The Bossier banner., 1892-03-10
DOING HIS DUTY.
What Seemed Certain Death
Proved the Sailors Salvation.

,los.N Proved the Sailors Salvation.
stoN
ainia# always do your duty, Tom, no mat
so ~ h, how perilous or irksome it may
free N. and as general thing. you will |
day8 sorOe out all right and shipshape in the |
ds th4 end"
lbor8 Such was the parting advice of an old |
: TIL ailor TO Thomas Brown, a boy of six
Whe3 teen who was about sailing away |
in Til aboard the ship Dolphin, bound from
time New York to the East Indies.
urnhM Tom was deeply impressed by the
Is, onS words of his adviser. He bore them in
thpe& mind and, after the vessel sailed,
e ann was so prompt and cheerful in obey
upaH ing orders that he became favorite
tsia& both with the foremast hands and the
haud8 officers.
ch ID Sometimes the lad, set to securing
ploy@ the decks, polishing the ring-bolts, or
done hosting heavy casks out of the hold,
2 cfoM would feel as if ready to drop with
ularW fatigue, but not a murmur would eS-
IS cro# cape his lips. He was resolved to do
ugh "a bis duty bravely, even though it should
'on u kill him
Fortunately, it had good effect upon
II
making him broad in the shoulders and
49, strong and muscular in the arms. S1en-
y der and rather delicate when he sailed,
,roaa@ he was fast becoming ''all right and
shipshape," as his friend, the old sailor,
AZ. Ii had expressed it,
- One day the vessel lay becalmed in
- the Indian ocean. The sun, partially
rs yelled by thin mist, looked like red
hot copper ball. The air was sitting;
caiv the men breathed with difficulty. Sud-
Oos denly the barometer began to fall with
u 'a' alarming rapidity. In the distance hol-
low, humming noise was heard. Far
oee away to windward was seen long
oroas# broad patch of white water A flock
lhs* Of sea birds, with unearthly screams,
mD hew over the ship. They were fright
Inca ened; they knew what was coming
feedH Hands by the halyards! In with
'osfd royals and to'gallant sails! Stand by
nop a# toclew up the fore and mizzen topsails
It's, and double reef the main!' screamed
the captain, in voice that made every
mas man jump.
sh Ere the tars could obey, the storm,
alue Kissing, roaring and howling, driving
lated the seas in great, white walls of foam
.--ha4 ing water and spray before it, came
sweeping along with terrific velocity,
7 gisM not mile to windward.
pere The active sailors clewed up and
yer down as fast as they could; then aloft
nc they went and laid out on the yards.
e OF Scarcely were the fore and mizZer
Ich "psails rolled up, when, with tire
receM @endous fury, the gale struck the ship
sh oil hov hou
PERI ends tearing through the water, il
rom which she was ingulfed to her waist
beee The canvas was jerked from under the
and men like flash. Whipping about ;
moment with the din of thunder, i
in was torn from the jackstays and sen
mated whirilng in shreds straight up into thu
out ~ oiack rack of the tempest.
due Meanwhile ropes and sheets wer
! 10 aatting about all over the ship. Th
ition whistling shrouds bellied far inward
irmel 'ae cracking masts bent over lik
bis ~ ~haiebones; the huge anchors quiveret
day end reeled on the catheads.
IS to# Tom Brown, with another lad, wa
iicsh tae wheel, assisted by the secon
u re- mate. The wheel was now like a liy
for ing monster 1t struggled to free il
IS ~ sell from the grasp of the three sailors
VINO held and controlled it with diff
Id q Guilty
$ inl suddenly swapping sound, loude
'omP# - s.sn the other noises, was heard alof
al ullA ,ae weather main gallant sal
r saeet had parted. The sail, flappin
9. soout threatened to carry away tn
sr# aast
-Ksa Up there you go, Bill!'' cried tn
Sapsaln to the lad next to Brown
,hout and cut that sail clear o. the jacl
: lh. ~ stays!n
,c.ly sal turned pale and trembled, b,
vitha8 1o not move from the wheel.
Vh' captain, nobody could go U
tabls ae1e and liver he gasped. 'Don
shly MAKE me 60, sir!'
rm IN TACT the task Of cutting clear tn,
aa.1ing sail, with the mast reelir
: che4 sao Jerking, threatening to give we
, Il sh ery moment, must prove perilol
sly sshuertaking. A strong man cou
oilk; aa'uiy keep himself from being throw
,ouus 1om the lofty spar, much less a boy
he p :. Tell you to gov' repeated the ca
eesiss am. .1
odaa ean'tl can't" cried Bill, as viii
spea : sheet Anything else I'll
aeath. '" ' " =
sasss was no time TO lose, g