The morning call., 1891-03-11

ably lost. Captain Norton was line sailor,
his crew was trustY, and his vessel was noS
only wonderfully stanch nut equipped WIN
every appliance for safety, but the little
vessel was not cyelnne- proof and she may
have run into a storm OF unusual severity:
AbOut that time incoming vessels reported
violent storms raging over the Atlantic, ana
we fear that the Norton ran into some sucn
storm aDd was completely destroyed; can
only repeat that we know nothing about IL,
but the Norton, weighted with steam Tx
lures and cargo, was far less able to fight
cyclnne than she was when fitted simply
with sails she weathered the gale on Hat-
teras. Ii is hard" added Mr.. wilson, TO
face an unwelcome truth, but In THIS case
fear we must.
There is one loyal soul in Captain Nor
toms employ, however, who refuses to give
his friend and employer up for lost: AT the
Offices of the Lile-boat Construction Conf
pany he laborS placidly day after day,
serenely confident that some day the door
will open and his old friend will walk IN
fresh from some new and strange adventure.
They are all peSSimiStS but me, he said
quietly to the rel Orter. They do not
know The captain as well as DO. I've sailed
the Atlantic IN all boats ana weatherS with
him. I've known him as many years as the
rest have months. NV theory is that be
heard from some inbound vessel OF the
storms on the Mediterranean, and so cTuised
slowly over TO the Azores Islands. They say
they've heard from the Azores. Wen, I've
been Herewith Captain Norton. too.
THE ISLANDS.
There are nine Islands and only two cOaling
statioBs-St, MichaePS and Fayal. COmmuni-
cation is by a little steamer that ruus every
six weeks 10 Portugal. or by warships put
ting in. The islands are thousand years
behind the Il mes and communication among
the islands Is a lmoSt impossible. The Norton
may be there on the CatalOnlan coast, as
the winds were nearly all westward after
the departure. Then even If wrecked the
captain may have been picked up by YES
sci bound to Australia. do not believe the
cyclone story 1t was his business to avoid
cyclones, and Captain Norton was a fine
sailor with the best of baTome tiers at hand.
Bat suppose a cyclone did strike her?"
Queried The reporter, interested, in spite OF
contrary conviction.
Suppose it did" he ans wered. :" You
can't capsize the Norton. Ii struck to that
extent she would right again, even with
machinery on board Ii her bow were
smashed she would float. Somehow or
other they don't seem to find any of those
pieces"
Suppose fuel gave out?"
Well, they've got patent apparatus for
keeping the ships head to the wind, plenty
of canvas, stout maStS and fine sailor IN
command Moreover, they have eight or
nine oil bags. The captain may be lost, Of
course he ended, but think he'll turn
up YET" and so the faithful lieutenant
works quietly on. and when callers come in
on business or for inquiry he says simply
" The captain, sir, is off on cruise and we
haven't heard lately"
Captain Norton was a man of medium
height, slightly bald, with black hair and
beard. His manner was quick and nervous,
but kindly. A few weeks before his depart
ure from New London he related to the
writer the story of his treatment by the
Navy Department under the last Admins
tration, sad record of broken promises and
injustice. The treatment which Captain
Merton had received in his various efforts
to secure Government support for his sys-
TEN had somewhat embittered him against
the United States ana he protested greater
admiration for England
Mrs. Norton as an EnglishwOman, about
40 years old, an agreeable and cultivated
woman.
The surviving member of the family is
the lad at Greenwich to whom as each day
comes and gees without tidlngS hope grows
more remote.
Perhaps it is with him as the poets coll
Guiding words suggest
Oh, meme but the Angel with silver wings
That troods Ger he river and over the town,
HeedS half OF the each evening brings
As the tide comes MP aud the sun goes down.