Literary cadet and Rhode-Island statesman. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1827-1829, 1827-09-12

dreadful explosion, one long loud sEriek
was heard, ten thousand fragments OF
the burning vessel sparkled for mo-
ment far up IN the air! and all was ST.
lent, save the fierce hiss Of the quench-
ing flames, or when
| AT intervals, there gu.hed
| accompanied with conyuliye splash,
| A solitary shrek, the bubhing cry
| Of some strong swimmer in his agony"
Several pieces of the vessel fell close
by the side of Li.tleton's boat, and in
connection with one he discovered liv-
ing being. 1t was female in the last
struggles Of suffocation. He seiz ed
the body and partly raised it from the
" ater; the moon shone full and bright
upon the face; it was the pale, emacist-
ed, but still beautiful face Of his once
adored Elizabeth. He gazed intensely
upon il for an instant his arms dropped
palsied by his side, he reeled and fell
| PROSTATE in the boat; the almost lifeless
body of the unfortunate girl, sank gently
| beneath the waves, and rose no more
The victim of an ardent attachment, for
an unworthy object, she had sought in
company with her humble but fond ia
ther, relief from disease and melan-
chnly, in the mild airs of tho South, to
which she was now adding the promised
advantage of a sea voyage.
Littleton lay that night in a state Of
insensibility. The morning never dawn
ed upon more miserable being. He
raised himself and looked abroad upon
the wide waste Of waters No object
either living or de d met his eye. In
his revcries the 10 mants OF the wicked
convulsed his bosom; the boundless sky
and water seemed to spread eternity be-
fore him; the bright sun. rising majesti-
cally from the ocean towards the high
Hea"ens, seemed to him cmblematic Of
the upward flight of the pure spirit of
Elizabeth, which but few hours before
had gone as his accuser, to the regions
of Immortality. A waveless calm over.
spread the deep throughout the
day, and without the means or the
strength to propeI his boat ex-
hausted by fatigue and agonized by
the goadings of his conscience, he lay
in his noveless bark until the succeed
ing day, when he was discovered by
vessel bound for New Orleans, whittier
she carred'him. Friendless, pennyless
and unknown, he was here cast upon
the charity of tho world. Disease, Sc
we're and prbtracted, ensued, and after
the lapse of several months, like the
prodigal son, he set out in sickness,
penury and distress, for his fathers
house. BY the aid Of private charities
he was enabled to reach this city, but in
q state of too much exhaustion to pro-
ceed any further.
Such is substantially the incidents in
the life of Littieton, as related to me
upon our last interview. At that time he
appeared calm,but without that heavenly
serenity which marks the last moments
Of a virtuous man. There was small
pocket bible near his bed side, and he
spoke with some anxiety, if not pcrtuba-
ton, ofhis approaching dissolutlon.-ex-
pressing a wish, to converse with
minister ofthe gospel. called on the
Rev. Mr.--, who visited him twice
before his death. As approached the
hospital some days atte erwards, L bserv-
ed the hearse returning from Potter's
field:'-It had Just committed, to that
city of the dead, the wasted body of the
miserable Littleton. He sleeps among
strangers, in an unknown grave.
"And leaves Corsairs name to o,her tines
Mixed with few virtues and n thousand crimes"