The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1899-06-08
Adrift on An Ice Field.
By GEORGE II CooMeR

CAM STANLEY and I had been a.
y tached to each other from our era.
dies. We were of the same age, and our
families, living in the country, were
close neighbors. We had played to-
gether as children, had sailed mimic
boats on q pasture pond, set snsres In
the woods for quails. We both had Q
strong inclination for the sea, and were
resolved to crafty 1t as soon - cir
cumstances should permit The small
water craft that we launched on the
goose pond became in our imagination
real ships, barks and brigA We gave
them yards, topsails and topgallant
sails, like those Of the big vessels at the
wharves OF the neighboring seaport;
nnd would send them OF TO some for
sign cline on the other side Of that little
ocean, and possession Of which an old
gray gander and his flock abmetimss
disputed with US.
When we had grown bigger sud
stronger. and were about II yearsold,
Sam go4 . chance to 60 - esbin boy In
brig bound 70 the West Indies, and
need not say how wanted 70 60 With
him; but one boy was enough, the cap
tain said, and 90 there was no chance for
me on that old-fashioned square-rigger.
But the thought that my churn, from
whom had never been separated. was
TO make . real ocean voyage, and would
come home rolling 20 badly on his Sec
legs - 70 dip up gravel stones In his
pockets, only 70 find me still se home,
mere eommenp'aee landlubbss. was
intolerable 70 me.
However, Sam and talked ths matter
over-he telling how sorry he was that
couldn't 90 With him. and I how I
gr1eved to be left behind-tili ve gath.
cred some consolation from the thought
that at some time In the pear future We
would be able TO ship together on the
same vessel, after which we would al
ways manage to do "a.
Sam had been gone . month. when
quite unexpectedly obtained berth
on board q ship bound TO New Orleans.
l had some hope Of getting back before
he should have had time TO start on q
second voyage, no TINT next time we
would sail together. But, at all events,
the present chance was too good to
be thrown awhy.
While VIC were taking 10 our cargo
Of cotton at New Orleans I saw by the
papers that Sans brig had arrived
home from Santiago de Cuba with. .
load of molasses; and now should we
have o short homeward passage, we
might get back. l thought, before he
should be of again; especially a. his
vessel was reported to have lost her
mainmast In gale, 30 that she would
have TO wait for repairs
But instead Of short passage, we
had o tediously long one, with north
casters almost the whole waI. md o
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 q 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 90 without seeing me, but that
the chance being 30 good, he had been
unable TO resist the temptation. His
vessel was bound for "Cowes and mar
ket," very common destination; and ]
saw that there was not much hope Of
our meeting very soon. as should
probably be off again before his return.
II would never answer to let Sam out
strip me as sailor.
After time got voyage for HAM
burg, and the same day that my name
was put on the ships papers, I received
letter from my young chum, dated
from "Cowes, Isle of Wight" saying
that his vessel had been ordered TO tht
great German seaport where I 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 q voyage for the same place
II was singular coincidence that
should have done so not two hours be.
forel
Well, We went to Hamburg, and or
entering the river Elbe we passed g
ship, out of hailing distance, which. a
seen through spy-glass, had the name
Of Sans vessel on her headboards ant
stern.
"Why,"e exclaimed our captain. "that''
the Ophelia! ! wish she had waited &
day or two longer! should have liked
to shake hands with Capt. Grover. Tht
old ship has kind Of home look. hasnN
she?" he added.
And 30 It went on. I was never 0,
home when Sam was, ond Sam neved