-
deavored to provide her with such oc-
| cupation and amusement as would d.
| vert her mind All In vain. She con-
stantly brooded over the last scene be-
| tween her and her lover, especially the
words spoken by each, always ending,
"Darling, tell you I'll. be here with
the ship, no matter what happens"
Mrs. Banning was panied to notice
that her daughter was keeping track
of the Pensacola. That ship on touch
ing at Rio received orders to proceed
around "the Horn" to San Francisco,
thence to Hongkong. Grace watched
the government reports. Indeed, her
|
the world. Perhaps she was waiting
for 1t to return that she might again
stand In the corner where she had bid
| den what had proved a last farewell.
when the ship reached China she be-
| gan to appear more cheerful. 1t was
| as IL her lover was aboard and, having
sailed over half the globe, would now
have entered upon the return, Mrs
! Banning, not realizing the cause OF the
| change in Grace, began to hope that
she was mending and even looked
about for suitable party with whom
she might make a match for her. She
knew Grace would never marry for
love and. being Indifferent as to whom
she married, might be influenced to
take rich husband.
At last 1t was announced that the
ship Pensacola was due She did not
arrive on time, and Grace seemed trou-
bled. When she arrived Grace was In
dutter. acting as one about to be re-
: united with lover instead Of with the
i ship on. which he had, sailed.
Then came invitations for ball CIV
en- by the officers on board the ship.
Mrs. Banning reproved the servant
who unwittingly gave the. cards to
Grace, but was thunderstruck when
her daughter told her that she would
attend the ball. Finding. that she could
not dissuade her, the mother consent
ed. with faint hope that the visit
under such different circumstances
from the last might break the SPELL
On the night of the entertainment
the ship was brilliantly Illuminated.
4 while marine band furnished music.
The decks were In possession of the
dancers Mrs. Banning kept an eye on
her daughter for awhile. but Grace
seemed to stand up so well under the
gtrain that her mother soon gave over
watching her. Then. Grace was miss
ing. She had walked, on the arm of a
naval officer. to the corner where she
had parted with her lover. That cor
ner was now In the light. and couples
were walking past 1t to and fro.
Suddenly Grace's form quivered. she
threw up her arms and exclaimed:
Med! oh, Nedl | knew you would
be herer'
rs She started forward with outstretch-
ed arms, but soon sank in a swoon.
Her attendant, astonished. picked her
up. while several couples who were
passing sprang to his assistance Wa
4 ter was sprinkled In her face. and she
A revived. Then, with a strange light In
her eye. she walked away, supported
by her attendant Her mother was
called, and they left 1.-The ship. to be
i driven home.
The officer who had been her escort,
puzzled, went back tostiie place where
Grace had swooned.s There in the cor;
ner where she had seen, or fancied she
saw, her lover he picked up several
strands of wet, Shiny seaweed He
E~wondered how they came there.
Grace was driven to home she ney,
or afterward left. She made no men
ton ofthe cause of her; shock. and her
4 mother never asked for information
concerning it. The physician who was
called in pronounced her case enc OF
hysteria, the result of monemania or
brooding on. one subject. However that
may be. her melancholy never left her,
and six months after her second visit
to the Pensacola she had passed away.
IA sac. I'd