Waterbury evening Democrat., 1892-01-04
DOING HIS DUTY.
What Seemed Certain Death
 Proved the Sailors Salvation.

What Seemed Certain Death
 Proved the Sailors Salvation.
 Always do your duty, Tom, no mat ter how perilous or irksome it may be, and, as a general thing, you will come out all right and shipshape in the end"
 Such was the parting advice of an old sailor to Thomas Brown, a boy of six teen, who was about sailing away aboard the ship Dolphin, bound from New York to the East Indies
 Tom was deeply impressed by the words of his adviser. He bore them in mind, and, after the vessel sailed. was so prompt and cheerful in obey ing orders that he became a favorite both with the foremast hands and the officers.
 Sometimes the lad, set to securing the decks, polishing the ring-bolts, or hoisting heavy casks out of the hold, would feel as if ready to drop. with fatigue, but not murmur would es- cape his lips. He was resolved to do his duty bravely, even though it should kill him.
 Fortunately, it had good effect upon 5 making him broad in the shoulders and strong and muscular in the arms. Slen- der and rather delicate when he sailed, he was fast becoming "all right and shipshape," as his friend, the old sailor, had expressed it.
 One day the vessel lay becalmed in the Indian ocean. The sun, partially yelled by a thin mist, looked like a red
  the men breathed with difficulty. Sud- denly the barometer began to fall with alarming rapidity. In the distance hol- low, humming noise was heard. Far away to windward was seen long, broad patch of white water. A flock of sea birds, with unearthly screams, flew over the ship. They were fright ened; they knew what was coming.
 Hands by the halyards! In with royals and to'-gallant sails! Stand by to clew up the fore and mizzen topsails and double reef the main!' screamed the captain, in voice that made every man jump.
 Ere the tars could obey, the storm, hissing, roaring and bowling, driving the seas in great, white walls of foam ing water and spray before it, came sweeping along with terrific velocity, not mile to windward.
 The active sailors clewed up and down as fast as they could; then aloft they went and laid out on the yards.
 Scarcely were the fore and mizzen topsails rolled up, when, with tre- mendous fury, the gale struck the ship
 Down she went, almost on her beam ends, tearing through the water, in which she was ingulfed to her waist. The canvas was jerked from under the men like a flash. Whipping about a moment, with the din of thunder, it was torn from the jackstays and sent whirling in shreds straight up into the black rack of the tempest. Meanwhile ropes and sheets were slatting about all over the ship. The | whistling shrouds bcllied far inward; the cracking masts bent over like whaleboncs; the huge anchors quivered and rceled on the catheads.
 Tom Brown, with another lad, was at the wheel, assisted by the second mate. The wheel was now like a liv- ing monster. It struggled to free it. self from the grasp of the three sailors, who held and controlled it with diff culty.
 Suddenly snapping sound, louder than the other noises, was heard aloft. The weather main-to'-gallant sail sheet had parted. The sail, Tapping about, threatened to carry away the mast.
 Up there you go, Bill!' cried the captain to the lad next to Brown, "and cut that sail clear O the jack. staysr'
 Bill turned pale and trembled. but did not move from the wheel.
 ''Oh, captain, nobody could go uE there and live!' he gasped. Don't make me go, sir!''
 In fact, the task of cutting clear that slatting sail, with the mast reeling and jerking, threatening to give way every moment, must prove a perilous undertaking strong man could hardly keep himself from being throwr from the lofty spar, much less a boy.
 Il tell you to go!' repeated the cap tain.
 "I can't! l can't!' cried Bill, as white IS a sheet. Anything else I'll do captain, but don't. send me to my deathv'
 There was no time to lose. The skipper, glaring angrily at the speaker an instant, looked at Tom Brown.
 "Go up there, Tom, and cut the sai clear!'
 Tom also turned pale, but his eye: flashed and his clear, ringing voice wa. heard:
 Aye, aye, sir!''
 Up the main shrouds he went-uI higher and higher, determined to dc his duty even to the death.
 With difficulty he held to the shrouds Several times his feet were jerked from under him, but he drew them back anC kept bravely on.
 He reached the top-gallant mast The ship made terrific plunge. Ther she came up with tremendous jerk.
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