Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1859-12-30
OIL FIG A NC {;
THE WRECKER'S BEACON.
CHAPTER L.

having left the Straits of Dover two days behind
The commander of the ship was young man,
not eight-and-twenty, and his name was
MAuzrcE LESTER. lie stood by the tafrail, gaz-
iny Of upon the horizon to the eastward, ever and
anon raising his hand above his head to feel If
there was wind stirring, and often casting his
eye aioft to see how the canvas hung. As he
stool thus his mate approached, and spoke to
him
What d. you think of this, Captn'"
q think we're in for a storm, SIR" the master
replied. "And tell you what it is Griffin" ne
allel, after sweeping the horizon again with mis-
eye when 1t comes 1t will be an earnest one
N5ae Of your broad 0 sean pufs with nothing but
water to ha ch wind from; but we IL have it right
fresh from some Of those places where they know
how e. make things blow
"rhcn you taiaA well have hard one?' said
Griffin.
AYE" answered the captain, with almost
,ludier, Il feel it in my bones"
In the meantime, Captain Lester had been
watching the sea and sky as before, and he fan
ced that the signs OF the storm were growing more
and more papable every moment The
going down IN a thick bank, giving 10 the whole
western horizon a dull, purplish-red, bloody hue,
with here and there spots of darker tinge, like
openings, through the fiery cloud, looking upon
fearful backness behind.
do you see how strangely it looks of there :"
said the captain, raising his finger towards the
point where the was setting
aye" returned Griffin, 81 have been watch
ing those dark places
And others noticed the same thing, and spoke
Of it, too.
Seven o'clock came and went. Eight o'clock
came, and the first watch was set.
Don't 20 below" said the captain, as the men
Of the last dog watch left their stations. This
calm can't last great while You had better
batten down the matches now, while there is moth
ing else to do; for l there will be need of
having them close before the coming Of another
day"
The men had had no thoughts Of going below,
for they could see and feel; and they were not
wholly ignorant Of what coming; so they
went at work and secured the matches with thick
tarpaulins; and when this done those who had
no particular station collected about the wheel
Another hour passed away-and another. Ten
o'clock came, and still not breath. The ship lay
upon the water like a dead thing, with the ropes,
and blocks, and sails, rafting and tapping as she
was swayod to and fro by the lazy swells Of the
''What docs it mean ?" cried Griffin, as the
boy struck five bells.
'IIark - said the captain, almost instantly, al
guess you'll soon Did You feel that !-Ha
and that ;"
TWAS puff of wind and a light flying of
spray; or, perhaps it was a spit Of rain. At all
events the puff was felt; and the drops Of water
fell upon other checks than Maurice Testers; and
other ears than his heard the dull moaning which
came over the dark waters. So other ears heard
the roar which followed, and other bodies quivered
beneath the shock Of the storing giant when he
came in his might.
Ave-the storm had come. 1t came with wind
and rain, and with an angry heaving Of the sea-
Il came with darkness like Erebus and
With the voice Of thunder. The gale continued
to increase in fury the long night passed away.
When the morning came the scene was one Of aw-
ful grandeur. The wind was bowling with terrific
fury; and the broad sea dashed into huge
mountains that foamed, and leaped along over
the bosom Of the deep, seeming every moment
ready to whelm and engulf the fail bark that
struggled within the demon grasp.
When Captain Lester had observed the signs Of
the morning be feared that the storm would con-
tinue through the day, and so he told his men -
The sky wore a hue Of horror, and rain now
driving down, ningling with the lashing At
noon it was still worse
At length night shut in again, and not sign
yet Of the passing away Of the storm The
frghtful bowling Of the tempest seemed rather TO
have increased than abated. The men gathered
upon the quarterback, clinging for support to the
racks and rails-for the life-ines swayed so much
that they we're afraid of thoroughbred as utar
o. the light of the binnace-amp as they could as
th1ugl even from such feeble beams taey might |
ind some comfort. But not all were there. No |
not all Four stout, true hearted men had been
swept away by the storm Near score were left;
but how many shall see the light of another day
At nine o'clock Captain Lester went beoK. lie
took down chart Of the North Sea- and having
spread it upon the table, he sat down to examine
lie was thus engaged when Mr. Griffin came down;
but he did not look up until he had fin shed the
calculation.
How Is it ?" the mate asked, as he saw his
commander lay down the dividers.
Il have been making a reckoning and l find
that we have but little more sea-room left. The
course we have made since wore, has been, a
near as | can calculate, north-west-by-west so
that we must have been driving towards the coast
Of Northumberland. l think we have plenty
room to stand on until midnight but we cannot
and on much longer. If the gale does not
abate by that time l know not what we shall do"
The captain started Up IRON his chair and
would probably have walked across he cabin, but
at that moment heavy caught the ship, and
gave her pitch forward, which caused him TO
catch his seat quickly possible. A soon as
the food had gone from the deck, and the vessel |
had struggled up from the shock he lookei into |
bis companions face, and said, in a voice made |
tremulous by deeper emotion than be had before |
manifested
Griffin, have something upon my mind more
than you know; and | am anxious to communi- |
cate it, too. l must tell it now, for have strange
frreboding of coming ill. Something is to happen |
that will bear great calamity to some of us. 1 |
sm not croaking-I am reading what the Unseen /
has written in my soul. However, you shall hear /
my story. You have heard that my parents were
both lost at sea ?"
yes" said the mate.
And perhaps you know that they lost in
this sea ?"
II have heard so, sir"
"Aye-so it was. 1 was a boy then. They
we're on their way to Copenhagen, should be
now. Ny father commanded the ship-she was |
called the Clara Jane She was named for my /
mother; and she was staunch, noble craft. 1 /
at school then, in Troy; and when knew
that my parents were dead l was we'll nigh mad /
With grief. l fancied then, in my first hours Of |
orphonage, that my heart would break and, I |
think such would have been the case if they had |
kept me at school But some of those who cared |
for came to sec me, and it was finally arranged |
that should 60 to sea. And 1 prospered-pros-
pered so well that, when was twenty years old /
they gave me command of ship.
The man who owned the ship which l first /
commanded was named Thornton. He had
daughter named Carrie-one of the sweetest,
purest and loveliest creatures that ever grsced
this poor life Of earth. She was four years
younger than myself but even when l first |
knew her-and she was not then more than four
teen-she a woman in intellect and grace,
though child in simplicity of love and conf
dence Mr. Thornton did not object to my suit,
so loved her with all my soul, and was blessed
10 know that she loved me in return. 1t had been
arranged that should be married when she
was twenty years old,-that had been our plan for
more than two yours, Mr.. Thornton having set |
the bounds himself 1t lacked two months of the |
time, and had arranged TO remain at home IN
til we were married. But-Thornton had heavy |
ship freighted for Copenhagen, and her captain |
was dying. h could find TO take his |
place but me, and he asked to 60. could |
not refuse but / asked that might be married
first. Mr. Thornton shook his head, ond said no.
But be had another plan which he said would be
better. He had been planning to visit Copenha-
gen, where he had two brothers in busness-they
were in company with him-and he said he would |
take the next ship and bring Carrie out with him,
and we should be married there. 1 finally |
sented to take out the new ship, and Mr.. Thorn |
ton, with his daughter, was to meet me in Cope 7
hagen, and there we to be married, and all |
three come home together. The evening before 1 |
sailed spent with Carrie, and when left her I |
felt that I was leaving my very life.
well" continued Lester, wiping his eyes, al |
went TO Copenhagen. l waited a month-then [ |
heard that the American ship, White Fawn with
william Thornton and daughter, on board, had
touched at Dover, and that all were safe and we'll
when she left. waited another week, and then
crossed to Hamburg but | could learn
nothing there. Next | went 10 London, and there