Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-11-21
A TERRIBLE LESSON.
How I Was Almost the Cause Of a
Fearful Disaster.

The broad canvas tapped heavily, the
frigate rolled to port, then slowly to star
board in the last long swell that lifted
the huge fabric, and, a minute later, she
lay nearly motionless as the faint fiutter
Of the breeze died away aloft, and even
the heaving of the great ocean seemed to
subside.
We were becalmed off the line under
the burning sun, whose rays melted the
tar upon the shrouds, heated the anchors
as if they had just been drawn from the
furnace and started the pitch from the
deck-planks, which fairly scorched the
feet of the men through the soles of
their pumps, in spite of the awning that
covered almost every part of the upper
or spar-deck.
Some of the hands fairly gasped for
breath, and heard the old coxswain of
the first cutter say that it was the
'tightest" day he had ''weathered"
since he was boy.
In fact, among the whole Of that ships
crew of five hundred men, even the
strongest felt the effects of the heat,
and many of the broad-shouldered,
sun-embrowned fellows, who, before noon,
had been sitting around on gun-slides
and on the decks reading, convsrsing or
mending their clothes, were now lazily
reclining at full length, while the young
tOpmen, usually so brisk and lively, no
longer stood erect in the tops but leaned
YEARLY against the masts and the rig
ging.
Therefore, when sturdy grown men
thus acknowledged the power of old
Sol, it seemed to me-a mere youthful
novice, on his first voyage, in training
for a REFERS warrant-that 1 had good
reason to be provoked at our officer of
the deck-Lieutenant Biddle-for send
ing me alof, an hour before shutdown, to
the foretop-gallant cross-trees, where,
though it was late in the day, could
still feel the rays of the old ''scorcher''
darted at my devoted head like hun
dred red-hot wires.
"What need" l reasoned, ''of q look
out being kept in dead calm? The lit
tie brig, our tender, which we last saw
couple of leagues to leeward, is no
longer visible in the haze thereaway,
and though my own acknowledgements
COlton-is in command of her, 1 see no
use of my watching for signals from him
in this weather"
These thoughts I expressed aloud to
the sturdy captain of the foretop, when
he came up, soon after, to attach and
hang to the cross-trees a coil of rope for
reeving new top-gallant halliards on
tho morrow.
Lieutenant Biddle knows what he is
about, SIR" the man answered. do
you see that thick haze off there to wind
ward, as well as TO leeward?''
"Aye, aye, plainly"
''Well, that may mean a heavy blow,
sir, or it may. not. In either case you
should keep sharp lookout, as ordered.
Always obey orders, my boy, if you
would win your warrant; always do your
duty without questioning why you were
sent to perform it, and you will do we'll;
otherwise, you will get into trouble"
The man went down TO the top again,
and am sorry to say that had not
deemed his advice of sufficient impor-
lance to give it much attention.
AS darkness closed about US, made
no very determined effort to rid myself
of the dull, drowsy sensation, engender-
ed by the close, sultry night, and the
consequence was that ere 1 was aware
of it, with my arm twined around the
stay, near which sat, fell asleep.
This was the first time had ever
actually fallen asleep aloft, and, al
though an experienced slack" will
sometimes, on sultry nights, when of
duty, safely enjoy sound slumber in
the breezy foretop, even of rolling,
plunging ship, yet it would have been
extremely perilous even for such per.
son to take nap on the narroww perch
sticks.
Exactly how long I slept know not,
but presently dreamed that my father,
Lieutenant Cotton, seeming to rise ur
PALE: CHASTITY and dripping from the
ocean. was lowering in the air, directly
before me, solemnly shaking his finge,
at me, and saying, in hollow voice:
Frank! Franki awake! awake! Have
not always advised you 30 be true and
vigilant at the post c: duty? God heir
you, boy! This is criminal carelessnessl
Awake! awake for your lifer'
The last words seemed to fall upon M,
ears in sort OF bowling scream, and i