The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1917-07-13
FOR
LIBERTY
Bv ELINOR MARSH

Great Britain, having decided AFTER
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, put
having for a couple Of hundred years
held supremacy on the ocean continued
to exercise a number of tyrannlcal 50
called privileges in reference 10 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 ana
forced to serve i'm the English navy
This was not the worst The king
ships would hover over an American
coast, send boats ashore with press
Gang and carry off any man found de
fenseless.
CYRUS TCmkins 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 III
very near the land. She was man-ot-
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 he
was taken aboard he was entered as
an able seaman, put in sailor toys and
left to go where he pleased. for as for
going ashore he could not do that
without swimming all the way, a dis
lance of a mile and half.
The wind was blowing fresh on shore
and the commander Of the ship desired
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
chor. The wind had freshened instead
Of lulling. and ii 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. shc
went out to look for him Seeing his
farming tools where he had been cap
tured, the marks of a struggle and the
ship anchored out in the ocean. sh,
took i'm 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 takei
from her his home and his family
When Cyrus waved to his wife tai
standing near him saw him.
"Sayin' goodby to the ole woman
mater" he said Like enough this i.
the last sight you'll get of 'er for /
matter Of three year or more
Cyrus made no reply: he was calcu
lating the chances of his getting ashor,
in such wind and sea in case he at
tempted to swim the distance. He mus
make the attempt, if at all, under cove
Of darkness. for if seen he would he re
captured. But to swim In such sea a
all was equivalent to suicide and il
! the darkness he would not know il
/ what direction he was swimming.
Cyrus had son fourteen wears oil,
that was as much of duck as hi
/ father. Young Cy thought of the swim
ming problem and on the same line
as the captive. As soon as it was darl
/ he made a bonfire on the high BAN
| overlooking the ocean Tomkins say
! it and knew very well what il mean,
From that moment his resolution wa
I taken.
! Watching his opportunity he worke
his way up on to the forecaStle wher
: there was no one to see, and let himsel
down on TO the bowsprit chains. A
enormous wave swept him off. and h
was committed to the mercy of tn
deep. The stern OF the vessel wa
blown toward the shore and he wa
obliged to swim along the side. Foru
nately he was not thrown against
and was soon driven by the wind an
waves beyond the stern. He felt ths
he could live in the water. but doubte
that he could make a landing in sue
a sea. However. he nerved himself h
the thought that he had bathed in W,
ter almost as turbulent and hoped fo
the best. Whenever ne rose on a creS
he looked for the shore light, but III
wind was blowing straight on shore nm
was taking him toward it. As TO cui,
ing his direction that was impossible
1t was not very long before he hea
the dreaded breakers. Nearly all h
strength remained to him, for there wa
no use in trying to swim. When cln,
RI thp Shora la v-atab.I -. ,