The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-06-24
A THRILLING NARRATIVE.
The Tale of Young Navigator More
Easily Told Than Believed.

The Tale of Young Navigator More
Easily Told Than Believed.
There was an acquisition TO the select
circle at the corner grocery. He was tai,
cadaverous looking individual. with shy,
dropping ears, gobelin blue eyes, and a
pale, wan nose. The crowd Immediately
sized him up IS man with history, and
he was asked TO contribute something for
the edifcation of those present.
His eyes wandered, with far away ex-
preston, over the faces of the men grouped
around him, and then he said he would re-
late an incident that occurred while he was
at sea, about fifteen years ago.
IL was born" he began, Eat Portsmouth,
of rich but honest parents. My father
owned line of steamships, and, as / was
passionately fond of the water, he said he
would put me in command of steamer as
soon as l was old enough, if would start
at the bottom and learn all there was 10 be
learned about navigation. Igladly accept
ed his proposition. and at the age 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 reached that of captain.
''Then my father, to my great joy, gave
me command Of the Sea Hawk, one OF the
trimmest vessels in his service IL was n
proud day for me when | started on my
first trip across the Atlantic. had made
several successful trips, and rs the season
was about to close it was decided that nv
next one was to be my last. II 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 il was not mis-
taken.
'Ihave seen storms IN my life, but never,
/ think, one equal to that which, about
midnight broke upon us with all the un-
bridled fury Of the elements. The waves
reached height hat would seem incred-
ible to one who had never been in a storm
at sea, and orr vessel was tossed about as
though il had been n 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 70 hear. Imme-
diately following great cracking Of tim
bers was heard amidships, and yawuing
chasm appeared In the center Of the boat
We had been struck By lightning.
"1n another instant the ship, wit h fear
full plunge, settled rapidly and sank from
view, carrying every mortal on board with
her. bad been standing near the raii.
and when | saw we were about 10 sink I
leaped upon the bulwarks and sprang into
the water a. far from the vessel as poss Ybls
10 avoid being drawn down with her.
was fortunately successful. How the night
passed / know not When he morning
dawned there was not a vestige Of either
wreck or human beings. / was alone upon
the broad bosom Of the Atlantic, with not
80 much az q straw % cling 20 and thou
sand miles from land"
Here the narrator paused and gazed con
tempIatively into the stove. His audience
sat with bzted breath. staring ~ him with
Mortified counteusncss.
What did you doF' one Of the men
asked ia swestr1ck tones.
"Oh, F." answered the stranger, Il swafn
ashore"
And, sccompanied>by his breath. be went
forth into The still. chilly night TIE
crowd IN the store vas mute for fully ten
minutes. Then one II tbsm softly whis-
tied, And ron wink the ether eye. "--Chi-
cage Figaro.