The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1917-08-04
FOR
LIBERTY
By ELlNOR MARSH

the surrender of CORVALLIS at York
town that it would not pay to prose
cute the war further to subdue the
colonies, gave up trying to do so, but
having for couple Of hundred years
held supremacy on the ocean continued
to exercise a number Of tyrannical so
called privileges in reference to our
merchant marine. She claimed the right
to search our ships for British desert
ing sailors and was not particular as
to their being British. Many an Amer
lean was taken Off a Yankee ship and
forced to serve In the English navy.
This was not the worst. The kings
ships would hover over an American
coast, send boats ashore with a press
gang and carry off any man found de-
fenseless
Cyrus TOmkins was farmer in those
days on the coast south Of New York at
a point where Asbury Park is now To-
Gated.
One day ship was seen running in
very near the land. She was a man-of-
war, that was evident from her ports,
but she carried no flag. Cyrus was
working in the field and too intent upon
what he was doing to notice boat put
out from the vessel and pull to the
shore. The first thing he knew he was
tackled from behind by several strong
men and, despite his efforts to free him
self, was hustled down to boat and
carried to the ship
! The coast was sparsely settled in
those days. and it is questionable If
any one saw the abduction Tomkins'
wife was not at home. and his children
were at school some distance from the
water.
The farmer knew that his capture
meant serving term of enlistment in
the British navy. separated from his
home and his family. AS soon as be
was taken aboard he was entered as
an able seaman, put in sailor logs and
left to 60 where he pleased, for as for
going ashore he could not do that
without swimming all the way, a dis
tance Of n mile and half.
| The wind was blowing fresh on shore.
| oaN thC VI Tie Sulp ueSlTeU
to sail away. but he had sent another
boat to point further north and was
| obliged to await its return. He sailed
back and forth for awhile, but, the
boat not appearing, he dropped his an
Choir. The wind had freshened instead
! Of lulling, and 1t was believed that the
absent ones dare not put out from the
shore In the face Of such rollers.
1t was sunset before Mrs. Tomkins'
, family came home. Not finding her
husband waiting for his supper, she
went out to look for him. Seeing his
farming tools where he had been cap
tured, the marks of struggle and the
ship anchored out in the ocean, she
took in the situation. Then she saw
some one on the ship waving. This
was not the first depreciation of British
ships on the coast, and the poor woman
knew that her husband had been taken
from her, his home and his family
When Cyrus waved to his wife tar
standing near him saw him.
"Sayin' goodby to the ole woman,
mater he said. Like enough this Is |
the last sight you'll get of 'er for a
matter Of three year or MORE
Cyrus made no reply; he was calcu- |
lating the chances of his getting ashore |
in such wind and sea in case he at |
tempted to swim the distance He must |
make the attempt, If at all, under cover |
of darkness. for il seen he would be re-
captured. But to swim In such a sea at |
all was equivalent to suicide. and In
the darkness he would not know in
what direction he was swimming.
Cyrus had a son fourteen years old |
that was as much of duck as his
father. Young Cy thought Of the swim
ming problem and on the same lines
as the captive AS soon as it was dark
he made bonfire on the high bank
overlooking the ocean. Tomkins saw
1t and knew very well what II meant.
From that moment his resolution was
taken.
Watching his opportunity he worked
his way up on to the fOrecastle where
there was no one to see, and let himself
down on to the bowsprit chains. An
enormous wave swept him Off and he
was committed to the mercy of the
deep. The stern Of the vessel was
blown toward the shore and he was
obliged to swim along the side. Fortu-
nately he was not thrown against it
and was soon driven by the wind and
waves beyond the stern. He felt that
he could live in the water, but doubted
that he could make a landing in such
a sea. However, he nerved himself by
the thought that he had bathed in wa
ter almost as turbulent and hoped for
the best. Whenever he rose on crest
he looked for the shore light, but the
wind was blowing straight on shore and
was taking him toward it. As to guild
ing his direction that was impossible.
1t was not very long before he heard
the dreaded breakers. Nearly all his
strength remained to him, for there was
no use in trying to swim. When close
to the shore he watched his opportunity,
and when the wave on which he rode
was about to break, by strenuous eff
font 10 thrax- h;,n.alf ha an1 |