The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-06-22
Adrift
The Story of a
Castaway
By CLARISSA MACKIE


1t was a morning of early spring In
New York harbor. On the shores OF
the two rivers that flow east and west
of Manhattan Island and the great bay
south Of it yachts were being over
hauled, their engines oiled, their sails
repaired, their furniture uncovered.
Indeed, everything was being done to
prepare them for commission.
From the dock Of yacht club in the
East river a party was pulled In q
dinghy to a trim auxiliary craft anchor
ed a short distance out In the river.
It had already been prepared for a
lengthy trip. They were DR.. and Mrs.
Mortimer and their daughter, Evelyn,
a girl Of eighteen. Frederic Doerr.
engaged to Evelyn, went out with the
others to the yacht but after going
down the companionway, ostensibly to
inspect the cabin, but really to bid
each other a fond goodby. the young
couple returned to the deck. and Doerr
was pulled ashore There he fingered
while the anchor Of the yacht was got
up and began to steam down the river.
Then, with a last wave, which was re-
turned by his young fiancee. he turned
away.
DR.. Mortimer and his family were
bent on a cruise in southern waters.
It was late in the season for a land
trip to the south, but not on the ocean,
and it was their intention to- visit
Cuba. the Panama canal and other OBJ
jects Of interest, remaining ashore
only a day or two at time.
They had reached point of the coast
of Florida and were steaming along at
midnight in a fog when there came a
crash. Those in their berths below
arose, dressed hastily and went on
deck. Down in the hold the water was
coming through a hole. DIR. Mortimer
examined it and, believing that the
yacht would surely sink, went on deck
again and told his wife and daugh-
ter that they had better prepare for
such result. Mrs. Mortimer preferred
to die aboard the yacht rather than
commit herself to the black waters, but
Evelyn, remembering her lover and
that it was her duty to try to live for
him, suffered her father to get together
articles for raft, and when he had
bound them together and dashed her to
it he launched her upon the deep.
This was unfortunate. The water
did not gain In the yacht as rapidly as
had been expected, and when dawn
came and the fog cleared away there
was steamer on the port bow not q
mile away. Assistance was immediate.
~ afforded, and the pumps were man.
ned. Before the day ended the yacht
was in condition to pursue its journey
and arrived safely at Cuban port.
The sun shone down on the stretch
of white beach on the fringe Of palms
bending in the soft south wind
Blake Worthing at the wheel of his
motorboat idled in these pleasant Flor
ida waters, wondering IL 1t was time to
return to his cottage on the beach and
waiting for his mothers signal that
luncheon was ready.
Something strange came bobbing over
the waters toward him. In the distance
it looked like a gray island. Later II
resolved into various articles of n ship
with human being dashed upon It..
AS soon as Blake made this discov.
cry he turned the motorboat about and
met the approaching raft.
When he had made it fast to his
own craft he gently touched the sea
soaked bundle of humanity and dis
covered 1t to be q girl-a girl so pale
and lifeless that he believed her to be
dead.
His mother met him at the little pier
and took the bundle from his arms.
She was tall, majestic woman, strong
and vigorous and young.
where did you find her, Baker
asked Mrs. Worthing.
Blake told her in few words.
"rm going over to Barnacle after the
doctor-do the best you can for her,
mother" said Blake, as he changed his
wet clothing and hurried of up the
beach.
Mrs. Worthing put the castaway into
her little spare room under the cot
tage roof, and with the help of Mandy,
the maid, she endeavored to bring con-
seriousness to the girl.
But In vain. 1t was not until after
the physician had arrived and worked
over her for another hour that at last
the girl opened pair of forgetmenot
blue eyes and smiled family at the
anxious face bent above her. Then
she went to sleep.
She did not awake until morning,
and Mrs. Worthing discovered that
while she remembered many things
about the dreadful wreck OF a vessel
bound for South America, she could
not piece together her past life or
identify herself completely.
MY name." she said slowly, ''is
Evelyn Ames-my father Is DR.. Ames
and we were taking a vacation-fa-
ther-oh, my poor fatherF' Then she
broke down and cried because she
could only guess her fathers fate. She
could not even remember where she
had lived, and although Mrs: Worthing
and her son labored patiently to bright
en- the dulled memory their efforts
were in vain.
sPlease don't bother about me.
cannot remember" she would cry
YEARLY.