The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1889-12-13
SELECT STORY.
A TERRIBLE LESSON.
HOW WAS ALMOST THE CAUSE OF A
FEARFUL DISASTER.

The broad canvass tapped heavily,
the frigate rolled to port, then slowly
by starboard in the last swell that lift
ed the huge fabric, and, minute later,
she lay nearly motionless as the faint
hutter 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 fer
breath, and | heard the old coxswaln
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-shoulder-
ed, -embrowned fellows, who, be-
fore noon, had been sitting around on
gun-sldes and on the decks reading,
conversing or mending their clothes,
were now lazily reclining at full
length, while the young topmen, usual
ly so brisk and lively, no longer stood
erect in the tops but leaned YEARLY
against the masts and .he rigging.
Therefore, when sturdy grown men
thus acknowledged the power of old
Sol, ii seemed to me-a mere youthful
novice, on bis first voyage, in training
for REFERS warrant-that | had good
reason to be provoked at our officer of
the deck - Lieutenant Biddle - for
sending me aloft, an hour before sun
down, 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 a burdred red-hot wires.
"What need,' | reasoned, "of a
lookout beng kept in dead calm7
The little brig, our tender, which we
last saw couple of leagues to Ice
ward, is no longer visible in the haze
thereaway, and though my own father
Colton-is in command
of her, see no use of my watching
for signals from him in this weather" "
These thoughts l expressed aloud to
the sturdy captain of the foretop, when
he came up, soon after, TO attach and
hang TO the cross-trees coil of rope
for reeving new top gallant halliards
on the morrow.
"Lieutenant Biddle knows what he
is about, SIR the man answered, "Do
You see that thick haze off there to
windward, as well as to leewarda"
"Aye, aye, plainly
"Well, that may mean heavy
blow, sir, or it may not. In eithei
case you should keep sharp lookout
as ordered. Always obey orders, my
boy, if you would win your warrant
always do your duty without question
ing why you were sent to perform it.
and you will do well; otherwise, yor
will get into trouble"
The man went down to the toy
again, and l am sorry to say that
had not deemed his advice of suffi
cient Importance to give it much at
tention.
As darkness closed about us, | made
no very determined effort to rid my
self of the dull, drowsy sensation, en-
gendered by the close, sultry night
and the consequence was that ere
was aware of it, with my arms twin
ed around the stay, near which | sat,
fell asleep.
This was the first time that l ha,
ever actually fallen asleep aloft, and
although an experienced "Jack' will
sometimes, on sultry nights, when Of
duty, safely enjoy sound slumter il
the breezy fortop, even of rolling
plunging ship, yet it would have beel
extremely perlous even for such per
son to take a nap on the narrow percl
now occupied, with only two cross
sticks.
Exactly how long l slept l knoy
not, but presently / dreamed that m
father, Lieutenant Cotton, seeming t
rise up pale, ghastly and dripping
from the ocean, was lowering in tn
air, directly before me, solemnly shak
ing his finger at me, and saying, in
hollow voice:
"Frankl Frank! awake! awakel Hav
l not always advised you to be tru
and vigilant at the post of duty? Go
help you, boy! This is criminal care
lessntss! Awake! awake for you
hftr
The last words seemed to fall upo
my ears IN a sort of bowling scream
and it was this scream-not that {
any human voice, as | now discovere
which aroused me from my sllmbel
AS opened my eyes, that shrek ran
louder than had heard it in m
dream, for it was the shriek Of stOrl
and such a storm as appalled, an
startled my sudden awakened senses.
A binding flash of lightning crosse
my vision, dark clouds of vapor we
around me, seemed to be borne alor
with terrific velocity on the roarin
whistling gale, while below me / b
held the CLEAN of the frigate's bait
lanterns, by which could see nimh
forms hurrying to and fro, far b
meath my confused gaze, hauling {
ropes, putting extra lashing about Il
launch, carefully securing the gun
while the hoarse voices of the boat
vain and his mates, together with Il
shouts of the officer of the de,
through his trumpet, were blend
with the answering cries from the to
men and others aloft, who were fu
ing and reefng the heavier canvass
lighter sails, evidently, having alrea'
been laken in.
All these sights and noises, togeth
with the din of the tempest, the roar
the ocean, the lurching and rolling
The hugh black hull as it was hurl
along like mere wisp through t
angry waters, surprised and pugzl
me; and in the half-dszed condition
my suddenly awakened brain, scarce
realizing my precarious situation the
alOft NV hold of the atav rom