The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1891-08-01
ATHRILLlNo NARRATIVE.
The Tale OF Young Navigator More
Eaoily old Than Believed.

The Tale OF a Young Navigator More
Eaoily old Than Believed.
There was nm acquisition to the
select circle at the corner grocery. He
was n tall, cadaverous looking in
dividual, with shy, dropping ears,
goblin blue eyes, and pale, wan
nose. The crowd Immediately sized
him up as man with history, and
he was asked to contribute something
for the edifcation of those present.
His eyes wandered, with q far away
expression, over the faces of the men
grouped around him, and then he said
he would relate an incident that oc-
Cured while he was at sea, about fif-
teen years ago.
al was born" he began, Eat Ports
mouth, of rich but honest parents.
My father owned line OF steamships,
and, as I was passionately fond Of
the water, he said he would put me in
J command of steamer as soon as l
was old enough, if would start MT the
bottom and learn all there was to be
learned about navigation. gladly
accepted his proposition, and at the
;-ge OF fifteen was installed on one of
the boats as cabin boy. From that
position was promoted, as soon as
capable, to the different posts until
at last l reached that OF captain. y
"Then my father, to my great Joy,
gave me command of the Sea Hawk,
one OF the trimmest vessels in his
service. 1t was a proud day for me
when ! started on my first trip across
the Atlantic. / had made several
successful trips. and as the season was
about to close it was decided that my
next onewas to be my last. 1t was,
but hardly in the sense my father
meant it. On this passage we had a
very small number of passengers, as
the weather was quite disagreeable.
We got of 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 mistaken
81 have seen storms in my life, but
never, think, one equal to that
which, about midnight broke upon us
with all the unbridled fury OF the
elements. The waves reached q height
nat would seem incredible to one who
had never been in storm at sea, and
our vessel was tossed about as though
it had been q chip. Suddenly there
was q vivid flash of lightning; then,
above the terrible tumult of the roar
ing waves, above the shrieks of the
passengers, came the most soul ter /,
rifying clap OF thunder it has ever
been my misfortune to hear. Inlme-
diately following a great cracking of
timbers was heard amidships, and
yawning chasm appeared in the center
of the boat. We had been struck by
lightning.
sin another instant the ship, with
a fearful plunge, settled rapidly and
sank from view, carrying every NOR
tai on board with her, / had been
standing near the rail, and when
saw we were about to sink / leaped
uponthe bulwarks and sprang into
the water as far from the vessel as
possible to avoid being drawn down
with her. was fortunately
successful. How the night passed 1
know not. When the morning dawn
ed there was not vestige of either
wreck or human beings. Twas alone
upon the broad bosom of the Allan
tic. withnot so much as straw to
cling to and thousand miles from
land"
Here the narrator paused and gazed
contemplatively into the stove. His
audience sat with bated breath, star
ing at him with Mortified countenan-
ees.
"And what did you do?" one of the
men asked in awestruck tones.
"Oh," answered the stranger, ~
swan ashore"
And accompanied by his breath, he
went into he still, chilly night. The
crowd in the store was mute for fully
ten minutes. Then one of them soft
ly whistled. "And you wink the
other eye. Chicago Figaro.