New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-12-10
THE ROMANCE OFCUHuANDER GORRINGE'S
BOYHOOD.
From HE Clicago Tribune.

Prom The (HicugO Tribune.
He IS descended from ancient swedish family
named GOrDgs. HIS father went 10 the Barbados
Immediately atter taking his degree at Oxford. ana
there settled down As clergyman OF the Church OF
England lie married the daghter OF fellow
clergyman and 10 was in this charming sea-nOme
that tho two young people reared their hye chill
dren. They had everything heart could Wish for
position, meaus, health and prosperity. he worst
troubles they had % encounter were vicarlOus-iOr
they suffered only through their parishloners-and
their days OF loy grew 10 months and years, and
still the sun shOne.
The first jar came when the second boy, Harry,
walked into his fathers study one dIy aud an
nOunced that he could not stand school gong 0ut
must be a sailor, adding with the honesty that
has never left hun:
- / tell you. papa, because, if you do not let NE
90, | Will run away.
Mr Gorrnge thought it over, and next morning
had talk with the boy out OF which grew the toll
lowing treaty: He TO return TO school and STAY
one year, which would bring MIN to the age OF
fourteen then. If he still felt his happiness lay in
ilie. he was to be shipped with IIiend OF ms
fathers to learn his chosen pro iessiUn. The sub
ect was then dropped. and matters went on so
quietly that Mr.. GOrringe forgot all about It. Not
50 the boy ; the last day Of the year OF proba-
ton, he went TO bis fat her and quietly SAID;
The year Is up. papa
What year, my boyT
"My year OF waiting; and now want to go to
sea"
Poor gentleman He went IN dismay 10 his wife
-as the wsest man will do when family puzzles
arlse-and 1t was decided in solemn cOnlaye TO
send the boy a sailocng under captain who
would disgust nun with Sca-llle once ana IOTeNeT.
vessel was in from England commanded by an
Old CONNER cal friend OF the pastor; and to hun he
unloiGed the case. lie shipped his son as cabin
boy and after putting sum of money and KIT
of stOre-clOthes IN the captains charge, babe
adieu TO him and went home heavy hearted.
Captain Gorringe says his first taste OF seal
came IS ne hung over the rail- with lump IN his
throat and looked aud looked at his home. AS he
gazed at it through a haze OF tears that twisted
and distorted its outlines into all sorts OF fantastic
shapes, a rough hand took him by the ear, and
rough foot Kicked him forward with an oath
garnshed order To 90 aloit or else take taste OF
ropes eud. Alter this he dld see sea-llte In lts
most trying phases but reached England undls-
may ed. and was there arrested by ms uncle and
shut no until letter from the West Indies assured
him that his nephew had not run away. and that
the Whole social system OF the Barbados had not
gone 20 wreck even though it, pastors sOl was
shipped a sailor before the mast on merchant
man. ,
sailed but the plucky boy enlisted on another and
started for India. on the Congo coast a wonderful
meteor wac seen, and the crew became almost un-
manned by an unreasOnlng superstition thaJ TOOK
POSSESSION of them. They waited lstlessly the mis-
fortune which an old fOrecastle hand said was I'M
pending.
sell which dsma,ted her and sent her scuddlng
under bare stumps through sea so Wild that
many OF the men let go their mold OF nope ana
never thought To see the stars again But the hull
waloWed through somehow, the gale blew Itself to
sbreds and a week alter saw her, with jury masts
rigg-d and torn sall-cnds set, working slowly up
toward the coast OF HlndOostan
Night-watches were told OF, but somehow they
were badly kept; and so it CHANGED that IN the
luminous darkness of q tropical night the ship
went on a rock and broke her backbone clean in
two There only time to snatch few ratiOns
and put of from the wreck before sue sid into her
grave. On reaching shore the captain took one
look at the spot where his honor mad gone down,
and, turning his face TO England, blew his brains
out with the only firearms IN the party. grave
In the sand was scOOped for him, and the crew
started up along the shore-line. There were
twelve men aud the little English boy.
The DAYS heat drove them into the jungle, and
their marches we're forced and slow for night
brought out death in a hundred dreadful forms,
and they Obliged 70 move 10y light. They
found no food except the grass and herbs and some
poi Soned berries which last left two Of the men
with blackened faces turned to the brazen sky.
Three others were Frustrated oy disease brought
on by the uncOngenial food, and had to be left to
die.
one day. when their number was reduced to
seven. they met tiger face TO face In the forest
The great cat crouched at them, throwing its head
from side 70 side, and purring; but second after
second passed, and 1t did not spring they stood
scarcely daring to breathe; aud finally to their
stalked of into the " Gods.
To make the story short, they worked along the
coast until they reached a village OF natives
among. whom an English missionary had settled.
He hearing that brother clergyHans u was
represented among the castaways. hasJeuei To vel
come them and provide them with food aud CLOTH
ing.
self sufficiently to hun a passage home in an
American schooner that was bound Tor cuba with
a load of fruit Our boy was landed at home sA
months from the time he left it's shelter and after
the first week again calmly announced bis nten-
ton OF following the sea as a profession His lsh
was gTatlhed, aud he rose steadily from rank 10
rank until. when he nineteen years old, ne
found himself in New-lurk HarbOr at the end Oh
CT use, with the offer OF a ship the next voyage