Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1912-12-27
Don't need even lib for steernge 2.


ing under different forms. Houses and
books tend to destroy this more ex
tended view of ourselves. The houses
exclude what Is grand In nature; the
books lead us to reason. And, exclu.
sive of revelation, what basis have
we for our reasoning2 Is not one who
takes his inspiration from nature more
free to follow his higher instlncts2
During the first winter after l was
graduated from college heard of the
death Of my old friend Captain Joe
Sturgis. He died In his bed, and It at
once occurred to me that his spirit,
freed from the clay of his physical
body, went right out over the water
and the Islands among which he had
so often sailed in his slower going boat.
After his death l did not care to go to
b. and did not see the place for ten
years Then 1t occurred to me that |
would like to revisit the scenes had
SO much enjoyed during my youth.
had long been immersed in business,
and II got an outing 1t was seldom
for more than fortnight The innu.
ence Of nature had long ago passed
from me, and II l thought Of the skip.
per who had been my companion 1t was
not fitting In spiritual form over the
waves, but Wondering In the church.
yard at b.
l found the place but little changed.
! doubt II twenty houses had been
added to those that had composed the
town ten years before. met persons
whom | had known, but they, as well
as /, had grown older. Sturgis old
boat was still in existence and In use.
/ had sailed her in fair weather both
with the captain and alone, and re-
membered the coast for n distance of,
say, ten miles from d. sufficiently to
take the boat over It. So got into her
one morning intending to revisit some
of the nearby scenes Of former years.
l took no one with me, preferring to
60 alone.
The morning was bright and beauti-
full. spent couple of hours cruising
about noticing old landmarks, or, rath'
err, old sea marks, when, suddenly look.
ing eastward, saw the fog bank.
There was little breeze, and I could
not reach land before was enveloped
In one Of those fogs SO thick that they
are really fine rain. / drifted for hours,
hoping all the while that 1t would lift,
but 1t did not. 1t came upon me at
noon, and when night fell l was still
enveloped In It.
That night is ever to be remembered
as tho most frightful Of my life. There
was no wind, and II there had been !
would not have dared avail myself Of
1t, for had no compass and. In any
event, wns beset with sunken rocks
l passed the afternoon and the night
till near morning In an agony OF sus
pense, without food or water, then fell
into either stupor or a sleep.
had taken position near the bow
where | could watch, sitting on the
deck with my back resting against the
mast 1t must have been near dawn
that. looking aft. ! saw, or thought
saw, dim form at the tiller, while the
sail was filed, though the fog had not
lifted.
have never since been quite sure
whether was awake, half asleep or
asleep and dreaming. Nevertheless
some one was at the helm and the boat
was moving. 1t did not occur to me to
get up and go aft to see who my pilot
was, and this has led me to think that
l dreamed. sat where l was, looking
into the mist now and again, hearing
the swish of waves over protruding
rocks, at times sailing near enough to
them to see their dim, dark bulk
knew that there was or had been
but one man at B. who could sail
boat in those waters in fog, and that
man was Captain Sturgis. / was pos
sessed with the idea that time had
been turned back ten years and was
again sailing with my old friend.
Yet knew that Captain Sturgis was
dead.
How long 1 sailed thus don't know,
but when II came light enough for
me to see. the fog lifted. and I recog
nized on either side Of me rocks. by
which ! knew that was emerging
from one OF the most tortuous, dan.
gerous channels on this coast. There
was a fair breeze, and the tide was
with me. was not far from b. and
saw persons on the shore, evidently |
looking out at me.
sprang 10 tho tiller, which was de- |
serted, and pointed my course toward |
Is. In half an hour reached the land. |
ing and was welcomed by anxious
friends, who had feared for my safe
~. They asked me how In tho name
of conscience had got through the
channel from which they had seen me
emerge. wrapped in fog. without strik-
ing tho rocks. told them I didn't
know; II must have been either luck
or Providence. did not say what
believed and have since often partly |
believed that l had been piioted by
the disembodled spirit Of my beloved |
friend, Captain Joe Sturgis.
left Is. the same day, and have
never cared to go there since Not |
only was I unstrung by having been
tossed helpless on an ocean without |
being able TO see half dozen yards,
but there was something frightful In |
my narrow escape. I did not shudder
at having been plotted. as 1 believed.
by my old friend; but, taking my ex
perlence altogether. ! had no desire to
sail in those waters again.
Time has taken away the horror OF
The situation and strengthened. or,
rather, warmed my soul toward him
whom ! cannot but consider TO be living
renewed life among the scenes he 80
well loved during his physical life and
who, remembering me affectionately. |
came TO my help In the hour Of my
trouble