Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1914-01-24

ant TO an concerned without altering
the result lie had chosen a sailors
vocation and would spend his life on
the water
Ben also refraIu,d FROM writing bis
little sweetheart an ne had made mp
his mind thni ho would carry oui hi,
Intentions 100 2oiu. to sea THIS was
when hc bad hrcn lGoat year and
the letter be- received ia rcpli gave hm
the most delicious sensation be- had cN
pericu,od since. Iruylus homc
When Bcn tad been at sea i've years
he found himself at the e. ~ twenty
one. FIRST mate 80 the ship Northern
Star IlollingSworrh master. bringing %
load Of cotton aud large number Of
passengers from Bombay westward
The captain had contracted fever
while iu bombay uud was unable 10
leave his cabin Consequently Lara
way was lu command one morning
the ihird mate came 20 him with the
news that the cotton was smoderin.
The tr>t officer dit not turn pale. but
he had received the shock Of his lifc
He dare not ctcn report the threatened
calamity 20 the captain The ship vas
800 or 600 miles from any port should
the knowledge that the cargo was on
fire reach the Passengers panic would
ensuc Here was problem calculated
TO shake the strongest nerve. aud one
who had hut just reached the age OF
manhood was called upon to meet It
Laraway went al once 10 inspect
the fire and made up his mind that wa.
ter poured on II would only produce
smoke and steam without having any
other effect. The ship was doomed
and that al no distant time. Directing
that the patches bc as closely secured
as possible that smoke might not Is
cape. the young commander returned
20 the deck The morning was sunny
and the ocean comparatively calm A
number OF the passengers We're play
Ing that game peculiarly adapted TO a
ships deck Switchboard Laraway
sauntcrcd up to the party and stood
looking al the game II was known
that he was 10 command Of the YES.
sel-the commander Of ship is al
ways an object Of interest to the pas
sengers-and I.araway's overlooking
game OF Switchboard was considered
a condesccnSion, especially as he never
before had been known to leave MS
post while on duty When the game
was finished he said
81 should think you people would get
tired OF Switchboard"
Tired OF it, replied lady Sup
pose we are; we've nothing else to do
How would you like to take a hand
at one Of our ships drills;"
What drillf"
well. We might try taking to the
boats. in case OF collision or any other
accident. from sinking ship"
I'm in FOR that" said one. and be
was followed by others
"Thcrc'S great advantage IN H.
said Laraway You see. in case OF
emergency the main difficulty is with
the Passengers. and By going through
the drill in case anything should hap,
pen, you would be prepared for it."
"Good idea" exclaimed one
splendid" said another.
Anything 10 break the monotony-'
remarked third
Laraway stood among them explain
Ing just how they We're 10 proceed He
would first give orders FOR the colec
ton Of provisions They would be
IL. L., t,uf
carry out the idea properly let each
passenger get together such articles
from his baggage as would be needed
in case be must live for several days
in an open boat This in itself was
very important matter When all Were
ready lei them come on deck. and he
would tell them OF into parties to ON
the boats
All went below except a few ladies'
who did not seem inclined to join in
the drill l.araway did not urge them
TO do so. though he told them that Il
was . practice for the common good
Soon passengers began 10 come up thu
companionway CARRYING various arti
Giles. some OF them joking each other
on what they had selected A thin
film Of smoke began TO issue from
forward hatch One OF the Indies ask
ed the captain what II meant and he
told her that the men were drying
their clothes
When the boats were well stocked
with provisions and water and the
crew. who had been coached by the
Junior officers TO keep ccol and say
nothing. had swung them on their
davits. IAraway dllcd them with pas.
sengers one after another. When all
We're tilled he ordered the boats low
cred
Good gracious. captain" cried a
lady You're not going TO let US down
into the water are you5 Let me get
out"
stay where you are. madam The
ship IS on fire and will soon be ablaze =
Scarcely any one Of the passengers
believed Inraway 10 be In earnest