The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1914-01-22
A Story Of the
Flying Dutchman
By MARGARET c. DEVEAUx

The legend Of the Flying Dutchman
has come to us in various forms. One
of them is that a seaman Of Holland.
Vanderdecken, sailed In his ship, bound
around the Cape of Good Hope to the
east. He was never again seen alive.
In attempting to weather the cape he
met with head winds. losing his tenn
per and defying heaven with great
oath. AS punishment for his bias.
phemy he was doomed to make unsuc-
cessful attempts to weather the cape
till the crack of doom.
Many years ago, before steam had
taken the romance out of sailor life
and before ships could go to China by
way of the Mediterranean, the Suez
canal and the Red sea. an American
merchant sailed from New York for
Bombay in the packet ship Albatross
The gentleman, whose name was Van
Cortlandt, had descended from the
Hollanders OF that name who had set
tied on Manhattan Island In the seven
teenth century.
His Oldest daughter. between seven
teen and eighteen years old. was a girl
with an expressive face, which denot-
ID deep undercurrent Of feeling. Her
eyes were her most notable feature,
being large brown ones, which gave
one an impression that she was fllled
with wonder. And yet It would seem
that this, instead Of being remarkable,
should be natural to any ono contem-
plating the marvels BY which We are
surrounded. Perhaps these persons
appear In q state Of wonder because
they are nearer by nature to the Dor
der which separates u from tho in
nnite.
Maria Van Cortlandt would ut al
day on deck peering out on the bound.
lsss ocean trying to form In her mind
IN image of its vastness. or looking
upon the clouds drifting up in the
heavens or the gulls soaring above the
masts. Sometimes It seemed to her
father, who adored her, that she was
not thinking Of the ocean or the heav-
ems, but Of that other spiritual world
Z vision Of which Is denied to ordinary
mortals. Then he would sigh, for 1t
seemed to him that the abode In NOR
tally Of such persons IL more tran
silent than In persons Of less spiritual
nature
One afternoon when the vessel had
just begun to point her Prov more
eastwardly to round the cape a ship
was seen astern coming in the same
direction. The captain of the Alba
tross stood on the poop deck, his glass
leveled at the stranger. surprised at
the position Of her sails. While those
Of his own ship were set to sail before
the wind, the coming vessel had hers
close hauled. The skipper had never
before experienced In steady weather a
wind blowing In two different direc-
lions.
1t Is q fact well known to navigators
that ship will move faster with the
wind abeam than when dead aft. Obey
on the Albatross. As she came on the
face of the Albatross' master assumed
a more amazed expression. There was
an old fashioned look about the other
ship that he had never before seen on
any craft Her sides bulged below
her decks. which were narrower, she
was very high astern and was built up
curiously forward.
And now few figures began to take
form on deck. going about upon their
various duties-some c0iling ropes,
some mending sails, while others lay
about smoking enormous pipes. When
the vessel came abeam Of the Alba
tross man was seen standing on the
high deck astern who seemed to be the
master. His figure standing out
against the sky showed him more
plainly than the others. He wore a
costume that had passed ont long be-
fore; full breeches to the knee and a
short coat with faring skirt. His face
was young. but there was an old look
about It His hair was long, his eyes
were large and set deep in his head.
But the most remarkable feature OF
this strange craft and her antique
looking crew was yet to come. Sailing
much faster than the Albatross. the
stranger passed her In few mo-
ments. AS she went by every eye on
her was fixed on those on the Alba
tross as those on the Albatross were
fixed on the vessel and her crew. The
young master on the poop deck ex-
tended his arms to Maria Van Cort-
landt with mute appeal on his face.
To the establishment Of those beside
her, Maria's arms went out to the
strange being.
Then there was low swish of wa
tiers as the vessel drew away, leaving
the Albatross in her wake. and Maria
fell over in swoon. Every eye of
those near her was fixed upon her. and
when they were raised for another
glance at the receding vessel 1t had
disappeared.
man standing on the forecastle OF
the Albatross when the strange ship
sailed AWAY and ont Of SIGHT said that