The Forrest City times., 1891-06-26
AThRlLLINo NARRATIVE,
The Tale of Young Navigator Movo
 Easily Told Than Believed.

The Tale of Young Navigato or Mov0 Easily Told Than Believed. There was an acquisition to the select circle at the corner grocery. He was tall, cadaverous looking in- dividual, with shy, dropping ears, goblin blue eyes, and pale, wan nose. The crowd immediately sized him up as 0 man with history, and he was asked to contribute something for the edification of those present.
 His eyes wandered, with a 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 ff- teen years ago.
 "l was born," he began, "at Ports mouth, of rich but honest parents. My father owned line of steamships, and, as l was passionately fond of the water, he said he would put me in command of steamer as soon asI was old enough, if would start at the bottom and learn all there was to be learned about navigation. I gladly accepted hls proposition, and at the age of fifteen was installed on one of the boats as cabin boy. From that position l was promoted, as soon as capable, to the different posts until at last l reached that of captain.
 "Then my father, to my great joy, gave me command of the Sea Hawk, one ot the trimmest vessels in his service. It was a proud day for me when l started on my first trip across the Atlantic. I had made several successful trips, and as the season was about to close it was decided that my next one was to be my last. It 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 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 mistaken.
 "l have seen storms in my life, but never, l think, one equal to that which, about midnight broke upon us with all the unbridled fury of the clements. The waves reached a height that would seem incredible to one who had never been in storm at sea, and our vessel was tossed about as though 1t had been 8 chip. Suddenly there was a 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 1t has ever been my misfortune to hear. Imme- diately following great cracking of timSers was heard amidships, and a yawning chasm appeared in the center of the boat. We had been struck by lightning
 In another instant the ship, with fearful plunge, settled rapidly and sank from view, carrying every mor- tai on board with her, 1 had beens standing near the rail, and when L saw we were about to sink leaped upon the bulwarks and sprang into the water as far from the vessel as | possible to avoid being drawn down with her. 1 was fortunately successful. How the night passed I know not. When the morning dawn ed there was not a vestige of either wreck or human beings. 1 was alone l upon the broad bosom of the Allan | tic. with not so much as straw to l cling to and a 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- ces.
 "And what did you dor" one of the men asked in awestruck tones. "Oh," answered the stranger, 1T swam ashore"
 And accompanied by his breath, he went into t he still, chilly night. The :, crowd i'll the store was mute for fully ten minutes. Then one of them soft ly whistled. And you wink the. other eye. Chicago Figaro.