The Washington herald., 1917-10-05

foHs Sss-t ~ ~ -
Once or twice / have spoken with
the ghosts of things that men call
dead. Sometimes have heard voices
speaking very quietly from old graves.
This day q week ago listened, BY
queer chance. to the spirits Of some
famous ships talking TO each other
in the twilight.
II was q strange adventure, COM
ing to me, as all adventures come.
by mere accident, had jumped of
tramcar at the end of the vaux-
hall Bridge, with an hour to spare
and the Tate Gallery not far away.
But taking step or two my eye
were caught by the pale gold OF q
September afternoon cleaning on two
white figureheads above the gateway
OF an old timber yard. II was the
entrance to Castles ship-breaking
yard, and as I gazed up to those two
great wooden efigies-the figureheads
Of the Orion and the Princess Royal
A voice spoke 70 me very clearly from
above. IL said Come In friend
Here is the graveyard Of fame. This
is the lumber yard of mighty ships"
/ was startled. There was no one
near me, and the words had a curious
signing sound. like a little voice
speaking from sea shell held to
the ear. I glanced sharply up at the
Princess Royal, at this placid woman's
face carved in wood and whitened by
the painters brush. and II seemed to
me that the last rays OF the sinking
sun played a trick with my vision.
could have sworn that the Princess
Royal smiled TO mel
A little fear took hold OF me. But
/ went under the wooden archway to
the yard, wondering what was TO fol-
low. The strong, sweet scent of old
wood stole into my senses-the smell
OF wood that has been seasoned by
years OF weather. by salt water. by
hot sun and the grip Of ice. II seem
cd to me also Though admit this
was a freak OF fancy that mineling
with this aroma OF old teak there was
a faint smell of blood, Of stale blood
split long years ago. and having now
IAN ancient and a fish-like smell"
To the left Of me was an immerse
pile Of wooden blocks such as burn
brightly on the hearthstones OF May
fair, leaving a whitish ash when the
~" anu NUc hCdIA
OF a pretty woman shoulders also and
Grows cold. perhaps, with the ashes
OF burntout hopes. These wooden
blocks on my left hand were chopped
up from the timbers of old British
battleships Strange to think what
stories may be told, what light
hearted laughs may rise, what dainty
feet may be warmed. in the glow OF
faggots which once formed the part
Of a famous ship on which great ad'
mirals went TO victory or defeat!
On my right hand stood a number
Of ships figureheads. gigantic and
rather ghostly in the twilight that
was now creeping into the timber
yard. But as / passed them and
gazed up. a mere pygmy TO these
monstrous figures, / was struck with
the calm dignity, the noble gravity
of those wooden heads. Vaguely
remembered the Hellyer family whose
sons for generations sculptured the
fgureheads of our fighting ships, I'M
til iron-built vessels killed their art
They were good sculptors, good al
a portrait, and carving their great
blocks OF wood with a certain ma
jesty of line and expression. With
placid, farseeing. heroic eyes these
figures still stare away. as though
gazing into unreasonable seas.
/ stood looking into the fixed, stern.
impenetrable eyes OF the Duke OF
wellington. 1t was the fgurehead OF
the battleship which had first been
the Windsor Castle, and was then
rechristened on the death day OF the
Iron Duke. / was on the ship that
Sir Charles Napier had issued his
famous order on the outbreak OF war
with Russia: Lads, sharpen. your
cutlasses, and the day is your own
Next to this figurehead was a gigan.
tic Highlander in the plumbed head
dress of a regiment which stormed
the walls OF Badajoz. II belonged &c
the Edinburgh, which saw blockade
service in the Napoleonic War, and
bombarded Acre and sailed in the
Baltic feet. The fine square-cut face
OF ColIingwood, with his admiral''
epaulettes and high collar, looked ur
to the evening sky with a calm smile
Behind him, smiling also. was a gra'
cious giantess. a gentle though mon
strous maid who once breasted the
high waves at the bows Of the old
Imperieuse.
1 came out OF one Of lile eAShS ain
was leaving the yard when in thu
glimmering twilight / heard voices
! speaking. Improbable as ii may seem
the giant figureheads were talking L
| each other. Unless my eyes deceived
me, / saw the head of COllingwooC
| turn toward the placid goddess o
the old Imperieuse. MY dear" HI
said, they were good days whei
YOU and / and our comrades her
| looked out from the bows of ou
great ships"
"Ah"' said the old lady, Il an
weary of this old yard. So yer!
weary! In my dreams l seem TO b
on the great waters again, with tn
white beauty of the lmperieuse. II
the vanguard of the feet. Then