The herald., 1897-10-17
A FREAK OF FATE.
Brave Orphan Lads Experience
on the Wheel and at
the Wheel.

1here's noreaster settin' in, Mary
an Jed's outside in that small boat o
hisn. l warned him not to go, but he
We're in one O. his tantrums an moth
in d stop him.
This said. the old fisherman proceed
ed to draw on his heavy sea boots. His
wife paused and listened with white
face to the bowling gale. She loved the
orphan who was in the grasp of the
treacherous deep that night, and her
husbands words alarmed her.
II spose Jed's got into trouble at
school again." she said. But he can
guide boat through the rocks with
the best OF EN-, an he's likely in safe
water now"
The good woman was evidently try
ing to stille her fears. Years ago her
husband had brought to their lonely
abode a ragged youngster he had found
watching the sea from cliff near their
home. The boy simply said that he
had run away from an orphan asylum
and had never known father or mother.
There was something about the waif
that went straight to the womans
heart, and when her husband found the
boys story to be true, they adopted
him. Iattooed on his left arm was the
picture of storm-tos vessel, from
which it was concluded that he had
been abandoned by some sailor.
However, Jed, as he was called made
great progress in the village school.
and finally won a scholarship in the
academy at Springfield. There he was
snubbed by many of the aristocrats
who attended, though his athletic prow-
| ess won him quite number of friends.
Though usually very quiet, reference
to his obscure birth had on two or
three occasions resulted in a violent
outburst of temper.
SO, Knowing better than to question
Jed when in one of his moods, Simon,
his foster parent, had allowed him to
sail away that afternoon in his little
boat, trusting that the lad would re-
turn in calmer frame of mind Simon
grew alarmed.
If he's come ashore it's queer he
amt been near u.s. he said, in answer
to his wife's last remark, "an' l guess
Ill jest take a turn an"
loud knocking Interrupted the
speaker. The next minute the door
swung open, and stockily built man,
in rubber coat and hat, walked in
with scant ceremony, followed by
half dozen youths.
Were lookin' for that young whelp
you've been housing here, simon the
man beloved, glancing wrathfully
around. where is hep
The fisherman glanced from one to
another of his visitors in amazement.
Come, come, old man, there's no use
trying to shield the brat He's been
guilty of an outrageous assault on my
son, and l propose to teach him a les
son he won't forget" Here the man
drew a horsewhip from under his coat
and glowered around the room in
search of his prey.
Still Simon remained speechless; but
his wife confronted the man, her eyes
flashing.
MIR. JASON" she cried. I'VE don't
know anything of this affair, but I'll
say right here that if Jed attacked your
son he no doubt deserved it. an I'm
glad of it. He's been bulldozin' Jed
long enough, an if the boy is drowned
tonight it'll be your son and his set
that murdered him.
Mr.. Jason quailed before the angry
woman. Aroused by his Wife, Simon
strobe forward.
SOM" he demanded. Then one of the
youths spoke up:
You see. we had our athletic games
to-day. and Frank Jason and Jed were
tied for points when the last event
came on-the five-mile bicycle race.
Frank led till the last mile, when Jed
let out and overlook him. He had
caught him near the finish. when all at
once he seemed to give out, and as
Frank was drawing away again Jed
lost his temper and steered right into
him. They both went to the ground,
but Jed got up and managed to ride his
wheel over the line while Frank lay
senseless. 1t was cowardlv. and if the
crowd had caught him he'd have been
handled roughly"
Simon and his wife We're dumfound-
ed. outside the gale howled and the
rain pattered tiercey on the roof. The
fisherman shuddered as he rea h d for
his coat and hat. 1.-The one you're after
is out in that storN.' he said.
AS he opened the door, excited voices
We're heard outside, and he was con-
fronted by a motley crowd of fisher
men. carrying lanterns.
Did you hear her talk, Simon?" one
cried. There she goes again.
Across the raging waters came the
booming of a gun, the despairing signal
of a vessel in dire distress.
Out into the night rushed Simon and
his callers. The waves beat against the
cliffs with deafening roar; almost con-
tinuously forked flashes of lightning