National Republican., 1885-06-06
THE CAPTAINS STORY.


Say, captain, do you want boy2"
The old captain looked up and fixed
his keen blue eyes on the boy who stood
before him.
what do you want TO go to sea forY"
he asked
"To have a good time" answered the
boy promptly.
What's your name2' asked the cap
tain.
willie Harrison"
"Do your mother aud father know you
arc going to seaT asked the captain.
The boys face flushed. Ho hung his
head and did not answer this last ques.
tion.
~ thought 90 much, Said the captain,
reading his answer in tho boys facs.
"You look to mo like boy that was rum
ming away from home. Now, you have
probably boen reading books about sailors
that have made you believe they have
nothing but an easy time and lots of fun.
These books have said nothing about hard
work and storms. II you will take my
advice, my boy, you will 20 right back
homo again, and not leave IL again in this
way. Wait till you are older and wiser
before you decide on your calling for life.
Whom was a boy about your size | did
tho same thing. ran away from home
and shipped on vessel without telling
my mother what | meant to do. left q
note telling her that / would write whom
we reached port. l thought it would
be grand thing to be sailor, but
was soon nndeceived. We had scarcely
left port before | would have given
anything In the world to get homo again.
/ had plenty Of hard work to, do with many
taste Of tho ropo's ond If failed to
please. Sick or well, ] had to work, and
even when / did my best the mate
swore at me for lazy lubbor. used to
cry myself to sleep many night think
ing of homo aud the dear mother
bad run away from. know what
foolish boy had beon, but that did not
help the matter.
AT last there came q terrible storm.
The waves seemed to mo TO tower up like
mountains, and they looked as IL they
would swallow us up. Our sails wero
torn in shreds and the mssts were broken.
1--WE must take to the boats the cap
tain said; she is sinking fast
THE boats were hastily lowered, aud
then the men crowded into them as fast as
they could, each one pushing forward as
fast as possible lest there should not be
room for all.
"'Givo way = shouted tho captain; and
"'Don't go without me y | screamed AZ
saw that they had deserted me, but my
call was In vain. Tho roar of the storm
| drowned my voice. and the men were too
intent on saving themselves to heed me.
"The vessel was very near shore when
she was wrecked, and thought perhaps
tho men might have intended to return
for me, but as l saw the little boats toss
ing on the waves like empty shells, 1
feared that they would not be willing to
face them again to save me. l was with
out friend or helper save One.
Very earnestly l prayed that God
would spare my life and let mo see my
home again.
II saw a wavo approaching which
looked as il it would surely engulf tho
vessel, and, clasping an empty hen-coop
which was on dock, awaited its coming.
| l felt it sweep me from the deck. and
clung to the coop with all my strength.
knowing that it would keep me afoat at
any rate.
1.-TWO or three times / almost lost my
hold, but at last my lifo-preserver was
thrown upon the beach, and kind hands
saved me from the water. God had
answered my prayer and mercifully spared
my life. When 1 was we'll enough /
wrote to my mother, telling her of my
| escape anu ASKING hor ioEBiNonoss ior
leaving her. / did not receive an answer.
and it was some time before was able to
get passage home.
"When at last reached my native
place found tho house empty and closed,
and weeds growing everywhere in the
once well-kept garden. My mother had
died of broken heart, when, as she sup
posed, had perished in the wreck. My
letter had been too late
"Now, my boy, you have heard my
story. VIII you profit by it? Will you
take my advice and go back to your
motherP
"Yes, sir" answered Willie.
The romance he had fancied in a sail
or's life was offset by the sad story he had
just heard, and he was sensible enough to
profit by it, and return to his homo and
parents before IL was too late.-Minnie
RenneH IN Morning Star.