Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1850-08-19
MISCELLANEOUS.
TIE WRECKER AND HIS VICTIM.

There is tale connected with a Cornish
wrecker, which, when once heard, Garnet east
ly be forgotten, and which affords striking
commentary ON the inspired declaration that the
"way OF the transgressor is hard.a The story is
this:
After sutry autumn day, the blood red sun
sank beneath sea OF crimson, which gradually
deepened in color, and as the daylight faded; a
dark bank OF clouds rose in the west, and blot
ted out star after STAR almost ere it had twnkled
through the twilight. An cid man, whose
dwelling was on the seashore, beneath the cliffs,
looked out upon the darkening face of the sea
with an eager, anxious glance. There had not
been breath OF air stirring all day; but now,
low meanings foretold rising gale. and the
lightning, distant as yet, and voiceless, glim-
mered through the dark caverns OF thick clouds
which overspread the sky, and deepened by
momentary contrast, the solemn blackness ofthe
night. Far seaward, a faint strip of dull red
sky in the horizon, revealed the tall masts OF a
gallant ship which had been all day slowly
working her tedious way up the channel on her
honeward course. The old man had watched
her for many hours before sunset, aud he chuck
led as he saw ere the last dim line of western
light had faded, that she was gradually nearing
the coast and he noticed, with horrid gee, the
luTedteItGS VI Inc CuHltlG StUFttI IKE CGltu 10
his oil, wife for his lantern, Went to the crazy
and running shed aud led out a half-staryed
horse, which he led by the halter along the
beach At a ravne in the cliffs he turned with
his horse and began 10 ascend winding and
dangerous path to the top of the precipce.-
There he lightened his Lantern and fastened il to
his horses head and them for three or four
hours of the night he led the Unconscious ani-
NAL backward and forward along the edge of
the cliffs. By this time the lightning flashed
fierce and frequent; the thunder rolled and rat
like food and the sea, which had all day
heaved slugeishly, and broke heavily upon the
rocks, was now reused into fury by the rising
gale. Still the old man pursued his walk along
the cliffs and ever and anon looked keenly and
anxiously through the darkness upon the raging
sea beneath. Hark surely that thunder came
not from the clouds-that fash was no light
ninp's stroke 1t is-yes it is the cannon of
the fated ship, the well-known signal of dis.
tress, and the old mans tiendish nature reioiced
at the thought that his decoy-lioht had answer
ed its object. Again aid again the sound boom
ed along the water for all too late the mariners
discover that they are embayei that rocks and
breakers are around them, and the gale is driv-
ing them quickly to the shore; that the false
light which had appeared to them as that of a
tall ship tossing on the sea, was displayed TO
lure them to destruction. Again and again the
gun is fred, aud still the old man reioiced in
the success Of his horrid stratagem, and calcu-
lates with fendish accuracy the spot and mo-
ment for the iated vessel striking ON the rocks
As the time approached, he descends from the
cliffs and takes his station on the beach to watch
for whatever the raging waves may cast on
shore. And soon there is heard crash, louder
than the strife OF elements-a shrek far above
the roar of waters-but still the wrecker shrnks
not from the horrors of his own dark deed vet
shrouded by them from the TEMPEST and The
night. Day dawns at length and shews to his
greedy eyes the beach strewn with fragments
Of the wreck, which the yet heaving pillows are
still bearing shoreward and dashing on the rocks
Presently the old man is bending over the body
OF a drowned man for his avaricious glance had
detected on the fingers of the dead gold ring
with a bright gem, gliterino in the early dawn.
Hastily and eagerly the hardened plunderer
drags away the ring from the unresisting hand,
and by the ACT the face Of the dead man is turn
ed upward and meets the eye Of the murderer.
In that moments glance, horror & despair have
taken the place of greedy joy--the color for
sakes his quivering lip-the dearly purchased
gem drops from his unconscious grasp, and as he
sinks to the earth beside the corpse, he gasps
out, ''Nly son my son p
1t was too true. The old mans only son had
left his home in early youth, disguised with the
vices that had disgraced his friends, and with
hard earned riches and honors, which he fondy
might be the means of rescuing his
parents from the course of guilt and depravity in
which he had grown gray, he was returning to
his native land-to perish thus Inflated son
OF yet more wretched sire-the murderer and
and plunderer of his only child
Seek not to lift the veil that covers the horrors
of his late remorse. but rejoice in the belief that
the Cornish wreckeI is the creature Of by-gone
age.
II