Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-06-25
a THRILLING NARRATIVE.
The Tale of Young Navigator More
EasiIy Told Than Beliexed.

There was an acquisition to the select
circle at the corner grocery. He was tall,
cadaverous looking individual, with shy,
dropping ears, gobelin blue eyes, and a
pale, wan nose. The crowd Immediately
sized him up as a man with a history, and
he was asked TO contribute something for
:he edificaticn of those present.
His eyes wandered with a far away ex-
preston, over the faces Of the men grouped
around bin and then he said he would r.
late an incideus that occurred while he was
az sea. about fifteen years ago.
Il was born" he began. at Portsmouth
Of rich but honest parents. Ny father
owned line Of steamships, and, as l was
passionately fond Of the water, he said he
would put me in command Of a steamer as
soon as was old enough, if would star,
at the bottom and learn all there Was to BE-
learned about navigation. gladly accept
ed his proposition, and at the age of fifteen
was Installed on one OF the boats as cabin
boy. From that position l va promoted.
as soon as capable, TO the different posts,
Unit! az last : reached that Of captain
Then my father, TO my great joy, gave
me command % the Sea Hawk, one OF the
trimmest vessels IN his service 1t was a
proud day fo- me when I started on nv
several successful trips. and as the season
was about TO close it was decided that nv
next one was 70 be my last. II was, but
hardly in the sense my father meant it. On
this passage we had q very small number
of passengers, as the weather was quite
disagreeable. We got off all right, and
had been out about four days when the
barometer Indicated that we were TO have
some ugly weather, and it was not mis-
taken.
Il have seen storms IN my life, but never
/ think. one equal 20 that which, about
midnight broke upon us with all the IN
bridled fury of the elements. The waves
reached a height that would seem incred-
ible to one who had never been in a storm
at sea, and our vessel was tossed about as
though it had been a chip. Suddenly there
was vivid fash of lightning. then. above
the terrible tumult Of the roaring waves.
above the shrieks Of passengers, came the
most soul terrifying clap of thunder it has
ever been my misfortune TO hear. Imme-
diately following great cracking of tim
bers Vas heard amidships, and a yawning
chasm appeared in the center of the boat.
We had been struck by Lightning.
I'm another snstans the snip, with fear
ful plunge, settled rapidly and sank from
view, carrying every mortal on board with
her. / had been standing near the rail,
and when | saw we were about TO sink
leaped upon the bulwarks and sprang into
the water as Ear from the vessel as possible
TO avoid being drawn down with her.
wasfortunatefy successful. How the night
passed ] know not. When the morning
dawned there was not a yestige of either
wreck or human beings. ] was alone upon
the broad bosom of the Atlantic, with not
so much as straw to cling to and thou
sand miles from land"
Here the narrator paused and gazed con-
templatively into the stove His audience
sat with bated breath, staring at him with
Mortified countenanceA
What did you dos" one of the men
asked in awestrsck tones.
oh" answered the stranger, 81 swan
ashore"
Z And, accompanied by his breath, he went
forth into the still, chilly night The
crowd in the store was mute for fully ten
minutes. Then one of them softly whis-
tied, And you wink the other Chi
cago Figaro.