Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1943-02-07
The" Ghost
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y boat toward his home on Hunk o Pork Island m
Bay AS usual he felt keenly the absence
brother Dan drowned night short time before
when his boat had crashed nearby Roaring Bun Kee
in a black squal
CHANGING back To Roaring Bull bellbuoy get his
bearings Perry saw bobbing behind the wake Of his
4Oooter head of young seal bat he thought
nothing of this since seals common in Casco Bay
AS he passed Eagle Island Citrate glanced around
again pick up bearing and there was the seals
head bobbng the propelers wake But he still paid 1t
no attention his thoughts ranging back to the
many evenings that Dan and he had returned with fun
catch to the warm hearth OF the old home on HUNK
o. Pork.
About dusk Perry moored his boat at its anchorage
and rowed his dory His wife, Martha met him
at the and asked about the catch
olerabe medium" said Perry in his Down East drawl
Suddenly Martha peered through the gathering dusk
What's that critter?" she asked.
To his amazement Perry Hopping its way
seriously the the sleek body Of
young seal He could hardly believe his and walked
Instead Of stopping or retreating friendly little
seal utterng sharp banks raised itself its front ppers
and broke into an awkward sramblng gallop
Why Perry he's friendly Martha exclaimed.
BY this time the children, little Bill and Anna, had
raced from the house and thrown themselves down beside
the with squeas OF delight The softeyed creature
seemed enjoy them much they did him Before the
Crates went to sleep that night they'd decided the seal
should stay with them.
Course" yawned Perry, he won't stay long But
he'll be a lot of fun for the kids"
But, oddly enough. Perry wrong. Although the
little fellow frequently took long swms in bay night
fall invariably found him at the Citrate home And.
strangest Of ALL he amazed the family by appropratng
Dams old chair and showing preference for the same
food the dead
But there was trouble brewing One evening half a
dozen of his fellow fishermen called Perry The spokcs
right to the point.
Perry, said this spokesman I'VE don't want TO
you trouble and know it amt your fault but that
there seal of yours has got to be got rid Of"
why" asked Perry, after a long pause.
We'll Perry, he's Robin lobster pots"
Now there is nothing more sacred TO Maine fisher
than his lobster pots They represent considerable
l.
of his cash income.
Sadly Perry nodded agreement He couldn't go against
his friends and neighbors So next morning before dawn
he walked down to his dory At his whistle the
lowed him to the beach Topped the dory BY
time the sun was Perry we'll out at beyond
Eagle Island and rapidly approaching Roaring Bull
Reef and Brown Cow Island Miles beyond Roaring Bull
the fisherman prodded the seal overheard
80 long, old timer" he muttered as he swung the
boat around, 1.-The kids gon' to miss you"
Perry put in the rest of the day fishing but when he
got home that night there the seal waiting him
day he the animal in other direction
southeast miles beyond Half Way Rock and dumped
again This time he thought he distinct reproach
in the animals big, liquid brown he prodded him
out of the boat But again. the seal waiting for him
Perry couldn't sleep that night because he remembered
that sailors of all countries have since the ways when
rowed the gaeys of Rome and Carthage believed
that the souls of drowned sailomen go into the little
gray gulls they call Mother Careys Chickens
those mariners nhab the huge sooty abaroses
of the southern Perry sailor his forefathers
had a century and half his upbringing made
him put a lot of faith in these beliefs. After ALL why
shouldn't sailors soul live in a seal he asked himself
Nevertheless, he determined to try This
time he farther But again. the seal
at home before him.
That night Perry went down to the store at the
roads where the fishermen usually got together
Men" he told them, you Know I've been atryin to
get rid of my seal and he won't stay away Well from
now seals stayin with If he takes any Of
your Holsters I'll make good your loss I've got reason
for this too You all remember Dan. Well from now
that seals got a I'm calm him Dan"
All those men were sailors. They puffed their pipes
at Their Oked a
nodded agreement