Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1918-05-22
AWarniing
Was 1t Given by Auto
suggestion or an Unex-
planned Spiritual
Power
By ALur, HinsdaLe

Captain Clifford, commanding the
good ship Nautilus, stood on the porch
Of his land home overlooking the At
lantic ocean, his wife clinging to him,
loath to let him 60. The captain had
sailed several times before since his
marriage, but not dreading any peril
except what has pertained to sailors
life from time immemorial. But now
he was to face new danger, danger
compared with which storm or sunken
| rock was far less dreadful, for storm
may be weathered and sunken rock
may be avoided. Clifford was to face
the dreaded submarine.
This is why his wife parted with him
so much more reluctantly than ever
before.
Don't worry about me, sweetheart"
he said. 1--WE have gun forward and
gun aft and an ensign in the navy
commanding q crew of trained gum
ners. We shall keep vfgilant watch
not light will be allowed aboard the
ship. 1 venture to say that we will
have as good chance as any subma-
rine that may attack us"
THAT is but one chance in two" re-
piled the respondent wife.
"No; / believe we shall have a great
advantage over the submarine. We
shall enter the restricted zone when
there is no moonshine, and, not show
ing a light, do not believe we shall
be in danger Of attack at night. As
for an encounter in the day, by keep
ing mcessant watch we will get the
first shot, for the submarine to get our
bearings must do so from the surface
If we put one shot into her she is
lost, and our gunners are very quick
and very skillful. Then, too, she must
attack us when We present broad
side to her, and We may shoY either
stern or bow. If the stern, we may
run away from her; if the bow, We
may ram her. There will be no need
for us to put our PROV against her but
once, for she will roll over and go to
the bottom. But remember this-we
may not see sub marine"
but suppose she sees you before you
see her and has time to send q shot
| at you before your gunners are ready
to fire."
Don't worry about that, my dear.
We shall always he Oh the alert From
the first light of dawn to the closing
In Of night our lookout and our gun
| ners win keep their eyes peeled for
| Them
1t was with such hopeful assurances
that the captain sought to comfort his
| wife. Finally she released him, and
he started for his ship.
The Nautilus passed through the dan
ger zone safely. Not even the tip Of a
periscope was seen above the surface
| OF the water. Captain Clifford on en-
| terlng forbidden waters followed rigid
| ~ the course laid down for him by the
British admiralty, and it was to this
TACT that he owed his safety. The
crew and the gun squad were of opin-
lon that all a ship need do to escape
being sunk in the danger zone was to
adhere to instructions. They heard
of ships being torpedoed by disregard.
ing them, but not Of ships being wreck
ed that observed them.
1t was to this opinion that was due
some lax1ty on the return voyage.
Captain Clifford did all he could to
counterfeit this disposition, constantly
watching the men for breach Of the
rigid system of attention to duty he
had instituted. He found the work
| very wearing, and the night his ship
| was leaving the zone, having been
long without sleep, he turned in for a
| brief rest.
1t was about three bells in the morn.
Ing that the captain awoke. He was
astonished to see his cabin family
illuminated and Mortified as well, for
he had given the strictest orders that
no light was to be allowed on the ship,
and here was light In his own cabin
But this was not all that amazed the
captain His wife was standing be.
side his berth.
Great heavens, Lucy" he exclaimed
how did you come here?"
There is a submarine a few miles
distant. When day comes and your
snip Will be visible you will be In
danger"
Now, the captain had been so pro.
foundly sunken in sleep that he saw
| this scene but half awake. By the time
he had become fully aroused the illumi.
nation Of his cabin had faded, as well
as the figure of his wife. Naturally
he ascribed his vision to nightmare in.
duced by his mind being absorbed in
the danger through which his ship was
I passing. 1t was yet several hours be.
fore day, but so vivid was his dream
or whatever it was, that he arose-he
was in his clothing-and went on deck
to see If the watch were doing their
duty. The sailors were alert, but the
men on duty at the guns we're doing.
While Captain Clifford regarded the
vision as the creation of his own brain
he had feeling within him that 1t was
q real warning Of danger At anv rate