The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-12-31
WOLFGANG;
UhY
THE WRECKER'S BEACON.
CHAPTER !.

The commander of the ship was young man, not ove
eight and twenty, and his name was MAURICE LESTER
He st,od by the taail gazing upon the horizon tC
the eastward ever and raising his hand above his
head feel if II wind stirring and as offer
casting his eve aof how the canvas hung As he
stood thus his mate approached, and spoke to him:
'What dye think Of this, CaptnS"
II think wer in for storm, sir,' the master replied
"And tell you what it's Grifn,' he added after sweep
ing the horizon again with his eye when it comes il
will be earnest None of your broad Ocean pus
with nothing but water to hatch wind from; but wei
have light fresh from some of those places where they
know how to make things blow.n
g. Then you think Wen have hard one?" said Griffin
Aye" answered the captain, with almost shudder
Il feel it in my bones"
In the meantime Captain Lester had been watching
the and sky before and he fanced that the sign:
OF the storm growing more and more papabe every
moment The going down in a thick bank
giving to the whole western horizon dull purpshred
bloody hue with here and there spots Of darker tnge
like openings through the fiery cloud, looking upon
"Do You see how strangely looks of thereS" the
captain raising his finger towards the point where the
sun setting
"Aye returned Griffin, 81 have been watching those
dark places"
And others noticed the thing and spoke of it,
Seven O'Clock came and went. Eightoclock came, and
the first watch was set.
last dog watch left their stations This calm can't last
great while You had better batten down the matches
now, while there is nothing else to do for am sure
there will be need of having them close before the coming
of another day.
The had thoughts of going below, for they could
see and feel and they not wholly ignorant of what
coming; they work and secured the hatch
those
who 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 dead thing with the ropes and blocks, and
sails rattlng and Tapping she swayed to and fro
by the lazy swells of the sea.
what does it mean?n cried Griffin, the boy struck
five bells.
"Hark!n said the captain, almost instantly 81 guess
you'll soon see Did you feel that? Hal-and that1
1t puff Of wind and light flying Of spray or,
perhaps it spit of rain. At all events the puff was
felt and the drops of water fell upon other cheeks than
Tacta nd nth
moaning which came the dark waters. So other
heard the which followed, andl other bodies
quvered beneath the shock of the storm giant when ne
came in his might.
Aye-the storm had come. 1t came with wind and
rain, and with angry heaving of the sea. It came
with darkness like Erebus and with the voice of thun
gale continued to increase in fury the long
ngns passed away rsnda,r The WIND Was howling
with terrific fury and the broad was ashed into huge
mountains, that foamed and tumbled and leaped along
the bosom of the Deep seeming every moment ready
to whem and enguf the ail bark that struggled within
the demon grasp.
When Captain Lester had observed the signs of the
through the day, and he told his The sky wore
hue OF horror, and rain was now urlvlng down.
mingling with the lashng sea. At noon it was still
worse
At length night shut in again and not sign yet of the
passing away Of STORM The frightfu bowling Of the
tempest seemed rather to have increased than abated
The men gathered upon the quarterback clingng for
support to the racks and rasfor the lifeline swayed
much that they afraid of them-gathered as
to the light of the bnnace lamp as they could as though
fort. But not all were there. No-not ALL Four stout
ehearted men had been swept away by the storm
Near were left but how many shall see the light
of another dsyt
At nine o'clock Captain Lester went below He took
down chart of the North Sea- and having spread upon
the table, he sat down TO examine it, He was thus en-
gagged when Mr. Griffin came down; but he did not look
up until he had finished the calculation.
"How is ts'' the asked as he his commander
lay down the dividers.
II have been making reckoning, and find that we
have but little more sea-room left The course we have
calculate
north-westby- that must have been driving
towards the coast of Northumberland think we have
plenty of stand until midnight; but cannot
stand much longer II the gale does not abate by that
time know not what we shall do"
The captain started from his chair, and would prob
ably have walked the cabin but at that moment
heavy caught the ship and her pitch forward
which caused him TO catch his seat quickly possible
As the food had gone from the deck and the
sci had struggled up from the shock he locked into his
companions face and said in voice made tremulous by
deeper emotion than he had before manifested:
"Grhn, have something upon my mind more than
you know; and am anxious to communicate it, too.
must tell it now for have strange forebodng of coming
ILL., Something is to happen that will bear great calam
ty to of us. am not croakng-I am only 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'"
Eyes," said the mate.
'And perhaps you know that they were lost in this
seasn
~ have heard so, SIR"
"Aye-so it was boy then. They were on
their way to Copenhagen, should be Ny
father commanded the ship-she called the Clara
saunch, noble craft was at school then in Troy; and
when knew that my parents were dead was well nigh
mad with grief. fanced then, in my first hours Of
orphanage that ny heart would break and think such
would have been the if they had kept at school
But of those who cared for me to me, and
it was finally arranged that should go to sea And
prospered-prospered so well that, when I twenty
years old, they gave me command of ship.
THE who owned the ship which first commanded
named Thornton He had daughter named Carrie
of the sweetest purest and oveiest creatures that
graced this poor life of earth. She four years
younger than myself buteven when first knew her-and
she then than fourteenshe a woman in
intellect and grace though child simplicity of love
and confidence Mr. Thornton did object my suit,
loved her with all SOUL and was blessed to know
that she loved me in return 1t had been arranged that
we should be married when she twenty years DID,
that had been our plan for more than two years. Mr..
Thornton having set the bounds himself 1t lacked two
months the time, and 1 had arranged to remain at
home until we were married But-Thornton had a
heavy ship feghed for Copenhagen and her captain
dying He could find to take his place but me
and he asked me to 60 could not refuse but asked
that might be married first Mr.. Thornton shook his
head, and said no. But he had another plan which he
said would be better He had been planning to visit Co
penhagen 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. finally consented take
the ship, and Mr. Thornton, with his daugher was
to meet me in Copenhagen and there we were to be
ried and all three come home together. The evening be-
fore sailed spent with Carrie and when left her felt
that was leaving my very life.
"Well continued Lester wfping his eyes, 81 went tc
Copenhagen. l waited month-then heard that the
American ship White Fauna with William Thorn and
daughter board had touched at Dover and that al
safe and well when she left waited another week
and then crossed over to Hamburg but could learn
nothing there. Next l went to London and there
learned enough that the ship had been
On the second day after she left Dover Storm had
arisen several vessels had been reported lost
my ship home in charge of the mate, and spent
months in searching after the lost ones but could gain
of them. Not piece of the wreck could find
not a mark of the ship of of its crew! came
home with sad and heavy heart"
Maurice Lester stopped few moments, and bowed his
head upon his hands for his feeling had almost
him In little while however, he looked up again.
added in a touching tone,-
'Ah, my dear friend you do not know what have suf
eredtOngue cannot tell it, pen write it, That
blow did break my heart-broke it in the rending
tenderest cords and in the crushing of all its earthly
hopesi-Do you believe in dreams?'
The mate started not much at the character of th
question, as from the sudden manner in which it
"Well" said Lester, in a lower tone, u have had
dream repeated many mes never has it come to M
so directly and vivdlv within past three fou
days. Carrie Thornton is not dead know she is
she has appeared to me repeated y in dream and call
upon meto save her Tonight 1stood all alone by tn
mizzen rigging trying to peer out into the thick gloom
heard her voice as plainly as you hear mine, and sh
was fancy, though even that affected me much:
thought her, standing not far off, upon huge sea
with her stretched mploringly towards
then, with her eyes open as have often her in
sleeping dreaml-"
Al this point the captain cut short in his speech
the cry LIGHT- mol" from the deck They hurried u
and found the men crowding forward.
''What is it 9' Lester asked.
81 think it is light sir" replied Parker 'Here sir
just stand hereNow turn your about four point
upon the larboard bow.-Wait, now, till she rises.-H
here,-there-Seel--Didy you see it, sirF'
Yes-he had seen it; and he knew it must be ligh
upon the shore: but it great way off He watche
until he had several times and then he remark
to his that il must be lighthouse The light
bold and distinct and evidently at considerable heig
the level of the sea- for had it been it coul
not have been seen at that distance After short
sultation reference had chart
the Northumberland coast it decided that this lig
must be upon Dorton Point To the north of Dorton
the captain knew from personal experience, well
the chart there was snug harbor OF easy entrance
These things settled.
As soon as it had been determined where the light
Captain Lester made all possible haste determine hi
of action. Had the thing been practicable, h
would have laid his ship to- but that could not be dont
No one even gave it serious thought. So it de
termined that the ship should stand on at least till
thing further was discovered
At halfpast twelve the gale had moderated considers
bly,. The light to be very plainly wheneve
the ship and the captain and his officers felt
that they were right in their calculations.
AT all events,' said the former 1--WE have no choiC
but to stand on, at least"
He was interrupted by cry from the bows that mad
every soul start with horror
"BREAKERs BREAKERsl"
Captain Lester leaped forward, and in a few moment
he satisfied that the warning not been a falls
one for could not only hear the awful roar of tn
breaking but he fanced that he could CLEAN
ings of the white foam as it flew high in the air.
quickly as possible the topsail taken off, and tn
anchors cut loose. The ponderous grappngs plunge
into Kissing and the iron cables hroug
the hawse-holes like lightning Snap went the larboa
chain. and 10 moment more shock was felt the la
board anchor found bottom; but could not hold tt
cable parted as though it had been hempenstriDg
swept the devoted ship.
"In heavens name" gasped Griffin, what does th
meanS See. The light is still burning as brightly
directly under bows. What can 1t mean?,
Maurice Lester did but an Old Weatne