The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1877-05-24

VI I91Qy 0p0I4 IL W1ulcEs XucS0 yOuO
not like it so we'll then. For my part, I
never see why people set such store by
the boating. I'm sure cant see the
sense in it, and I haven't been in boat
for nftecn year, would you l,elieye7 - >'=-~'
@"Is it possible! Why do. you dislike
boating SO much?"
"Well, I never did like it, but was in
boat once too often, and I've kept out of
them since.' =.
II tell my wife," said Captain Wilson,
If she wants to see the sense in boats
she'd better be down at the shore in big
nor'easter in winter, and see the wreckers
60 out to vessel and bring to land the
whole crew safe"
Our conversation then turned to the
wreckers, and their work on this danger
GUS coast, and many evenings after that
the old sailor entertained us with &C.
counts of his adventures at sea and in the
wrecking service. But I did not forget
Mrs. Wilson's allusion to an adventure of
her own, and one night toward the end Of
my visit I referred to it, and again asked
her why she had not been in boat for so
long a time.
SWELL" she replied, II was ina boat
once when I had too much Of it. I
wouldn't be paid to 60 in one now. But
that's long story"
"Tell the story then by all MEANS"
"But you won't think it's much Of a
story after ALL" Mrs. Wilson said, ener-
getically, "but something I'll never for
get as long as live. 1t was about fifteen
years ago, this next November, that got
word my sister was very sick and they
wanted me to come over at once and see
her. She lived then nearly opposite our
landing on the other side of the river
maybe you've noticed that white house
back among the trees. Well, my hus-
bahd wasn't home-he'd gone to the vii
lage, and didn't dare wait till he'd get
back. So I left word for him that I'd be
home for supper, gave the baby into the
care Of the hired girl and started across
the river with my Oldest boy, Ned. He
was about twelve years old. It was three
o'clock then, and I remember thinking
we'd be back by tea time. We got over
safe enough, for Ned pulled strong oar
and the wind was in our favor. l found
my sister very low, and stayed with her
till near six o'clock, for couldn't bear to
leave her. But at last we started home,
for I knew they'd be expecting us back
for supper.
"When we came out of the house it
was nearly dark, and there was such a
thick fog we could hardly see an arms
length before us. If it hadn't been for
my baby I'd have turned back; as it was,
wanted to ask one of the neighbors to
go over with us. But Ned wouldn't hear
to it; he insisted he could row back as
we'll as not, and if he pulled steady il
was easy enough to keep straight line
across. So we got into the boat and
pushed off,
"What sort of boat was it," I asked
"Why, one of those little fiat-bottomed
boats, you know. never did like to &c,
in one of them, they tip over so easy,
Well, at first could see Ned rowing stea.
dy, but the fog seemed to grow thicker
and thicker, creeping up from the sea till
it had spread over the flats and wrapped
round us so at last could not make out
even the outline of my boy. For q
while we talked little, but after that
just sat still, thinking of my poor sis.
ter.
II guess nearly an hour must have
passed, when noticed Ned was rowing
slow and sort Of irrcgular-I could moi
tell by the sound of the oars-and
asked him if he didn't think we were near
home.
"We'd ought to be, mother says he
and knew from the way he spoke he
was tired and worried. He stopped row.
ing now and stood up in the boat.
"'I can't make out the shore; can you?
says he; but couldn't see anything but
the blackness all around. I could hear
the water tapping against the side of the
boat and the noise Of the breakers-and
they weren't very far away. That fright
ened me.
"Then Ned began to row again, but as
if he was tired and discouraged, and soon
stopped.
"'1 can't row any more, MOTHER says
he, the tides against us. I don't make
an inch, and can't find out where we
are.'
"'You'll have to rest and then try
again, Ned says I. If I could help you
row would, but you know I can't. just
try little more, and we'll soon get to
Shore He didn't answer, and we sat
still; but I knew by the motion of the
boat that we were drifting. / knew, too
that it was ebb-tide, and there was a
strong current towards the sea. You've
noticed, haven't you, what strong cur
rent there is in some parts Of the river?
! "'Ned,' I said in few minutes, trying
hard to speak cheerful and not let him
know how anxious I felt, you must make
one more effort, few more pulls will
surely bring us to land.' So Ned took
the oars once more, and pretty soon, to
our great relief, we felt the bottom of the
boat scrape against the sand, and another
stroke Of the oar brought us to land So
! Ned took the oars once more, and pretty
soon, to our great relief, we felt the bot
tom of the boat scrape against the sand,
and another stroke Of the oar brought us
to land. Ned got out and began to haul
the boat up, but Immediately cried out:
s It amt our shore at all? I declare if we
amt by Captain Moorc'sr That was a
few rods below where we started from.
The boat had turned round, most likely
pulled away by the current, and here we
were farther than ever from home.
"What odo didn't know. Ned was
tired out and I was afraid to venture
with him alone again. Atlast I proposed