The Warner weekly sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1885, 1885-07-31
The Captains Story.
Kennev. in Morning Star.

his keen blue eyes on the boy VINO
stood before him.
What do you want to 90 TO sea
forp' he asked.
TO have a good time" answered
the boy promptly.
..Wbat's your name?" asked the
captain.
'.Willie Harrison"
DO your mother and father know
YOU arc going to sea?' asked the cap.
tain.
The boys face flushed. He hung
his head and did not answer this last
question,
Il thought as much" said the cap
tain, reading his answer in the bows
face. You look to me like a boy that
is running away from home. Now.
Won have probably been reading books
about sailors that have made yoC be.
licye they have nothing but an easy
time and lots of fun. These books
have Saiu nothing about hard work
and storms. Ii you will take nv adj
vice, my boy, you will 90 right back
home again, and not leave it again in
thi. way. Wait till YOU are older and
wiser before YOU decide on your cali.
ing for life. When | was a boy about
your size | did the same thing. Iran.
away from home and shipped on a
vessel without telling my mother what
Imcant to do. | left a note telling
her thatI would write when we reached
a port. / thought what a grand thing
10 pes sailor, butt w q soon nndneeiyed.
We had scarce left port before | would
have given anything in the world to
get home again. / had plenty of hard
work to do, with many a taste of the
ropes end if | failed to please. Sick
ol we'll, / had TO work. and even when
ibid my best the mate swnre at me for
a lazy lubber. / used to CRY myself to
sleep many a night thinking of home
and the dear mother / had run away
from. ] knew what a foolish boy /
had been, but that did not help the
matter.
AT last there came a terrible storm.
The waves seemed to me TO tower up
like mountains, and they looked as If
they would swallow us up. Our sails
we're torn in shreds and the masts were
broken.
I'VE must take to the boats the
captain said she is sinking fast
The boats were hastily lowered,
and then the men crowded into them
as fast as they could, each one push.
ing forward as fast as possible, lest
there should not be room for all.
Give wayi' shouted the captain;
and the men bent to their oars.
Don't 90 without me-! | screamed
as saw hat theV had deserted me,
but my call was in vain. The roar of
the storm drowned my voice, and the
men were too intent on saving them
selves to heed me.
The vessel was very neal the Snore
when she was wrecked, and | thought
perhaps the men might have intended
to return for me. but as | saw the lit
tie boats tossing on the ware like
empty shells, / feared that they would
not be willing to face them again tc
save me. ! was without friend or
helper save One.
Very earnestly / prayed that God
would spare my life and let me see my
home again.
Il saw a wave approaching which
looked as if it would surely engulf the
vessel, and clasping IN empty hen
coop which was on deck, | awaited its
coming. / felt it sweep me from the
deck, and | chung to the coop with all
my strength, knowing that it would
keep me afloat at any rate.
Two or three times | almost lost
my hold, but at last my life-preseryeI
was thrown upon the beach, and kind
hands saved me from the water. God
had answered my prayer and merci-
fully spared my life. When ! was
well enough 1 wrote to my mother,
telling her of my escane and asking
her forgiveness for leaving her. did
not receive an answer and it was some
time before / was able to get apassage
home.
When at last / reached my native
place / found the house empty and
closed, and weeds growing every
where in the once well-kept garden
My mother had died of a broken heart
when, as she supposed, | had perished
with the wreck Ny letter had been
too late.
Now. my boy, You have heard my
story. Will you profit by it? Will you
take my advice and 60 back to your
motherpn
Yes, sir answered Willie.
The romance he had fancied IN 2
sailor life was offset by the sad story
he had just heard, and he was sensible
enough to profit by it and return to
his home and his parents before it was
too late.