The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1911-06-05
He CAME R0slE
WITH the SHIP
Drowned Sailor Reappears to
His Sweetheart.

ordered 10 Brazil. was getting up an
Choir. Lieutenant Edward Fletcher and
his fiancee. Grace Banning. We're stand
ing In a corner of the deck speaking
the last hurried parting words
"From all can l~arn. sweetheart"
he said. well get back here within
six months, and when we do
"Oh. Ned. suppose something should
happenr'
'What can happen in these times of
peace? 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 a signal for visitors to
leave the ship. long. impassioned
embrace between the lovers. and Miss
Banning went ashore
On reaching Rio. Lieutenant Fletcher
was ordered to command a boats crew
to go ashore and bring off supplies
The passage was kot 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 a gigantic wave dash
ed against her side, capsized her. and
the young commander and all of his
crew were drowned.
The shock to Grace Banning at 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 a
stupor, lack Of interest in everything
about her In vain her mother ell
deavored to provide her with such oc'
cupation and amusement as would di
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 witt
the ship, no matter what happens"
Mrs Banning was panied to notice
| that her daughter was keeping track
! Of the Pensacola. That ship on touc b
ing at Rio received orders to proceed
around "the Horn" to San Francisco
thence to Hongkong. Grace watched
the government reports. Indeed, he
heart was In the ship sailing aroun(
the world Perhaps she was waitin.
for it to return that she might agail
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 wa
as If her lover was aboard and, havtni
sailed over half the globe, would nov
have entered upon the return. Mrs
Banning, not realizing the cause of tn
change In Grace, began to hope tina
she was mending and even LOOKED
about for a suitable party with whom
she might make match for her. Sh
knew Grace would never marry 70
love and. being Indifferent as to whom
she married, might be Influenced t
take rich husband
At last it was announced that tn
ship Pensacola was due. She did no
arrive on time, and Grace seemed trou
bled. When she arrived Grace was II
a 6utter, acting as one about to be re
united with lover instead of with th
ship on which he had sailed.
Then came invitations for a ball Civ
en- by the officers on board the shlr
Mrs. Banning reproved the servan
who unwittmgly gave the cards t
Grace, but was thunderstruck whe
her daughter told her that she woul
attend the ball. Finding that she coul
not dissuade her, the mother consent
ed, with a faint hope that the visi
under such different circumstance
from the last might break the spell.
On the night of the entertainment
the ship was brilliantly illuminated
while a marine band furnished music
The decks were In possession of tn
dancers. Mrs. Banning kept an eye o.
her daughter for awhile, but Grac
seemed to stand up so well under tn
strain that her mother soon gave owe
watching her Then Grace was miss
ing. She had walked, on the arm of
naval officer, to the corner where sh
had parted with her lover That col
ner was now in the light, and couple
were walking past 1t to and fro.
Suddenly Grace's form quivered, sh
threw up her arms and exclaimed:
"Nedl oh. Ned | knew you woul
be herer
She started forward with outstretcl
ed arms, but soon sank in a swoon.
her attendant. astonished, picked hi
up. while several couples who wei
passing sprang to his assistance. WI
ter was sprinkled In her face. and 81
revived Then. with a strange light
her eye. she walked away. supporte
by her attendant. Her mother WI
called. and they left the ship to
driven home
The officer who had been her escor
puzzled, went back to the place whe
Grace had swooned. There in the CO
nar III hara che had caon or fonniad al