The Irish standard., 1899-04-29
Adrift on All Ice Field.
BY GEORGE II. COOMER.



CAAl STANLEY and 1 had been at
y 1ached to each other from our era
dies. We We're Of the same age, and our
families, living in the country, We're
close ncighbors. We h.d played to-
yether us children, had sailed mimic
boats on a pasture pond, set snares in
the woods for quails. We both had a
strong inclination for the sea. and We're
resolved to crafty it as soon as cir
cumstances should permit. The small
water craft that we launched on the
goose pond became in our Imagination
real ships, barlls and brigs. We gave
them yards, topsails and topgallant-
sails, like those of the big vessels at the
wharves of the neighboring seaport;
and would send them Off 10 some for
eign cline on the other side of that little
ocean, and possession of which an old
gray eander and his flock sometimes
disputed with us.
When we had grown bigger and
stronger, and were about IA years old,
Sam got chance to go as cabin boy i'll
a brig bound to the West Indies, and
need not say how I wanted to go with
him; but one boy was enough, the cap
tain said, and so there was no chance for
me on that old-fashioned square-riggcr.
But the thought that my chum, from
whom l had never been separated, was
to make real ocean voyage, and would
come home rolling so badly on his sea-
legs as to dip up gravel stones in his
pockets, only to find me still at home,
Il mere commonplace landlubber, was
intolerabe to me.
However, Sam and l talked the matter
over--he telling how sorry he was that
couldn't go with him, and | how
grieved to be left behind-till we gath
cred some consolation from the thought
that at some time in the near future we
would be able to ship together on the
same vessel, after which we would al
ways manage to do so.
Sam had been gone a month, when
quite unexpectedly obtained a berth
on board a ship bound TO New Orleans.
l had some hope of getting back before
he should have had time to start Oh Il
second voyage, so that next time we
would sail together. But, at all events,
the present chance was too good to
be thrown away.
While we were taking in our cargo
of cotton at New Orleans 1 saw by the
papers that Sans brig had arrived
Ia C,,1,o
load of molasses; and now should we
have short homeward passage, we
might get back, / thought, before he
should be off again: especially as his
vessel was reported to have lost her
mainmast in a gale, so that she would
have to wait for repairs.
But instead of Il short passage, we
had tediously long one, with north
casters almost the whole way, and a
heavy head swell that made our prog
ress very slow in spite of the aid we
got from the gulf stream. When we
did arrive, our folks told me that Sam,
after waiting for us a number of weeks,
had accepted chance to make Euro
pean voyage, and that his ship had
sailed that very morning.
He had left word that he was very
sorry to go without seeing me, but that
the chance being so good, he had been
unable to resist the temptation. His
vessel was bound for "Cowes and a mar
ket," a very common destinations; and 1
saw that there was not much hope of
our meeting very soon, as 1 should
probably be off again before his return.
1t would never answer 10 let Sam out
strip ME as sailor.
After a time got voyage for Ham
burg, and the same day that my name
was put on the ships papers, received
4 letter from my young chum, dated
from "Cowes, Isle of Wight" saying
that his vessel had been ordered to the
great German seaport where had just
engaged to go. He said that after dis
charging their cargo, they should prob
ably wait some time for freight; and
how he did wish, he continued, that |
could get a voyage for the same place.
1t was a singular coincidence that,
should have done so not two hours be-
fore!
Well, we went to Hamburg, and on
entering the river Ellie we passed a
ship, out of hailing distance, which, as
seen through spy-glass had the name
of Sans vessel on her headboards and
stern.
"Why," exclaimed our captain, "that's
the Ophelia! | wish she had waited a
day or two longer! ] should have liked
to shake hands with Capt. Grover. The
old ship has kind of home look, hasn't
she?" he added.
And SO it went on. | was never at
home when Sam was, and Sam never
was at home when | was. We both
tried to arrange it better, but some
thing would always interfere to prevent
our meeting. Still we never abandoned
the hope of getting together some day.
The same thing occurred when went
to Glasgow, in Scotland, in ship called
the Robert Burns. The vessel to which