Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1914-01-24
lie Ran Away
to Sea
A Story of a Fire on the
Ocean
BY LILLIAN WATERWAYS

the romance out Of sailing on salt
water. there were frequent cases OF
boys who had been reading stories Of
life on the ocean running away from
home and going to sea. These lads
were sometimes the sons OF refined
parents Usually such boys came back
in few months or year OF two. but
occasionally one TOO proud to do so
or having nothing to return to, would
spend his life in the career in which
he had started
Ben Laraway nj sixteen was as hard
to keep down in a proper gait as the
cover Of boiling pot. lie was effer
vescing with number OF sensations
Two of these seemed to be incompat
ible. He was in love. and he wished
10 20 to sea Winifred Carlisle aged
fifteen. was the object Of Bcn's affcc
ton. and. TO make matters worse. she
considered herself very much in love
with Ben To tell the truth, Ben was
especially attractive to the girl. His
face was one that artists would love
TO paint. lie had no sense Of fear
and was the leader OF all the mischief
practiced In the town where he lived.
Anything serious between a boy Of
sixteen and a girl OF fifteen except
among barbarous nations. being out OF
the question. Bcn's love for Winifred
was overtoppcd by his love for the sea
A.4. T.. su1
the sense to know that marriage was
a part OF love In all civilized communi.
ties and II he wished TO possess Win
fired he must make a career for him
self He was acquainted with The cap
tain OF a vessel. who had fam Is
and argued that il he went to SEA t".
might also in due time become cap
tain.
Ben was known to have such Siruu.
predictions for a sailors life that
his parents had some fear he might
follow the example OF certain boys of
the time by running away to become
sailor His father therefore laid his
pIans for taking him into his business
with him.
The idea OF commercial life was
especially repulsive to Ben. The even.
ing before he was TO enter his fathers
counting room he had 4 meeting with
winifred. in which the two went
through all those emotions. pledges OF
undying affection and hopes and fears
OF lovers old enough seriously TO think
about such things. However. theirs
was a case Of real love and one des-
tined to last with both OF them. for
neither ever loved any other. Ben told
winifred that he was going 10 run
away and 90 to sea: that he had heard
that in few years good sailor might
become a mate and after awhile cap
tain. Then be would come home and
take her as his wife on long trip
The morning after this interview.
when Ben'S mother went 10 his room
to waken him that he might be prompt
on the first day OF his going to bust
ness. she found ii empty. The blow
had fallen-Be had decamped There
was a stormy time in the house for
awhile: then the family settled down
to the belief that the boy had run
away to sea" and his father was not
sure but that IL would be OF service TO
him. When he had suffered the hard
knocks OF cabin boy for awhile he
would write home for money on which
TO return. and. after having the non
sense beaten out of him. he would be
satisfied TO live IN ordinary life
But Ben I.araway was not that kind
OF boy nj an lie was not htted Tor
"A humdrum life and had a natural pre-
disposition for rowing He loved n,
University OF the ocean. the rising ann
falling OF the ship. the pure air uu
contaminated with smoke and smells
He took the hard knocks cheerfully I'LL
one of the sailors went too far. then
Ben fought II battle that excited the
admiration OF his shipmates. II was
not either his strength or his skin
that was noticeable. but that through
out the encounter. from start to finish
Ben maintained wonderful GOODNESS. Il
was drawn battle. but furnished a
warning 10 others that Ben would not
prove good person TO tamper with
More than this. sailors early recog
nize the quality which in a commando
Is more valuable than any other and
without which he cannot successfully
command That was Ben's wonderful
self control All saw that when the
boy became man duriu: those crises
At sea when . crew looks instinctively
for leader Bet would step 20 ID,
front
I.araway served TWO years "before
the mast" then was made third mat,
OF vessel sailing between New Nork
and China Is IN officer he was In hi
element When he gave an order. ex
cept when in great haste. he spoke rs
quietly rs nj other times tie sympa
thized with the men under him and
would do their work when they were
unable to do it themselves Conse
Quently he had great influence with