The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1916-01-25
By the Merciless
Waves
By DWIGHT NORWOOD

during the winter OF 1914, DelnB III
England and desiring 70 see something
OF the pW-European war, | crossed
the channel to Flanders. But when
| got there was not permitted to 80
to the scene Of conflict Not caring 4
return Immediately ] went to hote
on the seashore, intending TO spend sew
eral days there.
The weather was cold, and the chan
mel, stretching out indefinitely toward
the northwest, was II gloomy sight to
behold. One morning i heard boom.
Ing out at sea, but had no knowledge
of what 1t portended. During the day
there was always booming on the land
north and south Of me, and sometimes
1t came family from the east These
sounds continually reminded me that |
was surrounded by war and its conse-
quent distress.
But 1t was the channel that most af-
fected me. | knew that out there
many merchant crew was sailing In
danger of being sent to the bottom Of
the cold, black waters Many sub
marine crew was dreading lest their
vessel become entangled In the ener-
NOUS wire nets laid by the British
trawlers to trap them.
One evening when there was misty
moonlight was tempted to go out and
| walk on the beach. | was warmly
clothed and enjoyed the icy air that
blew against my cheeks. So enjoyable
was my jaunt to me that | walked for
an hour toward the north, then was
about to turn and retrace my steps
when / saw something denser than the
lance ahead of me.
stood watching It, A thin cloud
that had covered the moon passed from
it face, giving slight increase Of light
and revealed wha. seemed to me to be
knot Of men huddled together. |
had once seen a ship at sea about to
founder, and these shadowy beings re-
minded me of Its crew standing togeth-
er about mast, doubtless gaining some
slight comfort from one another while
Willing luT the ldlul plunge.
Curiosity led me to approach what
saw, and / walked forward But
somehow / got no nearer to them,
though they gradually became less in
distinct, for by keeping my eyes fixed
upon them they became individuals,
though confused with one another. !
Their relative position was that Of men
discussing some momentous question, !
Nevertheless | heard no sound nor
could / discern any one OF them adj |
dressing the rest,
Then it seemed to me that they were
all looking toward me. but this was
rather their position with reference to
one another. for had no evidence that
they were facing me. Immediately
after this they began to move away /
from me. l followed, and since | did
not gain on them / FASTENED my steps,
But the faster walked the quicker
they receded. Sometimes 1t seemed
that they were tramping, sometimes
that they were moving from me with
out taking steps.
When at last | saw them, or what
they appeared TO be, leave the beach
and move out on the surface of the
water | began TO suspect that some
thing was wrong with me. / swung
my arms, pinched myself, rubbed my
eyes. The group remained In my vi
sion till they had gone a few hundred
yards from the shore, then stopped and
slowly settled down it seemed. into
the water-either this or they faded
before me; could not tell which.
This was the end of my dream, hal
ucination or whatever 1t might be.
waited for some time, peering out to
where the men had disappeared, won |
lering IL they would return, but they
lid not, and l considered it high time
hat went back to my hotel. Before
LONG so / noted the locality that
night know 1t again There was lit /
lie stream OF running fresh water that
lowed from a lake or swamp a short
distance from the beach.
The next morning after an early
breakfast ssArted to go over my walk
# the night Nefore. Soon after leav-
ne the hotel | found myself in an I'M
requented region. There was not a
Iouse in sight. walked to the runnel
had seen and knew that was where
ny vision had disappeared Turning
eaward, l scanned the waters. 1t
vas ebb tide. The waves were high
nder west wind. Presently, after
rave had rolled over n certain uoint |