The Osceola times., 1876-01-22
"MOther's Boy" at Sea.

but his mother often felt that Mother's
Boy" was growing out of her reach. He
had been brought up at her side. IL
gave her little pang to see him restive
when she tried to keep him there. And
il must be said when Barry climbed up
to the ledge called the white Boar,'
and sat looking off on the ocean, he had
a vague longing to be out on that lovely
sheet of water, shining in the sun, tum-
bling into bright green waves, and stretch
ing so far down to the sunset, where the
rays blurred out the horizon. Some
where beyond that crystal gate in the
south was his fathers big ship--sailing
among the spice islands, may be; or
gliding by shores where strange birds
and beasts and painted savages were
dotted along, as in the pictures of geo
graphy. The Sagadunk fishermen used
to go out of the harbor early in the morn
ing and return late at night. Barry
sometimes saw them from his chamber
window as he dressed himself at sunrise
| They spread their sails like wings the
soft morning breeze sprang up; and 80
they sailed away and disappeared down
the far-of horizon. They seemed to sail
into the sky. One day, Barry privately
inquired Of "Old Kutch," who was a
famous fisherman of Sagadunk, if he
ever saw his fathers ship, the Flying
Fish, out at sea. The old fisherman
said "Never, 50 far as knowed Of"
| which was not satisfactory TO Master
Barry. He thought that cold Kutch"
must see the whole world when he got
below that dim horizon. Il know my
papa's ship, and if were to 60 with you
! might show her to you, and find my
papa" said Barry. Old kutch laughed
But your mar wouldn't let you go 80
far away, my little man." Barry's coun-
tenance fell, but he explained: " "She
would be so glad if brought back my
papa, that she wouldn't care if did go
without her knowing it." Barry was on
dangerous ground for "Mother's Boy"
After many mysterious talks and move
ments, which took several days. Old
Kutch agreed that Master Barry should
get up early some fine morning, and steal
away to the boat at the wharf At
night, Barry scarcely slept at all and
when he dreamed it was of curious and
often frightful sights in foreign lands.
When day broke, he was in such haste
that he scarcely dressed himself. He
might have gone out at the door but
creeping past his mothers chamber, he
got out by the hall window, stole down
through the orchard, scrambled over the
stone wall, slid down the bank, and was
soon ON board the Polly Ann, COM
manded by Capt. Kutch. 1t was a great
adventure. He was going to sea in
search of his father. His heart was
little heavy when he looked back at the
old farmhouse where he had left his
mother. But the Polly Ann was under
way, and, with curious sort Of feeling
in his throat, he watched the village fade
away. He was at sea. II would not be
pleasant for me to tell you of all the
troubles that befell Master Barry that
day. In the first place he was very
hungry; and he ate great deal of a
nice luncheon which one of the fisher
men produced from a big basket, strangely
like one of his mammals. Then, when
he had satisfied his hunger, his luncheon
did not agree with him at all. He
felt very queer. Everything seemed
going around. His stomach was all in a
whrl. He was sea-sick, and he lost all
interest in what was going on about him.
The Polly Ann was very lively, and, al
though she was anchored on the fishing
grounds, she bounced about at a great
rate, The sun was hot, and, as Barry
looked over the bulwark where he lay,
he saw nothing but horrid, tumbling
waves everywhere. No land in sight,
unless a low cloud on the dull, gray hori-
zon were land. He was home-sick; and
if he cried silently behind the il-smell-
ing tarpaulin that screened him, do not
think any Of my boy readers should
laugh at him. have been in just such
plight, and probably did just as Barry
did. What was worse, there was no sign
of the Flying Fish, or anything that
looked like her. Once in while, a brown
sail crept up from the horizon, driitcd
along against the sky, and melted away
into the dim distance. It was "a Down
Fast coaster loaded with lime" old Hutch
would say, unless he was too busy with
his fish TO say anything. Barry only
wanted TO get home once more. Oh,
what will my poor, dear mamma sayg' he
moaned. "You oughter thought of that
afore," Capt. Kutch made answer. And
20 he should have. Meantime, was Mrs.
Dingle going up and down the beach,
crying out for her Mothers Boy y
Strange to say, she was doing nothing of
the sort. She sat at the gable window
that overlooked the sea, and, as she sewed
or read, she glanced out over the sap
phire waters of the bay, and over the
shining waves that rippled toward the
sunset as brightly and silvery as though
there was no such thing rs sea-sickness
and discomfort in all the world. She
was possibly thinking of the heb and her
willful duckling. That night, when the
stars came out and the Polly Ann drifted
up Sagadunk harbor, the most tried,
weary and hvme-sick little chap you ever
heard of, scrambled out into the small
boat which was to take him ashore. Mrs.
Dingle, somehow, happened to be on the
| landing; and when Barry jumped into
her arms and cried, "I couldn't find
papa % she only hugged him tight and
whispered, Mothers Boy" II seemed
an age to Barry since he had been gone.
The familiar little bed, with its blue
and-whte check cover, looked like an old
friend from foreign parts; and the holly
hooks in the parlor fireplace were frcsher
and brighter by cand,e-light than any
hollyhocks he ever saw. ! need not tell
you how Barry settled affairs with his
mamma. When he found Old Kutch,
after that, one leisure day ashore, that
venerable skipper asked him when he
proposed going again on voyage OF dis
I coyery. Barry replied: al shall not be