The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-06-16
Adrift
The Story of q
Castaway
By CLARISSA MACKIE

Dy SA-hNhOoh HhhShAL
: ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
II was 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 1t 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 a
dinghy to trim auxiliary craft anchor
ed a short distance out in the river.
II 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
1 each other 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 last wave, wlAch was re-
turned by his young fiancee. he turned
Haway.
DIR. Mortimer and his family were
bent on a cruise in southern waters.
1t 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 a time.
They had reached point of the coast
of Florida and were steaming along at
midnight in fog when there came
crash. Those in their berths below
arose, dressed hastily and went on
deck. Down in the hold the water was
coming through 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
ly 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 If it 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
. 1t looked like gray island. Later 1t
resolved into various articles of 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 a 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 a few words
I'm 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
, sciousness to the girl.
, But in vain. 1t was not until aftel
! the physician had arrived and worked
over her for another hour that at las
the girl opened pair of forgetmenot
! blue eyes and smiled family at tbs
anxious face bent above her. TheI
she went to sleep.
!. She did not awake until morning
I and Mrs Worthing discovered tina
while she remembered many things
!. about the dreadful wreck of a vesse
:. bound for South America. she coulC
not piece together her past life o.
. identify herself completely.
4 MY name" she said slowly, Il
4 Evelyn Ames-my father is DR.. Anne
4 and we were taking a vacatlon-fa
r ther-oh, my poor fatherw Then sh
r broke down and cried because sh
!. could only guess her fathers fate. Sh
g could not even remember where sh
! had lived, and although Mrs. Worthin
o and her son labored patiently to bright
en- the dulled memory their effort
4 were in vain.
% "Please don't bother about me.
v cannot remember" she would CT
YEARLY.