The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1895-10-03

Nt'hluSHlp llue, -
have had quite q few remarkable in.
cidouts happen 90 me in my day.
especially when | was sailing one OF
The two ships belonging to the --
line. au1 my partner the other" with
"a retrospective smile as he thought of
the extensive number of vessels he
controlled.
But think the most trying ex.
pcrlencc ! ever knew took place even
before then, when | was youngster
of twenty and very proud of being
trusted with ship while still so Young.
You see, ] was clergyman's son
and my family looked upon my desire
60 follow the seatas utter foollshness,
but after | had run away dozen
times or SO and been followed and
brought back just as many, my father
thought he might as well let me have
my own way, 30 he took me down to
Iiyerpool % -'f-''~' -: .....,.
erly and in tho due form TO an old
friend of his, who was the head of n
great merchantman line running TO
che West Indies and back. / was only
fourteen then and believe tho idea
was that | should tire of the labor and
hardships of sea life and be glad to beg
for home again when this happened
was of course TO be let so, for friend
ships sake, and would be started of
20 college in due order; year or so
behind my proper time, but still not
trredeemably late. "
The old captain smiled again and a
twinkle frightened his eye as though
he was very much amused internally,
but his voice was as dry as ever and
not the shadow of n smile trausgressed
the club rule which prohibited II mem
Der from laughing at his own stories.
Some of the listeners stirred little
lazily as he paused, and Wilson, vino
was always the leader, nodded to him
TO continue.
'Well," he complied, al disap-
pointed my father and enjoyed sea
life so much that my captain gave fine
accounts of me and my fathers friend
took great liking to me and often
had me to spend week at his home
when the ship was in port, and fear
ing to be late in joining her again, had
shortened my home visit and was wait
ing for the day of starting. His wife
was kind to me, TOO, an, he had lit.
tie daughter, who-but that's antici-
pating,
The years Of my apprenticeship
passed and the proud moment when
received my papers Os II master
mariner arrived. Then ! was given u
ship, although my youth made this a
very unusual thing, and sent Off to
the West Indies. or course, ] was
supplied with an old and experienced
first mate, and it was probably due as
much to his care and watchfulness as
20 my own skill that the voyage passed
OF without an accident or mischanca
of any kind, but | was MS proud ms II
hen with her first batch of chickens,
aud the head OF the firm showed his
confidence in my abilities in manner
which came very near TO losing him d
daughter.
Arthur, my boy, he said to mt
somo days before 1 sailed again, l'n
going out with you. I'm going tc
take my wife and daughter along, too
We all fancy the trip, and 1t struck
me that we would go with you instead
OF on passenger vessel. Ny wife
has mado the trip on II merchantmen
many time when we were younger
and my daughter is very anxious tc
try it. You can let the ladies hav,
the 'wife's cabin, can't you?"
''In those days every merchantmen
ship was supplied with a little cabir
for the use OF the captains wife, al
though they stopped the practice sooI
after and forbade the men TO carr,
their families with them. OF course
1 was very willing to have my friend
as passengers, although L was littl
nervous at the thought of my EN-
ployer being in the ship with me an