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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 21, 1907)
run omaiia daily bee: Saturday. September .51, 1007. CTTE R iEIRD TALE OF THE SEA Sight Witnessed by Ship's Doctor, Captain and Lookout (AW A CHILD'S SOUL PASS Graphic Plrtsre of a Spectacle a 7m peat-Tosses' Ship, with Ac compaalmente of Llabt Blng and Tbander. Doctors, a a rule, do not entertain su perstitious beliefs, nor are ther disposed to e susceptible to the Influence of occult :hlngs, and the following strange experience f a ship's doctor Is not related with the bject of proving the rule by the excep tion. The business of- the doctor of medicine Seals with the material and the physical; the psychical, the .aupernatural, the hyper physical and other dlvlna partlcula aurao being left to the metaphysicians, thauma turglsts, sky pilots and Heap Big Medicine Men. This story was told me In such Intensely earnest sincerity that, even had I been In sllned to be skeptical I could not have helped being convinced of the narrator's SoneBt belief In Its actuality. I am quite under the conviction that the loctor saw the strange manifestation Just ts It was described to me, and I do not In any way feel that It Is my prerogative to raise a question of the why and the how. ' The almost equally mysterious llsrht and Its movements witnessed by the captain, the mates and the lookout, or officer of the fleck, corroborate and confirm the genu ineness of the visitation witnessed by the doctor beyond peradventure. Dr. W. T. B. O'Hara, formerly on one of the ships of the White Star line, tells, as nearly as I can remember the details, this story: A Jolly Companion "When I was ship's doctor aboard the Alsutrla we had, on a trip out of Yoko hama, a very beautiful little girl of 12 years, who had been orphaned In the east and was returning with us alons to friends and relatives at home. "She was so "bright and Intelligent and was such a Jolly, good-natured lassie that I was naturally attracted to her. The friendship being mutual, we were soon quite attached to each other, spending much of the day together on deck and about the ship, for she was possessed of a woman's curiosity and was eager to In vestigate the mysteries of the great ves sel, from stoke and engine room to crow's nest. During these tours of Inspection and romping about she readily made warm friends of all the crew, and especially of the commanding officers. "As we ran down the coast It became evident that the Increasing heat of the climate did not agree with her, and she soon grew listless, losing Interest In the sea and the ship and her playfellows, al though she seemed to cling closer and closer to me as her spirits relaxed and her ph)slque gradually succumbed to the depressing effect of the heat. "When we were well down Into the China sea she became very 111 and was confined to her stateroom. In a few days the trouble developed In a severe attack of tropical fever. "There being little other Illness aboard, I was able to give most of my time to her, and toward the last, except when called to some Incidental duty for the moment, remained ' at her side almost night and day. doing all In my power, both as doctor and friend for her relief ' and comfort. . , . Deadly . Tropica 1 Fevsr, "All my doctoring and care, however, see me 1 of no avail against the consuming fever that was burning out her vitality, and by the time we had swung down Into the Indian ocean I had reluctanly aban doned hope of her recovery. "The captain and other officers, as welt as the crew, had shown an unusual and heartful Interest In her fight for life, and they came often to sit beside her, express ing, In their sallor-ltke way, their sym pathy and doing the best they could In the kindliness of their hearts to keep her spirits rallied to the greatest degree of resistance, so that It was with a very real sorrow and more than a suspicion of wet eyes that they heard me as I reported to the captain one evening that the turn ing point for her would come that night and that the chances were all against the probabilities that she would be able to live for the morning. "Maugre the landsman's belief In the hardened nature of the sailor, ha has, nevertheless, a heart tender as a woman's and a kindly disposition that only those who have lived with him In the open can fully understand and appreciate. "And that night It was demonstrated for far Into the night, as I passed the smoking room on my way to the locker for medicine, I saw the ship's officers there In a little group silent, waiting. Those big. rough, weather-seasoned fel lows were 'on watch,' tarrying to learn the Issue of life and death that struggled desperately In the stateroom of their lit tle friend near by. Life's Flickering; Light. "As the fire of the fever burned higher the fire of her life burned down to Its smouldering, darkening embers. The une qual contest was nearlng the finale. As the flushed face among the pillows turned for a last pitifully appealing look Into mine tha fever-bright eyes closed, the hand that held mine gave a feeble, parting pressure, the tremor of a sigh escaped her and she lay very quiet and still. The restlessness of delirium had gone and nature relaxed Into the submissive resignation to the In evitable that told me that I had lost my battle with death. "The pulse still moved In fluttering beats, the respiration continued, weak and faint! the muscles quivered fitfully, the pretty lips trembled now and then and the facial expression changed from one Indicative of weakness and suffering to repose and calm the restful calm that follows the wearing storm. "Now and again It seemed that she might be trying to speak aloud, but tha working of her dissolving mentality was the com munion of her soul with angels rather than of tha mind with men. "As I sat heavy-eyed In the darkened chamber awaiting the approaching transi tion from life to death tha tears came, and through tha misty hase I saw again an other sweet-faced little girl lyng pale and quiet on a death bed away back In the gone days of my boyhood when I had watched beslda my sister as she passed on Into tbe shadows of the great afterwhlle. and In the halo of that vision the Iron vt the physician dissolved In the heart of the man, and I silently sobbed out the pain that waa divided between the sad reverie and the nearlng approach to the parting of the waya with tha dear little friend be side me, term and oiaaaaa, The storm that crashed and rolled out over tha sea, with Its glare of lightning and peals of thunder, was milder and more expressive, but no mora intense and real than tha one suppressed within me as I watched the signs of death surely stealing sver my little companion. "Unconsciously falsing my eyes from tha ted, X becama aware of a feeling, a sub conscious sensation of the presence of a something In the room that I did not see, an uncanny something I could not under stand. "Intuitively, I think. It came to me that It must be the presence of death, and In stinctively, almost mechanically, I closed the pressure of my fingers on the pulse, but I found they still beat softly beneath the touch. "As I looked again at the face the room grew lighter, slowly, almost Imperceptibly, with a light that was weirdly luminous, and yet not altogther unlike the birth of a dawn of a day at sea; but I knew that It waa not near the morning, nor could such a light be possible with the low-hanging, black clouds of the tempest without that closed about us with an Impenetrable wall of light, and. wondering, yet not altogether surprised, I waited, watching. "Gradually the light Increased until the room was as bright as the light of a full grown dawn, and then I became conscious of a change a change that was the most marvelous thing I ever witnessed. "Blowly the light seemed to creep from out the corners of the room and gather in flickering, uncertain wavea of blue and white and gold directly over the body of the child, a tremulous, lambent ghost light, fading, brightening, dissolving, quickening, falling, rising reminding me as I think of It now of the quivering notes of soft, low muslo coming over the tumbling water out of tha distance. "A moment It remained and then disap peared, leaving the room In darkness save for the shaded light of the night lamp. Tha pulse still beat, tha heart moved In fluttering, pulsing throbs, the face trembled Its cBlldlsh smile and the lips continued muttering their unspoken messages. Answering the Call. "The storm lulled and In the hush I waited, wondering, but with no thought of fear. The Hps moved apart, the face brightened, her eyes looked out at me ques tioning, and, bending my head low, I caught the words of her murmuring voice: " 'Oh look! How beautiful' and her fingers closed over mine as she spoke. "Bhe turned her eyes upward, and, look ing, I saw, close to the celling, straight over r head, a blurred, misty, luminous globe, like a distant light diffused and glowing in a heavy fog. This grew, slowly, almost Imperceptibly as before, until It hung a quivering sphere of bluish white, wavy light. It was more nearly like the St Elmo's flre that clings about the ends of the spars In a heavy electrical storm than anything else I can compare It to. " 'Bee!' she whispered; O eeet' "Blowly, so slowly that I did not notice It at first, the ball of light descended until It seemed to envelope her face and hair, giving the peaceful, pleased look on her face a glory and radiance such as we think of the angels having the sweetest and moct heavenly vision I ever saw or ever expect to see. "As It lay for a moment wavering about her pillow, I felt her hand grow tense In mine, her body trembled lightly and she made a feeble effort to raise her head as she cried out falteringly: "'Oh, mamma, mamma! I. see the way and lt'a-all bright and shining!' "And as tha voice ended In a low whis per tha light rose rapidly, dlasolvlng and disappearing as It reached the celling; the curly head lay quietly back among the pillows, there was the faintest breath of a sigh, a nervous flutter of the muscles, the fingers of the hand relaxed, the pulse waa lost and she lay very still and white as I knelt there beside her couch, alone with death. What the Captain Saw. "I placed her hands across her breast, and, mechanically, I again looked at my watch; It was o'clock. As I rose to ray feet I heard the door open and tbe captain entered, followed by the first and second mates and two other officers.. The captain stepped to the side of tha bed and placed his hand on the child's fore head; then, turning to me, he aald: " 'I thought so!' And then he added: 'Doctor, I don't believe In ghosts and spirits and that sort of thing, and I don't think there are any of us here that do, but these men and myself have Just soen something that waa very queer, and It was so real and plain that there la no mistaking that we did sea It. " 'There waa a ball of blue Are,' he con tinued, 'Just like the St Elmo's flre In a thunderstorm, that appeared right over j our heads In the smoking room, and when we looked up at It the thing floated straight across the room to the door. There It hung for a second, turned to this direction and disappeared. When It had gone I said right away: "Boys, that little girl of ours Is dead!" "After sending for the stewardess to care for the body, I put on my sou'wester and went on deck and up to the bridge. I was worn and nervous with the long vigil In the sick room, where it was always hot and stuffy, and I wanted to get out and breathe some cool, fresh air, regard less of tha storm and the spray and the rain. Play of Llffhtnlnn- Balls. "As I reached the bridge the third mate, who waa on watch, came to me, and, be fore I had time to speak or to tell him of what had happened below, said quickly and with an air of suppressed excitement: " 'Say, Doc! are you superstitious?' "I assured him that I waa immune; not being altogether certain at tha time, how ever,, whether I really was or not. "Well, ha continued, "neither am I. At least I wouldn't want to be accused of It, but I Just saw something that has set me thinking quits sharp. "'About half an hour ago, I should say, I stood watching tha play of tha lightning balls around tha forepoak. There were several others, but this was the biggest tha biggest that I ever saw. Aa I looked It began to drop, followed the mast right down to the deck and disappeared. " 'I thought at first that It must be an optical Illusion, so I rubbed my eyes and looked aealn to the peak, but the light was gone. Now. I don't believe In signs and omens a little bit, but I'll admit I did about half wonder for a while if that was a forewarning that wa were to go to the bottom In something of tha aame style as that ball of lira had done. " 'Well, then while I stood there still wondering that ball of fire aeemed to coma right out of tha deck raise, up along the mast and aettla around the fore peak again. " 'Queer, though, but It only hung there a moment, and than It drifted right up Into tha clouds and disappeared. Strangest thing I aver saw I Can you offer any ex planation for such a queer freak? I can't.' "Yea I could and I couldn't) "I told him then In detail of the experi ence that I had had below, just as I have told It to you. "Ha heard me through, rested his chin In his hand a moment and then said sim ply: '"Oh. waa that It! I wish that I had known It at the time!' and walked away to tha binnacle. "I did not ask him why he would like to have known, but I wondered; Just aa I have often wondered about the weird and fascinating thing that I saw at tha bedside of tha dying child." New York Herald. 1 1 I Magnificent Quarter Sawed Oak Rocker 4.25 IS RECEIVED DY CUSTOMERS OF THE HAR.TMAN STORE E GIVE THE PEOPLE CREDIT of a HIGHER CHARACTER dignified, confidential credit. And we give them BETTER SERVICE more accomo dations and greater help. It's our desire to accommodate our customers we're anxious to do it. We make people feel free to call upon us for special favors. 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"Who led the children of Israel out of Egypt?" he asked. There waa no answer. Pointing to a little boy at tha end of !.lJ,...fa.t' h demanded a little crossly: Little boy, who led the children of Israel out of Egypt T The Utile boy waa ready to cry aa ha piped out with a quavering voice: "Please, sir It waan't me. We just moved here Uirt week. We're from Mlsaury."-The . Felt Mattress Oo t D AH Deliveries Made in Unlettered Wagons r . n hi i mi. Hiiiinyii ini Steel Range, $26.75 guaranteed for 5 years; complete with high warming closet, as shown In Illustration. This steel Range is a marvel for the money positively the best ever sold anywhere near the price. Has six large, full size 8-inch holes, has extra large square oven, is beautifully o r n a mented with nickel trimmings. TERMS $2.50 Cash. 50c Weekly mm lis- 27.50 Base Burner Extra size most durably constructed i powerful double heater many new features which add great ly to Its efficiency. 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"I've known Hamlet since he was a wee little tot, too small to know which end to start off on when he wanted to go aomewhere. Hamlet, yes,' that was hla name. Y' see, he was always dressed in a customary aull of solemn black, being a blacksnake, and when he was feeling soople he could a tall unfold as long as a bull whip. "Yea, sir, ha got to be so dependent on ma he followed me 'round like a calf. If I went out to make a call on a neighbor Hamlet would come In and festoon him self over the hatrack, happy In knowing I waa near, and hot summer nights he used to crawl down on the foot of my bed and keep my legs cool. Ha loved to do things Ilka that for me. He waa alwayr hunting up opportunities to save my life, but there waan't much chance here In old Fairfax county. T' aee, tha roads are too bad for automobiles. "Bu his faithfulness waa at last re warded, and poor Hamlet did save ma from a horrible death, though at the coat of his own life. I had been over to a matinee at tha opera house In Tidldl one afternoon, and on my way home I went back of tha car shops and took a short cut between the Union depot and the rolling mills along the main ' line of the railroad. About half way home the road curves around through a deep cut. As I gingerly stepped along the crosstles while Hamlet glided at my heela, watching for every possible danger that might threaten ma, I stumbled and fell. My head struck against tha rail, cutting my forehead deeply. Tha blow did not render ma un conscious, but It brought on a sudden and complete paralysis, and I lay there, prone across the rail, bleeding profusely, but without power to move a muscle. Poor Hamlet, deeply moved, came wriggling up and folded himself carelessly around me, stroking my brow with his tall and looking the sympathy he could not speak. That's one advantage a snake haa over a woman when It comes to nursing. "As I lay there, waiting to recover my power of motion, I suddenly heard the ap proach of the express train. Instantly tho full horror of my position flashed upon me, but no sooner than it did upon my faithful Hamlet. With an agonized look he began to uncoil his folds from about ma and for an Instant I feared that ne would leave me to my fate. The next moment I saw how cruelly I had .misjudged his noble na ture. With eyes filled with hope and de termination he dived Into my pocket, drew forth my handkerchief and an Instant later was mopping It with feverish haste in the blood that flowed from my wound. I lay looking on In bewilderment while the thun der of the express rolled rapidly nearer. Then, as Hamlet swiftly proceeded to knot the ends about his tatl, I knew he had conceived some marvelous plan of rescue, and I laughed with joy In my full con fidence In his subtle Intellect. With one last glance that seemed to say, 'Old fellow, you just put your monwy on the long one,' he swiftly hoisted his tall lp the air, push ing It higher and higher, until there he was standing on hia nose in the middle of the track Ilka a ballet dancer on tha tip of her toes, while six feet above him In the air was tha tip of his tall, and from It there fluttered wildly In tha wind the blood-red handkerchief that you couldn't have told from the danger Hag of a rear brakeman. "It must have been a terrible strain on his nervous system, let alone his muscles. and I was afraid he couldn't hold out, but tne next moment the engine came rocking round the curve at a flfty-mlle-an-hour rlt. There was a hiss of steam and a grating of brakes as the engineer, halted by Hamlet's red flag, reversed the engine and threw on the air. Hamlet, overcom by the tremendous strain, collapsed and .mi in a raint, with his body half across the rail, as the engine csme thlr.Hn. and atopped within a foot of me. but before it had cut poor Hamlet tn two." An a tear rolled down tha caDtatn's cheek aa he acratched a match on' tha Post' ,al n! r"t h'" p,p W"nl"rton Bea Want Ads for Business Boosters. Mow many of your customers are women? Women do most of the buying for the household; even for the buying of men's clothes their word usually goes as to where and what to buy. The "women folks read the advertise ments; they are as much interested in store prices as their husbands in mar ket reports; they are constantly study- 1 ing, where they can buy the best 'and most for their money. The Bee is the home paper; it is delivered early and the housewife reads it first. There are thousands of homes where no other paper is admitted, for good reasons. Advertisers can reach the women folks through The Omaha Evening Bee A clean and reliable newspaper for the home. lc-por copy 6c per week Delivered Within everybody ' reach reaches everybody. Made of solid oak, elepant finish, made special ly for ns and or superior quality. The top measures 44x28 Inches. This table Is made under our own supervision and Is thoroughly guaranteed In every particular: has lnrice, spacious drawer,' extra mxsHlve legs and large broad stretcher shelf, below. .