The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-11-26
CAUGHT BY The TIDE.

/ <NUOuI lHrec-uUartcfS Oi IL mile out
from the mouth of the inlet ut Ocean
Park is II little island, part rock, part
sand. The SCI; dushes violently over it at
highstid but, when the waves recede, it
is fine place To dig CLAIMS, and there are
plenty of fish in the channel close by.
Most of the houses in the park are some
| distance down the coast from the inlet,
but the boats belonging tc the inhabi-
tants or the summer visitors are kept Mt
the pier in the quicter water.
| 1t WAS on hot, summer day that fou l.
boys started to row out to the island
| They were brothers, city hoys with little
| knowledge of the sea and boat-craft, but
| feeling perfectly confident of their ability
! to make IL S'tfe and enjoyable trip.
| In the bow of their boat, happy to be
| doing nothing in a sun-bath, reclined q
long, angular colored boy. His name was
Abraham Lincoln Washington, but he
was always called Jonah.
Gerald, Will, Burton and Kirk Stuart
had planned to make the trip by them
selves. But as they were about to leave
the pier, Jonah had approached them
| and begged to be taken along. He
claimed to know the best way to steer
their boat through the rocks that sur
rounded the island, and to be able to show
them famous place for fish. AS the
brother had no knowledge at all of the
islands peculiarities they accepted his
offer and promised him small fee for his
services
''If you get us into any trouble we'll
throw you overheard" declared Gerald,
when he had found out their guides
name, ''eyen if there are no whales here
AYE, aye, boss,h said the boy. ''I'll
git you trough all right. | know de ms
and outs o. dat island like book
But Jonah had q Hateful reputation
among the residents of Ocean Park, which
had it been known to the four Stuart
brothers, would perhaps have changed
their mock alarm into II real one. He
was the victim OF an unlucky combine
ton of circumstances that seemed to fol-
low him everywhere and it WAS this that
gave him the name of Jonah.
The superstitious fishermen never liked
to have him with them, as they imagined
he drove away the.fish One of them, Sol
Canister, laughed at ''the very idee of it,"
and took Jonah out with him. y storm
arose, the mast of his boat was snapped
Off, and all his fish were lost Sol-never
hired Jonah again.
Storekeeper jim Mallen took Jonah in
rs general boy of-all-work. The first
night the roof was blown Off his store,
and on the next night the store was
robbed. Jonah had to to 90, of course.
sit amt my fault, Mister Malien, - said
Jonah. did / make de wind blow?
Wouldn't de storm ha come just de same
II hadn't been n.workin' for you5''
~ can't help it, Jonah. You're good
little fellow, but awful expensive. The
workn's of nature are too much for an
unlearnt man like me to tell why it is,
but there's somethin about you that
brings trouble"
The unfortunate boy, driven from pill
lar to post, had Il hard life OF it, and he
soon SAW that the best thing for him to
do was to leave Ocean Park, and he be.
gan to save up what he could earn for
that purpose
On the boat with the four Stuart boys
he was almost beside himself with JOY in
anticipation of the fee that they had
promised to give him. That dollar would
be the last one needed to complete his
capital, the last one +, be earned in II
plucky uphill fight that had lasted for
more than two years.
"You boys row berry we'll, - he said,
"but dere's n pretty good current up de
coast here, and you want to allow for it,
~ see there is" said Gerald. 1T is
Mt the north side of the inlet, =
You just aim for about quarter of
mile below de island and pull hard; den
you'll fetch up all right explained
Jonah.
The boys did 50, and after some stout
rowing they managed to get very closc to
their destination. The island seemed to
be completely shut in by the big breakers
that dashed over the rocks surrounding
it, but the boys did not hare much chance
TO study out which was the best way to
the low, sandy beach. The swift current
was bearing them towards the rocks
with what seemed II fearful rapidity.
Suddenly Jonah leaped to his feet and
braced himself in the bow.
"Now, Mr.. Gerald, you take your oar
and steer from the stern and let the
others lay on theirs. Don't be shaky.
know the channel as we'll rs You know
your city streets ut homc. Porrrt lee
tie, Mr. Gerald, and he careful To keep
her steady just rs / say
Gerald did his best not to be nervous,
but, unaccuStomcd as he was to rough
water, it seemed absolutely impossible
for their boat to live in that water. The
sickening thought that Jonah was over
boasUfnl of his knowledge and was trust
ing to luck i'll order to get his dollar,
nearly paralyzed his arms.
STEADY" yelled Jonah, suddenly.
STEADY. Keep her there, now, and we're
al right.
They were in the midst of wild
dash of waters. Will Burton and Kirk
seated back to bow. could not of course
see very well ahead, but 10 Gerald it
seemed that they were about to lie driv-
en- against II rock directly in front of
them In reality they we're in the middle
Of the channel, rs Jonah well knew,
and scuOtng savely towards the beach.
y few more feet and they would have
been past all danger, but Gerald could not
let himself send the boat against what
looked 70 his excited Eyes like rock
Forgettinl that the sailor as we'll as the