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About The Coos Bay times. (Marshfield, Or.) 1906-1957 | View Entire Issue (March 13, 1915)
CfcMUMlfcMMWMlIMfc 4 MiJJ' -WM MI'WI" ni? IIOME AND FARM StAGAZINE SECTION 5 13 I The Mystery iiy u c. NOTnua YEARS ago, on tlio old cnnnl that cxtcmlcil from Chicago to tho Illinois Ulvcr, Blood n small vil lage by the nanio of Bllusnl. It was long boforo tho Chicago Drainage Cnnnl was talked of or ovon thought of. In tho village lived u Mr. Mason. Ho hml but ono child, n boy of moro than ordinary Intelligence This lad was bright, actlvo and Industrious. Ho excelled his nlaymntos In every thing, leading In their sports as well as In claBswork. Ho grow to man hood with hut few rivals In anything, ho wished to undortuke. Having llttlo opposition, and over coming thnt llttlo so readily, caused him to liavo nn exalted opinion of himself, which Increased with his age. Ho thought with his Biipcrlor faculties, that ho could lead a dual ilfo bo noblo and ninuly when In tho society of good pcoplo, and tho ro- vcrso when with bad pcoplo. But ho fell and foil quickly, an tho bright young man so often does when at tempting to lead a llfo of sin. Young Mason entered his father's storo when 21 years of ugo. When ho reached tho ago of 22, his father wns bankrupt from tho otfects of his son's Intemperance- and dishonesty. There bolnc a good opening In cnnal work at that time, tho boy sought employ ment as steersman. Ho foreswore drinking and by dint of pcrsovcrcncc, was soon ono of tho leading nion of tho cnnnl, with a captnln's commis sion; but his reformation was of short duration. In less than a yoar'B titno from receiving his commission ns cap tain, ho had beguiled an innocent girl into being his mistress with the" prom iso of marriage as soon as ho should bo released from work long enough to niako tho necessary preparations for an extended wedding tour. It wns tho samo old story of a strong mnn tempting an innocent girl, with tho samo result n wrecked and ruined life, l'rctty Elslo Couway hnd been on board tho Sherman about threo months, as tho wlfo of Captain Mason, when she suddenly disap peared. Thero woro many sly, winks and nods and "I told you bo'b" among tho old boatmen. Tho report got abroad that pretty Klslo Mason had left tho captain, but thero was not n man that was thoroughly acquainted with tho captain who boliovcd his story, thnt alio had gouo away with another man. Things went along ns usual for sumo time, although a great many suspected foul play. Ono stormy night Captain Mason's boat, the Sherman, was rounding tho bend which Is near tho central purt of tho canal, when tho steersman, George Wilson, by n vivid flash of lightning, chanced to sco a woman standing on tho brldgo.of tho boat. Thero was no womnn on board tho boat, ho thought, so ho attributed it to his Imagination. He waited for another flush, and, suro enough, thero sho stood, hor hair streaming out In tho wind, tho rain dripping from her face. Ho could not lcavo tho helm, so ho shouted to tho captain, who ramo out immediately. Thoy stood and waited for another flash, which camo nil too soou for tho captain, for when It did como and ho beheld tho woman standing on tho bridge, still as a statuo, ho staggered back and would bavo fallen, hnd It not been for Wilson's timely aid. "My God I It is Klslo Conway's ghost!" wns all ho could soy. All hands were, roused and tho cap tain was carried into tho cabin and revived with brandy. Flvo miles further on tho boat was struck by lightning nnd partially de stroyed hut was soon repaired nnd put In commission again. Tho bend wbcro Wilson had first seen tho ghost of Elsie Conway was over" afterward termed "Ghost Bend." Before six weeks hnd passed ovory boatman on tho canal wns familiar with tho story of "Ohost Bond." Oeorgo Wilson nnd Alox Wilson, brothers, wero tho steersmen on tho Sherman. A short timo after tho Sherman was put in commission again sho was ordered to carry a cargo of coal from Chicago to La Sallo. Tho night of tho third day found them near Ghost Bend. A storm was com Ihb up. Alox Wilson wns nt tho helm. He had not boon awakened tho night they had seen tho ghost. Ho pad laughed at his brother and told mm it was all imagination. Ho even went so far as to say that ho did not uellove thoy had soon anything. A few minutes boforo thoy camo 10 the B)0t where hn nhnat hnd an. peared, tho captain camo on deck. o was much worried. "Wilson. I can t sleep tonight and I thought I'd como out nnd chat awhllo," ho said. Wm out in this Btorm to chat? You of Ghost Bend must ho fond of rain," was tHo reply. Tho storm incrensod in violence, flnsh after flash, whilo tho thunder novcr ceased to roll. Suddenly Wil son felt tho captnln's grasp on his nrm, whllo nt tho samo time ho ex claimed: "Look Wilson! For God's sako, what wns tlmt7" pointing towards tho team that was steadily following l" "'"I'iiih. wiison iookcu in tho direction Indlcnted. Thero, behind tho team, seemingly sitting on tho towllnc, wns Klslo Conway. Sho was dressed tho samo ns" before; her hair streaming down her back nnd tho water dripping from her face. Wilson's hair begnu to ralso; his breath camo hnrd; tho cold sweat stood on his brow. Flvo successive flashes sho remained tho same. Then for the spneo of a few seconds there was no flash. Whon another camo Klslo Conwny was not there. "My God! O, my God! Will that streaming hnlr and dripping fnee con tinue to torment mo forever?" and Mason fell lnscuslblo at Wilson's feet. ino lowuno parted and It wns de cided to wait until tho storm had sub sided boforo thoy proceed. At mid night tho storm cleared away and Gcorgo Wilson took tho helm. Tho moon came, out, flooding tho night with a soft and mollow light, seldom equaled In Northern Illinois- It wns such a beautiful night and so light thnt it looked ns If the stars could glvo nil the light needed. Tho Sherman was scarcely undci; ncnuwny wncn tno steersman saw tho form of Klslo Conwny on tho hrldeo again. This timo sho nppeared to bo moving toward tho cabin. Soon sho Btoppcd before tho cabin and hesi tated. Georgo Wilson tried to speak to her. His tonguo refused to act. Ho could not utter a sentence. Elslo stood ns If meditating for a fow mo ments, then turned nnd walked past Wilson to tho stern of tho boat and disappeared. An hour later tho coal wns, discov ered to ho on flro. Tho flro was ex tinguished by flooding the hold. Tho damago was considerable. Captain Mnson reported a fire, origin, spon taneous combustion. In speaking of It to Wilson, later on, ho romnrked thnt ho know ho had reported a He, for It was tho hand of fate that had started tho flro with tho intention of destroying him for his past wick edness. Other boats wero visited by tho ghost but nouo curao In such closo contact as tho Sherman. A month nfter tho Sherman un londed her coal nt La Sallo, Captain Mason wns arrested for murder. Thoro was no ovldonco against htm other thnn that of tho two Wilsons nnd thole's consisted mainly In tell ing of Mason's exclamations on see ing tho ghost. Mason, not being nblo to account for Klslo Conway's disap pearance, was convicted of murdor and sentenced to tho penitentiary for 20 years. On hearing tho sentence ho broke down and confessed nil. Ho told how ho had thrown her Into tho cnnnl ono Btormy night to keep from 'marrying hor after ho had ruined her, how sho looked when tho lightning flushed ns she camo to tho surface, with hor hnlr streaming out nnd her fnco dripping, nnd how when tho lightning flashed again, alio was no whore to bo seen. Two days after tho sentence wns passed, tho Sherman was rounding Ghost Bend. Suddenly tho driver came to a halt. Ho called for a lino to fnstcn tho boat. The captain, now Oonrac Wilson, came on deck and asked what he wanted to fasten tho boat for. "Thnt ghost is lying up hore under a treo," wns tho reply. Tho boat was mado fast and tho crow went forward nnd there In tho shndo of n largo walnut treo lay tho body of Elslo Conwny, not her ghost, hut her real body. Near by was found a small cave In which sho had lived, nlso tho romalns of nn Infant. Thero was no writing, nothing to toll how sho had lived or how she hnd saved herself from drowning. All hnt romnlnn a. mvstery. Captain Mason novcr reached tho prison. Tho train wrecked near Jollot, and among tho dead was Cap tain Mnson. i t Paying for Cream A general practlco of paying for cream according to Its quality on the part of a creamery should provo very helpful In emphasizing Uio desirabil ity of producing only good, sweet cream. Jinny creameries luuow uuw practlco of establishing two or moro grades, paying a premium of 1 to 3 cents for sweet crenm with a clean flavor, as compared with sour cream with oleaii flavor and sour iiavor nnu sour creum t.t...t .lnn flM'nn UMian allnll atfttl dords of qiiullly ar established it is found that a premium of soverol cents a pound Is easily obtnincd for tho product made from the cream or superior quality. When such stan dards are not npplicd thoro Is no par ticular incentive for the careful, pnlnstaklng dairyman, whllo on tho other linnd thoro Is every opportuni ty both for tho careful dairyman and tho ambitious buttcrmaker, a gen eral elevating and perfecting of tho Industry all along tho Hue and a hardship on no one. i A Katie. The followlng's an alleirorv Or Just a fnlto nowopnper story, Or, If you keep Insisting:, I Will own up that It's Just a lie. soia wrong to night: Let's compro mise. Sugar boats vinegar catching flics. You yield a point, and I'll yield ono; And everything- will smoothly run. Vo'll save a lot of useless fuss, And It will proilt both of us." Said night: "My rulo has been for long Never to compromise with "Wrong." "All right," said Wrong-. "Just spare rebukes. . We'll fight It out. Put up your dukes." And so they fought. And say, that flBht Was worth the prlco all right, all right. night suro was strong, his blows ter rific; Hut Wrong was much more scientific; And thon, besides, to savo his pelt, Ho often hit below tho belt: Though, If this tnle wore strictly truo. 1 d have to own that night fouled, too. Wrong- soon a bad black optla got; Uut, used to that, ho minded not. A valiant knight of evil he. IAlll long ho foucllt nml Htllhhnrnlv Ho showed that ho was In nno fettle, A fooman worthy of night's mettle. And by and by night's eyes grew dim, Wrong knocked him down and sat on him. Said lllght and struggled to arlso: "Say, itr. Wrong, let's compromise." 1 ho moral now, and then wo'Il stop: It makes a difference who's on top. Walter O .Uoty. War. Wo give our children drums to beat Ileforo they atnnd upon their feet; Wo glvo them swords and soldiers gay, And at the game of war they play. o bend tho twig of humankind. et marvel If tho treo's Inclined. Karly wo learn that might Is right, That llfo Itself Is ono long nght. This world's a battlefield, wo teach; Huslucss IsVar a common spesch. a bash our brother on the nose, let weep If nations como to blows. Our poems and pictures, books and plays The doughty deeds of warriors praise. Our niodo of'spooch, our modo of Ufa Are echoes of tho ancient Mrlfe. .... ..U..IVU uicnn an muiiaire, et 'wur's a horrible affair." Chicago Trlbuno. Slightly Used Musical Instruments at Hall Send for Literature Free Full lino of all makes of cornets, trombones, brasHcs. stringed In struments, piano and organs lit first-class condition at half price. when "ttng.8,,Umo"t you wnnt McCurdy Music Co. Cmnniuu'.trultli Hide, rorilaml, Or. misintvi: SALMON DAY JlAUCIl 12TII I'l.APi: voirit OltllKIl NOW U-OIl A I'l.MJ I'AT 7 TO O-MI. 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