An Old Sailor's V

Missnre His Reckon-ing—A Matei-

One of tlie puzzlinest things I knows ou for a stranger is the way they has in tfn«sand of nainin' their streets. Ycu gets onto the street you wants, and afore you've gone a dozen blocks you find it's changed its name and you're in an entirely different street. Thus one and the same street will sometimes have three or four different names afore you've gone the whole length of it. I mind a funny blunder I made once in consequence of this, though, arter all, it turned out all right, jist as if I'd a kept my right reckonin.' When i used for to be goin' reglar into the Liverpool packets, out of one ship and into another, it so happened that i come for to be shipmates with a chap as were called Dick Os^om, three or lour v'yages one arter another, and we j;ot for to be cbums like. L.'ick were one of those steady chaps ; didn't never go onto no sprees always boarded to the ■ ailor's Home when he were in New York, and went to church undays. I never lad much opinion of sich, but Dick were a pretty igood sort of a chap and a tiptop sailoruian as well, and so I looked over his failin's and we got to be chummies, turnin' in and out together at sea, and wearin' each other's dunnage, lhe both of us come in the John E. >kiddy, and then both shipped agin in the ew World, I expect Dick were the bashfullest chap along of wimmin that ever stood on two legs. Sailors ain't given much that way, sir, and it were a wonder, seem' as he'd been so long in that trade, that he hadn't a got over it ; but you see he never went round like the rest of us," and would turn the color of red buntin' if any of the gals at the boardin' house said anythin' to him, and that was the way they come for to call him ' Bashful Dick.'

Soon as supper were over Dick would top his boom and sail barge, and none of us kuow'd where he went to, and we supposed he either went down aboard v tfr else to some gospel shop to tear "a bit of preachin'; anyway, his way wern't our way, and we didn't trouble ourselves about it. While we was in Liverpool, that time in the New World, we sot the ri^gia' up fore and aft, and me and Dick was up in.the foretop one day —Saturday it were —a seizin' off the topmast riggin', 'when all of a sudden Dick says to mo: ' Tom, I,ve an idee of giitin' spliced/ Well.-if he'd a told me he'd an idee «>f jumpin' out of that top, I wouldn't .tve been more astonished. ' *11 fight, my lad,' says I, ' if so be as you rits the right kind of a lass, but there's many a leaky craft, my boy, to every sound one, and you'd better be sure she's seaworthy afore you ships.' ' She's good as they build 'em,' says Dick; ' too good for me, I'm afeard.' ' That I'm sure she ain't,' says I. ' "Where does she hail from and how on arth did you ever come athwart her hawse?'

1 She lives here,' says Dick, 'and I've been cruisin' off and on in her wake for a couple of years or so, and I've been a saving up till I've got $500 in bank at home, and that's enough, I think, for to get spliced on.' Five hundred dollars,' says I; ' why it's a fortiu'; it's more then ever I had in my life at one time, and A've been spliced for years. When is it to come off? if it'll be any help to you I can give you the mark and number of the chap as spliced me, and he's a man as will do the job neat and cheap.' ' Well, as'to that,' says Dick, 'lain't said notbin' to her about it as yet. J thought I would last v'yage in the Skiddy, but every time I went there sorsethin' turned up, and I couldn't jist git to it, and since I've been here this time I've gone there lots of times detarmined to say somethin' about it, but the fact is Tom, I can't do it, and there 's the truth about it. You've seen me in many a gale of wind, and you know that where any man can go • can go, and that I aint last at any thin' them times ; but alongside of a woman, Tom, I'm nothin' but a baby. Not but what I can take care of one, Tom, if I'm once safe spliced to her, and she needn't be afeared of wantin' for anythin' so long as I have my health, but it's jist as I tell you, Tom, when I comes to the pint of speakin' about it, I always think I'll wait till .the next time..'

Well, I thought the thing over a while, and then I says, ' Dick, my flower, it's clear that you can't do this tjhing by yourself, and, as you aud. X

baa been shipmates for so long I don't mind lendin' you a hand in this here business provided when I sees the craft I judges her all right. To morrow is a Sunday, and to-morrow arternoon I'll rig up and you shall gir me her mark and number, and I'll go up and see her and fix this thing for you in a jiffey. You see, havin' been one v'yage to lam, myself, I can do it as easy as jumpin' overboard.' Tom,' says Dick, ' this here were jist what I were a goin' for to ask you to do for me.'

Well, sir, next mornin' arter we'd walked the decks and had breakfast I went over in Waterloo road, and paid threepence for a shore shave, and then I put on a pair of blue cloth pants and a white shirt, and I borrowed a red plush vest from a chap named Billy mall, and put Dick's frock coat over that and with a high hat which I borrowed from the third mate, a tellin' him I were a goin' to a funeral, I jist looked equal to anythin.'

The sailin' directions I got from Dick were', to stand up Mortimer street to the he^ad of it where it is crossed by Rincon street, turn round Kinc.n street, go about three blocks up to •o. 65, and ask for M rs. Lee. Well, I kept my reckonin' all straight till 1 come to hincon street, and then ijfc rftruck me that Dick hadn't said which way to turn j but rememberin' that tb.4 rule of the road were always for to port your helm, I sheers around to the right at a venture thinkin' I'd soon get a true departure by the numbers, Eor tb*e first block there weren't nc numbers; there were a vacant place, and a factory, and what not, and when I come to .No. 25 on the next block, I were glad I had made a lucky land fall and were sure I were right. Of course then.all I. had to-do were to follow along till I got>6s. It were a nice little two story brick house, and as I ringed thebell, I couldn't help wonder ing however Dick had fetched up in such moorin's as these. There were a nice little lass opened the door, and when I asked her if Mrs. Lee were at home she said she were, and asked me to walk in. ' What name shall I say ?' says she, as I went into a snug little parlor on the right of the hall. ' Well, Miss,' says I, 'as she don't know me, the name don't matter; tell her it's a friend from a perticlar friend, as would like to see her on important bisness.' 1 Yes, sir,' says she, and I thought to myself if the mistress is as nice as the maid, I don't wonder at Dick, and then I thought of what t'd promised Old tfeptune the first time I crossed the line, never to kiss the maid if [ could kiss the mistress, unless I liked the maid the best, and wondered if I should like the mistress as well as I did the maid. Presently there came into the room as neat a little craft as one would wish to meet in a day's sail. Fine figure head, good smooth bow, able body and clean run, all ship shape and Bristol fashion fore and aft. ' Did you wish to see me ?' she said, and I didn't wonder at Dick gittin' in the doldrums, for I weren't much better myself. Ydu see, I thought it would be a easy thing for to do, but now that it had got to be done, I didn't hardly know what to say. ' The fact is, marm,' says I, a standin' up before her, and I wished I were a hundred miles away, ' Dick Ostrom, whom I 'spose you knows well, is a chum of mine, me and him havin' now been shipmates off and on for over a year, and put Dick, mann, to a weather earin' in a gale of wind, and there ain't none better as anybody'll say, as has ever been shipmates with him, bur alongside of a woman, mann, as no doubt you have observed, Dick are as skeery as a colt, and so you see, mann, havin' long c'en almost worshipped the ground you stands on he never couldn't git his courage up to the stickin' pint for to tell you so, and so 1, bein' his chum, volunteered for to come and let you know how the land Jay, and that Dick, havin' saved up a bit of money, were willin' to be spliced, if so be sis how it were agree able to you, mann ;' and I wiped the sweat oft my head and were glad it were over.

Well, she looked kind of confused, but I seen that she weren't displeased, and she says : ' I suppose I know the gentleman you speak of, havin' noticed him in meetin.'

Oho, thinks T } there's where Dick come across this craft. ' But,' says she, 'this is so sudden, so entirely unexpected, that really I am not prepared to say anythin'. ' He'll never come near you agin, marca,' says I, 'unless he thinks he

has some little sight. May I tell him that he may come up and see you to morrow night ?' ' I shall be home to-morrow night,' says she, ' and of course I'm always glad for to see my friends.' 'Talk enough, marm,' says I, for I considered the business as good asset tied, and I bid her good arternoon, she lettin' me out of the door herself. Well I goes down and sees Dick, and I says ' It's all right old chap, and your'e a mighty lucky fellow; all you've got to do is to haul along side as soon as ever you like, and the widder's yours, and she'll be expectin' you to-morrow night.' But Dick was too much in a hurry to wait for the next night, and away he goes that same evenra' as happy as a young porpus. J turned in mayhap about ten o'clock that night, and were jist drop pin' off to sleep when I were woke up by Dick. ' I don't want to strike you in the bunk,' says he, ' though I've had a mind to put a knife through you ; but git up and put on your pants and come out on deck, ant* we'll have this out here and1 now:" ' " * Mast,' says 7",'' there's some mis take here, and 1 <ain"t a goin' to fight till I knows what it's for, and anyhow I aint a goin' out on deck for to fight, cause the watchman would call a po liceman, and we'll both be locked up in less than no time ; so whatever's the trouble, it'll, keep till mornin,' and then if I've done anythin' agin you, we'll go down to ,the north shore, and fight it'out pleasant.' Some of the rest of the chaps had got waked up, and they took my part, and jist told Dick there musn't be no fightiu' there, and them and he agreed. for to put it off till mornin', ' and then/ says he, ' I'll lam you how to fool a shipmate.' Well, he goes out on the deck, and I heerd him a walkin' there and waited a speli, and then I went out and I says, ' Now chummy, what's this all about ?' Says he, ' You never went near that woman, and have made a fool of me.' 'Avast!' says I,' who says so ?" ' She says so,' says he. ' Then,' says I, ' with all due respect, and I'm sorry to say it of sich a nice creeter as she appeared to be, she tells a thunderin lie. 'Taint no use, Dick, for me and you to fight over this thing, I'll go up there with you to morrow, and if I don't convince you that »he lies, don't never call me shipmate again. She ain't worth stoppin' out of bed for; go turn in and take your rest like a man.' Well, sir, next night we goes up to gether, and when we gits to the top of Mortimer Street, instead of portin,' Dick starboarded. ' Huld hard, old fellow ; right your helm ;' says I, ' that ain't the way.' Tes it is,' says he, 'this here is Hin con street, t'other way is Douglass street.' 11 don't care what you calls it,' says T, ' this here's the way I went, and at 65 I found Mrs. Lee, and a mighty nice body she is.' 'That's Douglass street,' says he, ' and you went all wrong.' ' I found Mrs. Lee, and so I went all right,' says I. ' And now we must go and explain to her how this mistake occurred.' Well, it were a long time afore 1 could git Dick to go, but at last he did and we were let in by the same tidy lass that bad opened the door the day before We didn't have to wait long afore the widder came down, and if I thought her charmin' the day before, you may jist believe me, sir, she were perfectly bewilderin' this evenin', with all her kites aloft, and every one of 'em pullin.' I seen at once that she'd never sot eyes on Dick afore, so 'twas clear she had thought I come from somebody else, so there were a blunder all round. Of course, I had to be the spokes man, and I ups and tells her the whole story, poor Dick sittin' there lookin'as sheepish as you please, and the comical side of it struck her so that she laughed fit to burst her corsets.

Well, she insisted on our havin' a {jlass of wine, and she told us she kind of cottoned to us,' cause her first husband had been a sailor, havin' been mate of a ship out of Liverpool, and she said we must always come and see her whenever we come to Liverpool. ' Mind now,' says she to Dick as we was goin' away, 'when you come up the streefc don't always turn to the left, come and see me sometimes.'

Well, sir, the other Mrs. Lee kept a p'iiblic-house, but weren't it odd that both numbers should be 65 ? I went in the California trade arter I got back, and I weren't in Liveroool «t§in fo?

near two years); but one day a goin' along old Hall street, who should I meet but Dick Ostrom. Well, he were delighted to see ,me, and insisted that I should go boine with him and see his wife.

' I managed it arter all, old chap,' says he, ;and thanks to you/ But when I got to his house and found that his wife was my Mrs. Lee, I thought he had much to thankful for. — New York World.

A Strange Warning.

Chaptee I. On the great field that is opened to us by the many controversialists for and against Spiritualism it is not my intention to enter. On the lesser but many-headed question of supernatural agencies I do not profess to offer an opinion. I sball merely pay my tribute to the sacred cause of truth by recording, as briefly as possible, the one incident in my own life which, separated from me now by a.wide chasm of years, is still the key-note of its unbroken loneliness and the secret of my early silvered hair. The first scene of this drama of a life, which, nevertheless, can be compressed into a few words, is laid in England.

1 had been engaged to be married to niy pretty cousio, Estelle Meridith, only a very short time, when she wrote to tell me that her mother was desirous of a , little changj of air, and proposed spending a week at a small seaside place on the Suffolk coast to fortify herself against the approaching winter. It occurred to me at once that the -lethargy which had lately oppressed me i was now accounted for. I had been working uninterruptedly of la,te. I required rest, change, relaxation. I should return to my books like a giant . refreshed, stimulated in mind and energies if only I laid aside my studies for a time, and joined my fair young betrothed and her . mother at the Suffolk watering place. 'Let me see,'.. I reflected, scanning critically tha graceful little handwriting ' Tuesday ! Why, this is Wednesday ; I have already lo*t a day !' And with wonderful promptitude I pulled the' bell and summoned th'ft landlady. A few words explained my intentions. I was sent for suddenly on pressing business, and shontd be away a week. With this I called a cab, and half an hour had not elapsed since the first dawn ing of my brilliant idea before I was whirling away by express train towards tny destination. 1 had not given myselt time to yield to the seductions of the bookstalls th?at occupied a conspicuous position on the platform, and in sheer idleness of .spirit— or was another feeling involved ?—I took Estelle's letter from my pocket to read it over a second time. The result was a sudden, insane desire to call the guard, stop the train, and forbid its further progress. Tuesday, indeed ! but Tuesday week was what, on closer examination? proved to be the day specified, and here was I half way on the road to my journey's end several days too soon. After the first outburst of irrepressible vexation I made up my mind to abide by my mistake. I knew that my good land lady would have already seized upon my absence to let the fires out and the sweeps in, and I have always felt an unconquer able reluctance to constitute myself an an unannounced and unwelcome guest.

So resolving, I made my way to the semi-rustic hotel where the Merdiths always put up when -they visited their favorite watering-place. It was a gloomy Autumn day.and twilight had already fallen when I arrived, nor was my ill-humor in any degree lessened at fibding myself the only visitor in the house.

In vain the trim-looking chambermaid lit up the brightest of fires; in vain the judicious landlady prepared the most appetizing of little dinners ; in vain the insinuating landlord produced his choicest wines; I could not and would not be comforted, and, after fiercely and revenge fully smoking some half dozen cigars, I retired to rest in high dudgeon.

The next morning I had not spent ten minutes at the window, looking out at the barren ciiffs and dreary landscape, before I had firmly resolved to return to London by the evening train, and await Estelle's bona-fide announcement of her arrival before venturing again, to the seaside out of the season.

Much relieved by this resolution, I ordered an early dinner, and strolled out to inspect the ' deserted village.' Anything more depressing than a fashionable watering-place when the fashion has departed I can scarcely con ceive. The promenade, with its unoccu pied seats and blank forlorn appearance ; the wide, gravelled road, innocent of the sound of wheels; and the indications on every side of a preparation for presence where there is absence.

Reflecting somewhat philosophically on this and similar matters suggested by the scene. I paced the esplanade, solacing myself with a cigar. Not a creature was to be seen in any direction. The little town,- hidden by a bend in the cliff, was not sufficient^ near to send a hum of life to relieve the dreary loneliness of my walk. Inwardly rejoic ing that 1 had made all arrangements to return to town that evening, and listening for company to the ceaseless sound of this

• melancholy ocean,' I ""Stalled b? v $ 1 and forwards or: the deserted r i alone. 4 \ Alone? So I had certainly thoA few minutes previously; but now V turned at the entrance-gate to face?? towards the cliff, I perceived, S^ the farthest seat of the row the fin. a strongly-built, sailor-like man »?■• a pilot coat buttoned across his b? and a glazed cap strapped under hi s P How had he come there? tp passed the seat a few moments before', it was then undoubtedly empty fS be mistaken ? No; there he £t, S gazing before him toward the distant? line; and, much pleased at the p ro * ot a companion, I drew near to aJ? him. twhoii «,The sound of my iootsteps w seem to disturb him. As I appro»£ he neither stirred nor moved. Wk t reached the seat it was empty! :: I rubbed my eyes in utter perpW. I had then, been the victim of an onti i delusion! I, whose sight was cousidS as keen and unerring as the symbnT ease's! It seemed too prepostero? Yet there was the unoccupied seat befo» me ; and, convinced of my mistake T, newed my walk. When I turned <J!" to my utter confusioa aud suprise *S sailor-like man in the pilot coat 'Jf again sitting in the same steady attiMa on the last seat in the row.

This time there could be nomistak I shut my eyes ; I opened them again, There he sat, distant from me less thanj hundred yards. Keeping mT m steadily fixed on him. lest he should escape me again, I approached rapidly, When I reached the seat ha «.. gone ! : M

I was utterly confounded. I had not taken my eyes off him for an instant, I had not seen him disappear, yet I c^ have staked my life on having seen hiis up to the moment of reaching the seat and yet on reaching it not a trace or re* tige of his presence remained. Thebleai solitude of the barren hills and openplaia alone confronted me.

With my curiosity whetted, and pi with a strange fluttering at my heart,! once more renewed the experiment, ml once more with the same result. Getting^ angry myself both for.Bj ill-success and the unpleasant feeling tint was gtinirig upon me, I started again tt my point of observation, resolved to ex< amine calady and deliberately mymysferi ous companion.

There he sat, a strongly-built sailor' like matt,-dresseii in a pilot coat, andt weather-beaten shiny cap strapped bdet his chin.

Determined that he should not escape me I called loudly'to, attract his attention, and then with one bound had reached tbi seat. The result was precisely as before, My call had been." unheeded; he neithei spoke nor stirred in reply to it, andwhei I reached the seat he was no longer there. .' This is some terrible hallucination,'] muttered, trying to shake off the feeling of discomfort that was stealing over me; ' they must have given me green tea for breakfast, or I am getting dyspeptic from the miserable dulness of this desolate little fishing village.' But, by a process of reasoning that! could not quite explain, I decided tc countermand my orders for departure determined to see whether the following day would renew my strange adventure, or prove it to be merely a fancy borne into my mind each time by the strength of the first illusion. I had scaled mountains and stemmed torrents. I had sailed in a vessel boarJeJ by pirates, and had an elephant kM under me at a tiger-hunt; yet Ifranklj confess that I hesitated for a moment conquered by a sentiment of absolute,!!1 controllable fear, when the next morning a fitful burst of sunlight invited me Jo unravel the puzzle J of a the prece3in| day. m ■ •.-.-

I had scarcely laughed it off when ■ found myself at the entrance of the pro menade. 'No misconception possible to day,' I thought; 'no haze'to'thro' ghostly shadows capable of assuming*lll) or every unexpected shape; the Bios distant little daisy on the cliff's sideisa distinctly visible as the nearest''^ And with a slow, critical deliberation turned my eyes in the direction of the |as seat of the row.

All possibility of doubt was now .re moved. The clear morning light shone upon his batterei glazed.cap, his !#' coat and his hands resting upon his knee" as he gazed steadily before "Mm in tte direction of the distant horizon. .1W" he sat, my silent companion of the <MJ before, in the same attitude,in W ..«£ position in which I had left him W previous evening. No vague, ltfP aIPa T substance he a coarse-looking, strongij built man, with a countenance 'more.* dicative of love of ease, than suggest of mystery. . ■*•* AeaiA I approached him, keeping vw steadily in view; and when I-JP^ohedtM seat it was tenantless. Again .ana «p» I renewed the attempt, trying>?aICT* the exact moment and mode of W ae F, ure, and always vainly. !,**&■*?& my eyes from him, yet while Iwm he was apparently at the same time w s&nt and gone. The exact moment or jj disappearance or transformation eiua me. I saw him almost within reach oif»| and found his seat vacant.

I grew hot in the chase. B *jjk strange game of hide-and-seek V, playing. I approached by ey^ 1

Evening' Star R*ipplement 9 November 27, "1875.