The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1913-07-10
The Red Spot
on theWater
A Story of the Borderland
of Immortality


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 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
hem extremely intelligent persons,
who make it their business to gather
Information about supernatural ap-
pearances?
Personally | am neither convinced
nor unconvinced as 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 1t occurred
or, rather, as it communicated itself
through my senses, leaving each read
er 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 l left home about the LIST of
July l never felt better in my life.
mention this because the state of ones
health is an important factor in COM
ing to an explanation of such happen
ings as the one that came to me. 1t is
81 known not
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. stayed
at a hotel where there were a great
many young ladies and but few young
men. i thought at first that l would
be In clover, but since | knew no one
to introduce me was obliged to see
them going about in each others COM
pany, ignoring me completely.
l was told afterward that there was
scarcely any of them but would have
been glad to meet marriageable man,
and / considered myself a fair speci-
men Of a bachelor. Why I should
have been so completely ostraoized
don't know. l 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 l undertook to amuse my
self In other ways. l was fond of
boating and spent part of my time
on the water l took long walks |
did not battle, for the water was too
cold.
A few miles up the shore from my
hotel was a cliff q hundred feet high.
A path led around Its edge, fenced by
rail over which one could look down.
Immediately below was a fat 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 fascinat-
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
go to the cliff and see it as it 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 off. evidently for moon
light walk, ! thought ! could detect
wistfulness 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
If 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 l had traversed
1T approached the rail cautiously, put
a hand on it, then stood looking over.
The moon was exactly In position to
cast its rays into the recess In the
rocks below. Slowly a wave, resem-
bling for all the world a leviathan
of the sea, would sluggishly lumber in,
roll against the rock, seem astonished
at having been stopped. swim over to
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 it an afghan, @
shawl or some other wrap that has
fallen from the cliff, or has it beer
washed in from some boat out on the
ocean? SO intent on 1t was | that
leaned over as far as dare to get q
better view OF 1t. When a wave pass
ing the place where 1t foated was II
shadow the red spot was not visible
then when the moon struck full upor
It II was like blood.
was suddenly conscious of the pres
ence Of some one beside me. Why
know not, for | heard no sound, not /:
footstep nor even a person breathing
] drew back and turned my head
There. leaning upon the rail in tn,
same position as l, was young girl.
1 A. -