The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1894-11-26
CAPT. BILLY'S THANKSGIVING.

CAPT. BILLY'S THANKSGIVING.
Continued From Third Column First Page.
Fortunate night. ON returning from Boston
and the freight Office. he had hurried
along to the slip where he thought
il likely his skifl and one of the
men might he waiting, not meeting
a soul on his way, il happened, II being
the hour of supper. The skin was not there,
however. But another boat lay handy, ana
he took that. intending Bibbey or Bert
should tow IL back There was but one ore
in the boat but that was enough to sculi
with. Ii was already very dark-the dark,
although Of that soft uiifuse twilight that
reflects over the water as though IL were
a dim light shed from II, or the earth'S own
light itself, and by which one usually sees
with more or less mystery deepened into
bIackncss. and Captain Billy thought IT
likely that but for her lights, he could not
see the shadowy hulk OF the Pretty Pom
out there in the stream, although he always
said he knew every line IN her But there
skt. was, only waiting for him to come to
hoist sail for home, the tide running out
fast and the land-breeze blowing. And Cap
tain Billy thought To himself a. ne Scullcd
along that il was all as it had been before
and as il would be again-the same Old
story, and not ripple to disturb IL.
Something did disturb il. though, that
moment. For when he turned his head again
just he cried. poll ahoy!' he saw
lantern with a reflector, looking as big as a
ball of st. Almo's fire, waving round BlbD-
Sy's head as he leaned across the ran. she'd
ding a wake of light full on himself, and
Illuminating BiDbsys face, that shone with
a malignant and tipSy leer. And then suit
denly lantern and ships lights and all
vanished before has eyes, as If they had
never been. Amazed and aghast for an in
slant. his grasp OI the single oar looSened
giving the boat il did 50 "A lurch that
scnt Il out into the rilfs where the tide
streak ran like fire.
AZ 4 a ram
no time before he halloOed at the top Of his
tremendous voice, again ana again. lie ulu
not know, OF course. that Charley woods
was ashore, ana That the mate ana Bert
were asleep in their hunks. Ii they had all
been on deck. however. they would not have
heard him; for just then train was blow
las IT'S long whistle ass 1t Numbered across
the bridge, and another engine behind the
town was answering it. And here he was
swinging away down the rlp stern first
head first, and before he gathered mis- seat
tered senses there WAS the SaTpdon, Inc
s.,'s coal a-cs-i-tsf, close upon niin Iloush-
ins her way INTO harbOr ana up 10 htr
berth. al he had had an oar he could have
kept the boat bows on as the swell reached
HIM; but As IL Was ne was helpless. lie
J.ieu 10 tear out a thWa.I tndl Ae miSnt
possibly use, bat before lie could do so the
swell Of the zig steamer reached him. and
he was in the wat and tire dark, crying
out. "Oh, l.!G@, l-iue! cllnElnS bhndlN 10
the bOatside and washing down the harDor
and cut To- sea. the northwest wind heip-
ing the tide along fcariuliy. past the can
bell buoy, he knew. and INTO The open bay.
IL WAS On the bar that he believed for a
moment hc was gone. The great breakers
were racing On either side OF him' Tor an
instant there. between those rushing lines
uf white lire. he lost the boat, then he felt IL
Craze his shoulder. and bIindly clutChCd IL,
il MAS right side up. by heavenly chancr;
ilc nearly pulled j. over trying to Chamber
ia AMI then ne was there, lie knew not
how. anu fallen GREATNESS in tn bottom
of the boat. he swept on. &c knew not
where.
When Cap'n Billy came to himselt-for ne
must have sunk into deep 81 ep after hte
brief uu- OnSC4ousn-Ss, ana have been rock
eI iu the cradle of the deep for some time
thc waves Werc sun rUnuins On the cbD 'le,
anu before the wind, and the boat tossed
liz. "A feather from one to another tie
was wet 10 the SKIN ana chilled 10 the MAJ
row, ami Tho iy ing spray ana no" an"
ia u the comb Oi Il drcHtihhS wave hIoHt
ever him constantly. IL was stu dark, anu
ne Was uot yet quite awake TO his condition
bat had curious feeling Of being an IN
sensitive object like stem OF seawecu
thrown along from biilow 40 hiloW Win no
uI-iHtent and toward no harmful INA. Ihth
h, had some vague recollection OF sittln5
on the arm of his mother rochihS chaH
ana resting his head on her kind shoulder
and that passed too. Presently he rose "A
Ifttl. on one elbow and looked about.
Wal" said Carn I5iuy. to tie sreat VOID
dark and the So. and the hsneS: guess
I've got my adventure. But doho now
f.ide an the children an mother are a-goih
Ter come out OF it," Ia added. lie Was
alone Ia an open boat. without sail or oar,
~ sea and out OF sight OF shore, IN ire
depth OF the nislt. with the w.nd sihSths 4
great song la his ears, but he could not
have. said that he afraid. His heaft
Was trembling. To b. sure. bat IL was with
he thotaht Of tears in I.ide's tender gray
eyes OF the innocent smile Of kitty, OF the
baby's little loVinS mouth II never
see them again, you must take care o.
tEcu,'' he cried out. whether TO God or the
great elements. or his own Soui. Nheu
a little white had passed he contriVed
10 finish luosening the thMart ne hau
half torn out before, and rigging IL 10
the painter, and getting IL over the stern
as a drag, and rs lay down again. some
thing out Of the sermon his vile had read
ON his last Sunday at home flashing ON n 5
memory, and n sent out a prayer from the
depth of his Icing that ne might DE saver
Tor Lide. And then, as a blow tihsieS
again, he recalled that face with the IAN
tern light glowing like a ST. E.mos IRE
full upun il. and for second ne felt FAINT
with a kind of horror. as IL there were 2
he'll and ne had been very near IT'S devils!
But, looking up, in this quick horror, as II
To nnd escape somewhere, there We're the
clouds blowing 10 inns, ana OUT OF iheih'
lust before him, just above him, was a
star. a great sweet star, as II ~ Sieameti
from some half-veiled ANGELS face. And
then as plainly ever, he had seen any
thing in his life. he saw Lide kneeiinS at
the window at nome. looking a. that gent
star, and saying her prayers Tor MN. anu
he said afterwards that he Knew as sure
as the tides flowed and the WlEdS blow"d.
that he should come out of this all RICH.
and De home with Lide for Thanksgiving!
midnight blue, the bland mild Indian sum-
rner morning tn star melting away in the
saiey sea of light. The gray flowing into
rose. the rose changing to gold, and the
sun soaring like burning bubble in the
clear blue that like the paved work
81 "A sapphire. lie got off his wet clothes
and dried them in the sun. bailing out the
boat with an old gourd that was in the
stern, and giving himself as hard rub
bling as ne could. IL took him nearly all
day: and when the soft MINDLESS night
descended. faint and blistered and worn out
he fell asleep again with the universal
wash and whisper of the waves murmur-
ing round him.
Ii was toward the close of the next day
that he was picked up ny an outward
bound steamer. all but utterly exhausted,
and slightly wandering i'm his mind But
Ly the time the steamer reached Halifax.
where il was bound. ne was quite himself
again. and without wasting five minutes
ia port nc took the return passage
smaller boat. bound TO the port nearest
BlackpOol. And standing on deck, search
ing the horizon with the captains glass,
what should he see but something amaZ-
inEly like the Pretty Poll. An object OF