Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1898-06-17
ADRIFT IN MID OCEAN.

uC std wiz omOOJu 0uN NuO WIN
was light, but the sky was over
cast, and there was low lylOl
haze which narrowed the hOrlzOI
down tOa circle half mile ii
diameter. Tie water over the
ships Slde looked black and oily
aud here and there, when a large
crest reflected the beams of one OF
the vessels lights, the glitter Of II
was lorid and balefui. o. deck all
was Silen;, save for the occasional
ill-tempertd comments of the frs
mate, who was on watch, and had
q sailors disposition toward thick
weather.
w hat in Africa is that slattine
abunt SO on the maiu tOp-sail yaI d
Here, you, tumble up, aud set
what's adritt.'
His words were addressed to q
tall, muscular boy who had been
leaning against the rail and staring
;hOughtfully iutO the sea. Ferris
James had been in dark revrrle.
He was not "a happy boy, for every
sning seemed TO him 10 have gone
wrong. HIS father. once a man oil
means, had died bankrupt, leaving
him absolutely penniess. Ferrlss
was then glad to secure a berth as
an ordinary seaman aboard the
ship GlendOwer, outward bound
for Bombay. 1t was while he was
meditanng On bis changed circum
stances that he received the curt
order OF the mate aud responded
with the instructive 'Ay, ay, SIT.
The boy, strong and active, with
the alert sineNs of seventeen
years, danced up the catIines like
1.-the cat, and was soon out upon
the yard, which had the swing OF
gigantic sea saw. Ferris examined
one half foot by foot till he found
himself on the extreme end OF the
ardarm. A moment later-he
never knew how it haDpened-the
yard seemed 10 slip from UBdel
him. aud he shot downward With
sudden plunge INTO the sea. Ht
barely had time TO utter "A startled
or, before the waters closed Ovel
him.
When he came to the surface he
saw something round and white
floating near hin. He graSped Al
It. and found It was a lite'0uOJ
which had been thrown from the
ship. TIE vessel herself was fast
slipping into the inpenetrdble
gloom. IL knew that a boat wOul(
be lowered, but he doubted that 4
OnlG find him on such \ thick
night. After time he begau tt
emit at intervals the sailors tar
reaching 'AhOO.ONp There Wal
no response ont of the pltch.lik'
blaekness, and when three.CuarteTI
OF an hour had passed, Ferris
with strange feeling of iudii
ference, stopped shouting.
y feeling of irresistible lassl
tude stole over the boy. anu
eired numbness crept through
his limbs. lie felt AS If be wer
O,erpowered 10y sleep, and twist
ing his arms in the lite line OF tb'
buoy, which he had managed Il
get over his head aud down unde
his arms, he allowed his head Il
fall on one side, aud he lost con
sciOusness. He made no resistanc
for he trlt that such life as hi
was not worth struggling for. ii
remembered dimIy afterwards lha
bis last thought was, Il wOnde
where pil wake upY'
Very much to his own surprise
he awOke iu the same place-adrit
in the North Atlantic, with only
circle of cork and canvass betwee
him and the great circle o! eternlt
For a few moments he reste'
laDgnldly, scarcely moving eve
his hands. Then spark OF bop
fired him with desire to scan th
sea. lie raised his head aud SLOW
ly swept a gaze around his narre'
horizon. He smi ed at bis ow
lack of enthusiasm when b
alphabetically discovered a barqu
Dol more than a mile away.
The barqne looked miserable
Her spars we've all awry, and he
Iisging was tull of slack lines. Sh
steered an erratic course, unde
scant canvass, aud altogethe
showed evidence of utter demora
IzatlOn.
There must be q sick or mt