Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-12-31
VIZ Oh Il ANG; OR
w THE WRECkER'S BEACON.
ruApTrR I.-BEponE rHE GALE.

not over eight-aud twenty, and his name WAS MAu-
RICE LESTER He stood by the tatlraii, gazing oil
upon the horizon 10 the eastward, ever ana anon
raising his hand above his head to Zee! II there was
any wind stirring and rs often casting his eye alof'
to see how the canvas hung. As he stood thus, his
mate approached, and spoke 10 him.
what dye think of this, Captn|
II think we're in for storm, sir" the master
replied. "And tell you what j. il, Griffin, he
added after sweeping the horizon again with Els
cye when il comes it will DC an earnest one
None Of your broud Ocean pufis. with nothing but
water 10 match wind from; but we'll have II right
fresh from some Of those places where they know
how to make things blow
Then YOU think we'll have hard one" said
Griffin.
AYE" answered the captain with almost a shud-
dor, Il feel it in my bones"
In the meantime, Captain Lester had been
watching the and sky rs before and ne tahcied
that the signs Of the storm were growing more and
more palpable every moment. The sun was gong
down in u thick bank, giving to the whole western
horizon dull, purplish red, bloody hue, with here
and there spots of darker tinge, Ike openings,
through the fiery cloud, looking upon fearful
blackness behind.
..Do you see how strangely it looks OF there
said the captain, raising his finger towards the
point where the sun was setting.
Ave" returned Griffin II have been watching
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 70 below" said the captain, a. the men
of the last dog-watch left their stations. This
calm cant last a great while. You had better
batten down the matches now, while there Is moth
ing else 10 io Tor | am sure there viii be need
OF having them close before the coming of another
day"
The men had had no thoughts OF gong below,
for they could and feel; and they were not
wholly Ignorant Of what coming; 50 they went
nj work and secured tho matches with thick tarpau-
Inns: and when this was done, those who had
no particular station, collected absut the wheel
Another hour passed aHsy-und another. len
0 clock came and still not Il breath. The ship
lay upon the water like II dead thing, win the
ropes and blocks, and sails rafting and Tapping
as she was sway Ell aud iro ~ tie lazy swells oi
the sea.
what dDes it mean! z" cried Griffin, rs the boy
struck live bells.
"Hark :" said the captain, almost instantly. Il
guess you Ii soon See Did you feel that! La
and that!
Ii was putt of wind and flight flying ot spray;
or perhaps II was spit OF ram. At hi events,
the pull was felt; and the drops vi water iell upon
other cheeks than Maurice Lester s. 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 qaiyeled beneath
the shock Of the storm giant when he came IN his
might.
Ay.--thc storm had come Ii came with wind
and rain and with angry heaslng oil tue sea-
1t came with II darkness like Ercbus, ana win The
voice of thunder. The gale continued I" increase
in fury a. the long night passed away. when Tue
morning came the scene was one vi awful gran
deur. The wind was bowling with terrific tur!'
aud the broad sea was dashed into huge mountains.
that toatned and tumbled, and leaped along over
the bosom of the deep, seeming every Aoinent
ready to whem nnd engulf the irail bark that
struggled within the demon grasp.
When CAPTAIN Lester had observed the signs oi
the morning, he feared that the storm would con
tnue through the day, and 50 he told his men.-
The SKY wore hue "f horror, and ram WAS no"
driving down, mingiing with the lashing sea- Al
noon ii was still worse.
Al length night shut in again, and nota sign yet
| of IN. passing away Of the storm! The trlghttul
bowling OF the tempest seemed rather I" nave IN
creased than ubated. The men gathered upon The
quarter deck, cngng for support L" the racks ana
! ras-or the liieliu swayed 50 much that they
were afraid Of tIcn-gathercd as near 10 the night
Ut the binuacc- lamp they could, as though even
from such feeble beams they might hnd some com
fort But not all were there. No--not all! -Four
stout, true hearted men had bcen swept away BY
The storm Near "a score were lett; but how many
shall rec the light of another day
At nine o'clock Captain Lester went below. II,
took down u chart Vt the North Sea, and having
spread il upon the table hG sat down to eA4mln,
il. lie was thus engaged when Mr.. uritin came
down; but he did not look up untii he had hnished
the calculation.
How j. il :" the mate asked. ~ lie saw bis com
mumder lay down tho divi,tcrs.
IL have been making reckoning, and i ind
that we have but little more sra-r""m ieii. III:
course We have made since We wore, mas Deen, rs
near as can calculate, north westby west, So that
We must have been driving towards the coast OF
Northumberland. ! think we have plenty vi room
t. stand or until Midnight; but we cannot stand on
much longer. II the gale does not a6ate by that
time know not what shall do
The captain started up from his chair, and would
prubably huyc walked across the cabin, but at that
moment II heavy sea caug ht tue ship, and gave hor
. pitch forward, which caused him to catch ms
seat as quickly a. possible. As soon as the food
had gone from the deck and the vessel bad slrug
ged up from the shock, he looked into his CON
paniou's fare, and said, III voice made tremuious
Ly deeper emotion than he had before manifested
Griffin. have something upon my mind more
thnn YOU know aud nm anxious 10 communicate
il, too | must tell il now Tor | have strange
toreboiing Of coming ILL., Something Is to happen
that will bear great calamity 10 some VI us. sm
not cruaking-I am only reading what the Unseen
In. written in ms soul However. you shall hear
my story. You have heard that my parents wore
both lost ut sea ="
"les, said the mate.
And prriap. you knew that they were lost in
thi. sea-"
IL have heard so. sir.
.Aye--so it wa-. | was boy then. They were
on their way to Copenhagen. as We should be now.
NY father commanded the .hip-she was called
the .fYrrn Jin.' She wa named Tor my mother;
and she wa- 4 stnunch, noble craft was at
school then in Troy, and when knew that my
parents were dead | was well nigh mad with grief.
fancied then, III my Grst hours oi urphanale, that
my heart would break: and, i think such would
have been the case II they had kept me at school.
But some Of those who cared Tor me came To see me,
and il was finally arranged that should 20 to sea.
And | acknowledgement 50 we'll thui, when |
was twenty years old. they gave me command OF a
ship.
..Th. man who owned the ship which ! first
commanded was named Thornton. He nal 4
daughter named Carrie one OF the sweetest pnr
e., and loyelieSf creatures that ever graccd this
moor life Of earth. She four years younger
thun myself but even when first knew her-and
m. wa. not then more than fourtren--shc
woman in intellect and grace, though child III
SIMPLICITY Of love and confidence. Mr.. Thorn
tnn did not object 10 my suit, ! loved her
9th all nv soul and was bl, s-el to know that
IN, loved me in return. Ii had been arranged
tb.t we should be married when she was twenty
v..,, ,ld-tliai had been our plan for more than
iva wears. Mr. Tn rnton having set the bounds
himself ii lacked two months vi the time aud
lJ ,rr.,,.l ~ remain nj hume until we were