The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1902-06-06

yards slam against the steel masts
with sullen boom. Except for that Oc-
casionally recurring sound, a solemn
Stiffness reigned supreme, while the
wide mirror of the ocean reflected
faithfully all the flaming tints of the
Sky. Quietly all of us gathered on the
fOks'l head for the second dog watch
smoke, but for some time all seemed
strangely disinclined for the desultory
chat that usually takes place at that
pleasant hour. Pipes were puffed in
silence for half an hour until suddenly
McGinty broke the spell, his voice
sounding strangely clear and vibrant,
by saying:
II had Il quare dhrame lasht night"
No one stirred or spoke, and after a
few meditative pulls at his pipe he
went on:
81 dhreamt that 1 was a tiny gos-
soon ag'in at home in ovid Baltimore.
I'd been wandherin' an sthrayin', God
alone knows where, fer a dhreadful
long while, it seemed, until at lasht,
whin 1 was ready to die from sheer
weariness an fright, l heard me dear
mothers sweet voice cryin', Where s
Fonnie avic iver got to this long while 2
Oh, twas as if an angel from hiven
spoke to me, an 1 cried wild all me
heart an me tongue, Here, mother,
here am! An she gathered me up in
her arms that was SO soft an cozy till
l felt as if | was a little tired chick
neshtlin' into its mothers feathers in
the suggest av nests. l didn't go to
sleep. | just let meself sink down,
down into rest, happy as any saint in
glory. An thin woke up wild big,
tearin' ache all over me poor ovid bro
ken up body. But, bad as that was,
twas just nothin' at all to the gnawin'
ache at me heart"
Silence wrapped US round again, for
who among us could find any words to
apply to such story as that? And it
affected us all the more because of its
complete contrast to McGinty's usual
bright, CHEEKY and accomplishing hui
NOR. Not another word was spoken by
any one until the sharp strokes on the
little bell aft cleft the still air and in
immediate response one rose and smote
the big bell hanging at the break of the
foks'l four double blows. ushering in
the first watch of the night. The
watch on deck relieved wheel and look
out, and we who were fortunate enough
to have the "eight hours in" lost no
time in seeking our respective hunks,
since in those stern ATTITUDES we might
expect a sudden call at any moment.
We had hardly been asleep five min
utes. it seemed, when a hoarse cry
came pealing in through the foks'l door
Of "All hands on deck! Shorten sailY'
And as we all started wide awake we
heard the furious voice of the southern
tempest tearing up the face of the deep
and felt the massive fabric beneath our
feet leaping and straining under the
tremendous strain of her great breadths
of canvas that we had left hanging so
idly at eight bells.
Out into the black night we hurried,
meeting the waiting mate at the fore
mast and anwering his first order of
"Man the foretops'ls downhaul! with
the usual repetition of his words
Weird cries arose as we hauled with all
our strength on the downhauls and
spilling lines, while overhead we could
hear, even above the roar of the storm,
the deep boom of the topsails fiercely
lighting against the restraining gear.
Then, with a kissing, spiteful snarl
came snow and sleet, lashing US like
shotted whips and making the dark