Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1893-03-24

OOOul-tnu, waving HlsleI anu tnlIner,
as he tugged at rope, while Captain
Flagg and George Washington per-
formed the most Unheardof prodigies
of seamanship, IS despite the strug-
Cling and bellying Of the stiff canvas,
they contrived to tie it down to the
boom. so that when the sails were
hoisted up again, they were not nearly
as large as before.
And then waxing bold, the gallant
old sea-dog, Captain Jethro Fiagg. de-
cided that, instead OF lying to till
morning, he wouid--to use his own
nautical expression" keep her a-jog-
ging to the nor'ard and east ard"
So all through that eventful night
the Mary j." pursued her billowy
course, while poor Tad. in q sadly de-
moralized state of mind and body. lay
nested in the coil of rope have men
toned, feeling, even in his deathly
sickness, oh, so ashamed that Polly, q
girl, not quite rs old as himself, should
show such courage, while he, lubber-
ly boy, couldn't even offer to do the
least thing to keep the vessel from GO
ing straight to the bottom of the seal
But j, myself, don't think there was
any thing very strange in the matter.
1t was Tad's first experience, and sea-
sickness, like conscience, makes cow
ards of us all. The Atlantic Ocean is
a terrible fellow to take the courage
out of landsman, when IT gets on
sort of rampage; and don't wonder
Hat aesthetic Mr.. Oscar Wide, with
his fastidious tastes, should shudder-
ingly declare that he was disappointed
with IT, But | believe that, in spite of
this severe criticism, the Atlantic goes
right on roaring and dashing. and
swallowing up ships, and making peo-
pie sea-sick, just as it has been doing
for ever so long.
Tad couldn't be persuaded to go be-
low. He thought that when the vessel
did come to 60 down, he would perhaps
stand better chance on deck-though,
it is true, he couldn't swim a stroke
And as he lay there all night long till
sunrise, his sickness began to abate
little, as did also the stiff westerly
breeze which, coming further from the
south, gave the Mary j." perfectly
fair wind for her home-bound passage.
They were oil so kind, when, quite
dizzy and weak, Tad managed to stag
ger to his feet, like fly thawed out by
the warm rays OF the morning sun,
which dried up the wet deck, and made
the waves of the great blue sea all
about them sparkle with gladness.
George Washington got him some hot
coffee, and said he was glad to see
him ''condolescent. Captain Flagg,
who looked quite fresh and hearty in
spite of having been up all night.
smiled broadly, telling Tad that he'd
got over the worst of it, and would be-
gin to get his sea-legs on in jiffy.
Eph grinned at him over the top of the
wheel, and proffered the use Of his
jack-knife, If he CTad) wanted to whit
tie. Polly glanced at him demurely,
and Bounce Tapped tho ends of Tad's
extended fingers. On the whole, Tad |
didn't feel nearly as badly regarding |
his humiliation rs he had expected |
to; but all his bright visions
Of the pleasures of seafaring life |
had been swallowed up in the darkness
and terror of the night before. Hewas |
not intended by nature for sailor, and |
now Tad's greatest desire was to set his
foot on dry land again. know that, In
contrast with the average boy of iuve-
nile fiction, this sounds tremendously /
unheroic. but can't help it; there are
"born sailors" and born landsmen, and /
Tad was one of the latter. One must
take people and things as he finds them
in real life. Yet, as Tad began to feel
better. there was much to wonder at
and admire all about him. Far away
on the port hand was the distant coast
line, dotted here and there by the white
shaft of o lighthouse. To starboard,
the ocean rolled ON and on, till its
waters washed the very rim of the
great arching dome of blue which came
down to meet it. On every side were
the sails of passing vessels, and beauti-
full beyond compare was the sight of
handsome ship, with all drawing sail
set, standing in for Boston Light, head
ing almost directly for the schooner.
On she came, with her yards braced
sharp against the back-stays. throwing
the sparkling foam from the cutwater
in great swaths, that swept along her
CLASSY sides and formed creamy track
astern. AS the stranger was passing
so near, Captain Flagg hailed her
through On immense speaking trumpet.
"What ships that, and where from?"
"Ship 'Sooloo,' hundred and thirty
days from Calcutta-what vessels
thatP" beloved back the Captain. who
was standing by the weather mizzen
with his hand on backstay.
Schooner Mary j. OF Bixport;
hours out er Boston,"
kaylsq Gagtaip Ffagg With gracious