The Disappearance Of Father Hughes

“A cold April this year.” Said Mrs. Jessica Hare to herself as the rabbit pulled her coat a bit tighter around her. A cold year meant more expensive produce. To make matters worse, the North Woods was no longer state land that one could argue was the town commons and forage from. No, now it was Federal land. A grand time for all, having an easy food supply taken away from them under penalty of law.

As the young woman walked near the edge of her former berry bushes she spotted the current town preacher Father Séamus Hughes observing the recently posted sign reminding the island’s residents about the new situation with the woods. An Irish Badger, Father Hughes had come to the island only two years prior. While the island only had a few Catholics on it, most of the population had no issue stopping by to listen to the good word. Once one got past the prayers being in Latin, the man was kind and brought an odd sort of joy with his sermons that Jessica knew her protestant ancestors would not appreciate.

Raising a hand to her muzzle she called out to him. “Good morning Father. I hope you’re warm enough today.” The badger looked up, seemingly shaken out of his thoughts. He turned and gave a great big grin toward his fellow islander. “Ah, Jessica Hare. How is the husband? Has he finally gotten your eldest to start his time as a book keeper?”

Jessica gave a bit of a sigh. “No, not yet. That boy just wants to fish or work on catching lobster. Honest work but not exactly the normal family trade.” With a glance over at the just out of reach berries in the woods she added. “Are you thinking of grabbing a handful of nature’s bounty before the law comes? Everything past the forest’s ridge is government owned now.”
Father Hughes just shook his head no and held out some flowers in his left hand. “Actually I’ve been collecting these. For the flower pressing that I try to give out during Easter.” He glanced down at the few blossoms he had plucked from the earth. “Afraid the weather hasn’t been very good so far for what I need. I know I shouldn’t go north but I’m sure the land won’t mind a few wild flowers going missing.”

Mrs. Hare just gave the badger a wink. “I know, I won’t tell a soul.” Giving him just a little bit of teasing smile she added. “Maybe a trip to confession and all will be right later.” The Father gave a laugh at her good natured ribbing and rested his hands back into his pockets. “Well I’ll keep that suggestion in mind. Now you run along before you catch your death of cold.” Taking the badger’s advice, she gave a wave and then turned to head home. A smile of content on her face as she mused over the thought that she was blessed to have such neighbors to keep her heart warm even during the coldest of springs.

April 5th 1925. The island’s priest Father Séamus Hughes was been declared missing by the residents of Durr’gan Island. After he didn’t appear at the morning mass, a few of parishioners went to check on him to see if he had gotten sick and needed care. They found his door unlocked, his belongings undisturbed and the fixings for a good lunch prepped still from presumably from the day before.
Father Hughes was a hearty man who had no enemies that the locals could think of so fowl play wasn’t the first conclusion. After a bit of discussion one islander suggested that perhaps he had gone into town for a personal reason and either had forgotten to leave a note saying that mass was cancelled. With no telephone or telegraph systems on the island, two of the men took a fishing boat and rowed to the mainland to see if there had been any sighting of him around Handcock County. Other townsfolk checked around the edges of The North Woods looking for signs of disturbed wilderness that might show that he had gone into it the forest and had gotten stuck somewhere.

By late afternoon both groups had found nothing. Mrs. Jessica Hare by now had heard that the priest had gone missing and relayed that she had seen him the day before and that it sounded like he might be planning on venturing into the newly christened preserve for his flower pressings. With no Forest Rangers or other government staff yet on the island, the people took it upon themselves to search deeper into the land even if it was meant to be off limits.

Armed oil lanterns and hand drawn maps of the area, the able bodied men of the island split into teams of four and did their best to find the missing man of God but as night came and the cold early April weather cut through the men’s coats, the hunt was given up and all parties went home to rest. For two more days the island searched but no trace of Father Hughes was found.

He is listed as the first official missing person at Durr’gan Island. No investigation was ever officially opened into his disappearance as the Sheriff at the time declared that there was no proof of a crime having taken place. People for a while kept an eye out if they went into the North Woods for any signs of remains but in time a new preacher took hold in the old church and the memory of the loss faded from conversations.