The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1913-09-11
The Red Spot
on theWater
A Story of the Borderland
of Immortality
By F. A. Mitchell
By F. A. Mitchell


Merci'' (thc beautiful woman without
mercy or Heine's water fay, not be-
cause we believe either the woman
or the fairy TO have existed, but be-
cause of the sensations aroused by the
weird pictures drawn.
Nevertheless there is Il class OF peo-
pie among us who are not disposed to
break down the barriers between the
natural or the supernatural. And have
we not societies for psychical research,
composed Of earnest and many of
them extremely intelligent persons,
who make it their business to gather
information about supernatural APP
pearanceS!
Personally ! am neither convinced
nor unconvinced rs to the feasibility
of such Investigations, though | have
had an experience calculated to throw
me on the affirmative side That ex-
perience | will give just as it occurred
or, rather, us it communicated itself
through my senses, leaving each read
or to make for himself or herself an
explanation to fit the case.
During the spring | worked hard in
order to get ahead with my Office
duties that ! might enjoy a vacation
during the summer. Nevertheless
when | left home about the LIST OF
July | never felt better in my life.
mention this because the state of ones
health is IN important factor in com
ing to an explanation OF such happen
ings as the one that came to me. 1t is
Il well known fact that persons suffer
ing from bodily ills are more apt to
see ghosts than persons in good health
The scene of my outing was on the
coast Of New Hampshire. l stayed
at hotel where there were great
many young ladies and but few young
men. | thought ut first that | would
be In clover, but since | knew no one
to introduce me | was obliged to see
them going about in each others com
panJ, ignoring me completely
| was told afterward that there was
scarcely any Of them but would have
been glad to meet manageable man.
and | considered myself fair speci-
men of Il bachelor. Why | should
have been so completely Ostracized |
don't know. | am of opinion that it
was the spirit Of clique so strong in
these girls that 1t overpowered their
natural disposition to mate
After trying in vain to break
through the shell that kept me away
from them | undertook to amuse my
self In other ways. | was fond Of
boating and spent part of my time
on the water took long walks.
did not battle, for the water was too
cold.
A few miles up the shore from my
A path led around its edge, fenced by
n rail over which one could look down.
Immediately below was a fiat rock
surface against which the waves roll
ed, then DETECTED, pushed off in an
other direction, surged in through
cleft, then out again. All day long
this process continued, and as watch
ed 1t | could not but wonder why.
And why was | there looking down
upon It? All was query, no answer.
Nevertheless the place was fasclnat-
ing to me, and went there often One
evening, when at twilight the great
globe of the moon was rising out of
the water, | thought | would like to
20 to the cliff and see 1t as ii would
appear under the different light. The
young ladies Of the hotel were walk
ing In couples and platoons, with their
arms around each others waist, back
and forth on the piazza, and as they
saw me start of. evidently for "A moon
light walk, | thought | could detect
usefulness in the faces of some who
saw me depart If any of them would
have liked to be my companion she
was obliged to restrain her desire for
she had not been introduced and even
II she had | did not belong to the set
OF her associates and she would have
been shocked at herself to become in
innate with any other.
The distance to the cliff was about
three miles, and when | had traversed
1t | approached the rail cautiously. put
"a hand on II, then stood looking over.
l'he moon was exactly in position to
cast It's rays into the recess in the
rocks below. Slowly wave, resem-
bling for all the world levathan
of the sea, would sluggishly lumber IN,
roll against the rock, seem astonished
| at having been stopped, swim over to
n perpendicular surface on the other
| side, glance and move on into the cleft.
! But what is that red spot on the wa
| ter beside the rock? Is II an afghan, u
| shawl or some other wrap that has
| fallen from tie cliff or has It been
| washed In from some boat ont on the
! ocean? SO intent on 1t was | that
leaned over rs far ms | dare TO get II
better view Of It. When wave pass
| ing the place where 1t floated was n
shadow the red spot was not visible
| then when the moon struck fun upor
| II 1t was like blood
| was suddenly conscious of the pres
ence Of some one beside me. Why
know not. FOR .heard no sound not I
footstcp nor even a person breathing
! j drew back and turned my head
There, leaning upon the rail In tn,
same position rs |, was n Young girl.
IT occurred 10 me that she must b,
one OF party that had come-proDaDiy
from the hotel where | was stopping
for a moonlight walk ! looked quick
ions, but saw no one. There were only
the rocks here and there covered will
yerdure the trees standing back, the
path winding Oh eastward the girl be
side me all bathed IN the soft light OF