The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1899-06-08

- voo o8Do UuAe running ana BeopIn8
about; but NO one on board discovered
me. This was q dreadful disappolnt-
ment, and after . few minutes Of dis
traction settled into sullen despair.
It seemed a. II the men ought to have
seen me, and half hated them for not
doing so!
Still another day, and was getting
dreadfully hungry and thirsty; but
luckily the June weather. after the last
blow, had become very warm, so that
even the ice under foot did not chill me
70 any great extent. BY good luck.
while walking about my ocean prison,
I found n small live fish which some
wave must have been deposited in q hol-
low of the ice; and this was the only fish
that ever ate raw.
had hardly finished my scanty meal,
when a whale. 60 or 70 feet long. sud-
denly rose up close to the edge Of the
ice, shooting his immense head out Of
the water with q force that sent the
waves swashing Off on all sides. The
appearance Of such monster 50 close
to me was at first quite startling. Then
he lay motionless. blowing with loud
noise, and sending up sheets of fine
mist After awhile he "turned fukes,"
a. the whalemen express 1t, and. throw
ing his broad tail in the air. once more
sought the ocean depths. But what .
picture he had made!
A flock Of Mother Carey's chickens
circled about the spot where he went
down. but could not perceive that
they found anything to eat. How
longed to knock over some of them. for
! was still hungry. in spite Of the fish
had eaten.
However, I felt better for my limited
meal and soon after fell asleep; for !
had slept but very little thus far,
and nature now stepped In to help me.
aided. no doubt, by that friendly little
fish.
I awoke with start, thinking that Q
big shark had Topped up on the ice and
got me by the shoulder. But instead
OF . shark booked upon the shape Of q
sturdy sailor, who was shaking me
briskly upon finding me asleep and not
dead.
l started to my feet with wids-open
eyes; then gazcd with astonishment
upon the young fellow who had reused
me from my nap. really feared that I
was still dreaming.
Sam Stanley" cried -Oh. Sam.
fam! u Il certajnly your
"Yes," he replied. II am the same old
6am that I used TO be, but how under
the sun came You 10 be here on this
piece Of drift ies?"
It'll tell you all shout Il % soon %
possible" I said: but how did you get
heref That's what I want TO know"
ny this time I was surrounded BY q
circle Of wondering sailors, while Sam
went On 70 tell In few words how her
cargo Of iron had caused their ahip te
spring . leak. 70 that they had been
fUrced 70 abandon her; and they were
making fof Cape Race in their boats,
when, passing close 70 this floating lcs.
they had discovered me lying near its
edge. Sam, 4 appeared. had been the
Arst 70 scramble upon It though he lit
te dreamed Of finding his old ehum In
the person Of the supposed dead man.
"What . arrange thing II is!" re
marked the stout young sailor. while I
wss devouring piece Of ship bread on
board one Of the boats Al We started OF.
"We have chased each other oil over the
ocean to meet At last on Q bit Of drift
ice. Awny out to seal"
We reached Cape Race without scci-
dent, and another week saw US safe in
the home Of our childhood. the first
time TINT we had been there together
for three long years Happy New Eng
giand--how delightful II seemed TO me.
after what I had suffered! And was
also glad 70 learn that the Robert
Burns, from which had pitched over.
board, had. after oil, arrived safely in
port. in spite of the rude shock she had
received.-Golden Days.