The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-02-14
Adrift on the Ocean.

Adolphus Parker, a boy sixteen years
old, who sailed on the schooner Twi
light, craft of moderate tonnage which
traded along the Jersey coast for short
distances, and occasionally ran through
the Sound, had fortunate rescue, after
passing through a startling experience.
The New York World says: Wednes-
day night, at an early hour, he made
himself snug in his bunk forward, and
went soundIy to sleep. The Twilight
at the time was moored to the wharf in
Atlantic City, where she had just dis
charged cargo of pine lumber, and was
about to take in part cargo of country
hams and fire-clay, bound to Wiegletie-
gnock. Nobody was on board of her ex-
cept the boy, who was left to keep an
eve out. About midnight he was awak-
ened by the violent motion of the vessel
1t was exactly as if she we're at sea, and
thinking himself half asleep and dream
ing, young Parker pinched himself to
get awake, and laid his ear to the skin p"
of the vessel to listen, when he heard
the swash of water running high, and
knew that he was adrift. Running on
deck without stopping to put on his
| clothes, he cast his eyes about and to his
terror found himself on the open sea.
The cable by which the schooner had
been moored was old, and had parted
under the strain of the vessel.
Parker went below again and dressed
himself, not knowing what to do. The
mainsails were too heavy for him to run
up alone, and the jibs had been unbent
for repairs. There was no food on board
with the exception of several pieces of
sea biscuit, which the boy, growing
hungry later, found after long search.
There was no way to make a fire. The
lad scraped together enough loose ma
terial and put it into the old stove in
the gallery, but then he found that there
were no matches on board, and after
laborious attempts he was unable to gel
spark to ignite the pile. When the
morning came ON he was so tired that he
fell asleep and slept until almost noon
He saw the shore about six miles away
but did not recognize it. Several crafts
came in sight during the day, but Away
: at too great distance for him to attrac
attention from them. At night he hat
terrible time. Cold and hungry, h'
! only fell asleep, after hours of waking
and watching, late in the afternoon o
the following day. Friday night, Will
: he was still asleep. the schooner driftet
f ashore at Brigantine Beach, ten mile
below, and young Parker was foun'
coiled up under a mass of clothes an
p old sails-safe, if not altogether well
! As no tidings had been heard from him
! it was believed the schooner had drifte
! out and foundered in the storm.
> BURLINGTON Ha,ok-Eye: Yesterda
morning forlorn cricket that had bee
tempted out of doors by the war;
weather of the preceding days was shi7
= ering along the street, looking at a chea
secondhand ulster and wishing he wei
s home, when he met wasp that had bee
, locked out during the fall hous
= cleaning.
It al am almost frozen," said th
e cricket; my hands are fairly numbe
g with cold"
;. "Put them in my coat-tail pockets,
;, replied the wasp, cheerfully, can
Il warm them.'
n The cricket did so, and the wasp in
mediately warmed him with the in
S, proved heating machinery located
r the afer part Of his system. The crick'
# merely pausing to remark that there a.
l. peared to be cayenne pepper mani
lr factory in the neighborhood, crawle
y under the plank walk to die, while tt
,e wasp, who was fond of his little jok
l. went away singing merrily, "Com
l, come away to the try-sting place"