The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1892-02-12


canvas every moment Several times
it struck him with tremendous force,
when he only saved himself by cling
ing under il, with both arms, to the yard.
The instant ii flew back, affOrding him
chance to work with his knife, he
was busy cutting at the strands. He
almost cleared the sail from the spar
when the ship plunged again, coming
up the next moment with jerk that
made everything reel
A crack like the report of musket
was heard and away went the top
and top-gallant mast by the board, as
the stays parted Tom, when he felt
the mast going, had thrown himself in
board, clutching two ratlines. BY
these he hung, falling, with the spar,
into the sea. AS yet uninjured, with
the exception of a few slight bruises,
the boy threw both arms around the
spar, clinging firmly to il.
The ship, dashing on, was soon lost
TO his view in the dark rack, the mist
and the spray of the storm No boat
could be lowered for him in such
gale. There he was, all alone, adrift
on the stormy ocean.
The mad wind howled and shrieked
in his ears, the sea and the spray flew
around him, almost binding and cholz-
ing him But he held to the spar until
he felt his strength leaving him, when
he dashed himself to the timber with
some of the trailing ropes near him
Hours passed. Night came. with the
tempest sill raging. Through all the
darkness and the storm, the boy, now
nearly senseless, was carried on, fast
To the spar
~ he VII .T l. l,a
abated The sky was clear, the tints
of the rising sun We're on the eastern
wave.
Fcebly Tom raised himself on the
floating mast Thank God, there was
sail, like slender, white column, in
the distance.
Was IL his own vessel? lie hoped So
Up went his llcrchicf, waved about
his head signal The craft drew
nearer, when he perceived il WAS not
the Dolphin. Soon he was seen. The
ship stood toward him, a boat was
lowered, he was picked uD and taken
aboard The hardships he had under
gone had proven too much for him. lie
had kept up until the boat WAS near
him: then he had fallen prone upon
the mast, insansible. When he opened
his eyes, he found himself in n snug
berth, with an old man sitting near,
by his side a lovely girl of thirteen
''IIc has come to, Oh, papa, | am so
glad" cried the girl, ciapping her
hands.
Toms story was soon told lie then
learned that he was aboard the ship
Trumpet, bound home from Calcutta
to New York.
That same day the after part of the
M. \. -
her name, proving that she hal Deen
lost not long after the boy fell over
board.
The crew, who We're in her when she
was wrecked. were never heard of.
All had perishcd after she went to
pieces Had Tom been aboard of her
then, he, too, would have found a
watery grave. His COURAGE in obcying
ordcrs-in mounting that pcrilous
mast, to do his ,!uty-had been his sal
vation. To use the homeiy words of
his sailor adviser, he had ''comc out all
right and shipshape in the end
Not only had his life thus been saved.
but piece of rare, good fortune fol-
lowed. The old man ard little girl.
who sat near him when he recovered
his senses, were a wealthy oil merchant
and his daughter When the vessel
arrived home, the child coaxed her
father to take the lad into his employ.
In due time. by constant attention To
his dutics, he became head clerk. saved
money and was finally made partner
in the firm of his benefactor. Soon
after he married the merchants daugh-
ter, who. on the night before their we'd
ding. blushingly confessed to him that
she had loved him ever since that MEM
orable day when, pic'-"d up from the
drifting spar, he was brought senseless
aboard the ship Trumpet.-Rufus Hall,
in y. Y. Ledger