Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1859-12-31

| felt that wss leaving my very life.
"well," continued Lester. wiping bis eyes. u wen
/ 10 Copenhagen. | waited q month-then near
that the American ship, Whis fass .,n ,'n. =
Thornton and daughter on board had touched .
Dover and that all were safe and well when she let
waited another week. and then crossed over V
Hamburg; but could learn nothing there. Neit
vent TO London and there learned enough TO assure
me that the ship had been lost On the second aaJ
| amer she left Dover severe storm had aftsen sho
| several vessels had been reported lost sent my
| ship home In charge Of the mate, and spent Tour
months In searching amer the lost ones but could
gain no trace of them Not even piece OF the wreck
| could fnd-sot . mark Of the ship nor OF one oi
| its crew, came home with a sad and heavy heart
| Maurice Lester stopped few moments, and bowed
his head upon his hands, for his feelings had amos,
overcome him. In little while, however he looked
| up again, and added, In q touching tone
"Ah my dear friend, you do not know what
have suffered-tougue cannot tell II, nor can pen
write It, That blow did break my heart-broke II IN
the rending Of its tcndcrest cords and In the crush
ing Of all its earthly hopes do you believe In
| dreams ?"
The mate started, not so much at the character OF
the question a. from the sudden manner in which It
was put.
WELL" said Lester, In lower tone, " have had
a dream repeated many times but never has II come
to me so directly and 30 wildly rs within the past
three or four days. Carrie Thornton 10 not dad !
know she Is not she has appeared to me repeatedly
as stood all alone by the mzzen rigging trying TO
peer out into the thick gloom, heard her voice as
plainly as you now hear mine, and she called out Tor
me 10 save her. OF course what followed was mere
fancy though even that affected me much thought
saw her standing not far off, upon huge sea, with
her arms stretched imploringly towards mc-saw her
then with my eyes open, have often seen her IN
my sleeping dream -
AT this poin, the captain was cut short IN his
speech by the cry of " LiGHr-noi' from tho deck.
and md tbp tun r.
ward
"What is il ?" Lester asked.
al think it is light sir" replied Parker. "llero,
sir Just stand here. Now turn your eye about four
points upon the larboard bow. Wait now, I'LL sue
rises lla-there there See Did you see 1t,
sir ?"
Yes-hc had seen it; and he knew it must be
light upon the shore but it was great way on lie
watched until he had IL several times and then
he remarked TO his mate that it must be lighthouse
The light bold and distinct, and evidently at "A
considerable height above the level of the sea- for,
had il not been so, il could not have been seen ut
that distance After n short consultation, during
which reference had to the chart of the North
cumberland coast, II decided that this light must
be upon Dorton Point To the north of Dorton, rs
the captain knew from personal experience, AZ well
from the chart, there was snug harbor, OF easy
entrance. These things we're settled.
As soon as it Ind been determined where the light
was Captain Lester made all possible haste to deter
mine his of action Had the thing been prac-
tcabc he would have laid his ship 10 but that could
not be done. No even gave 1t Il serons thought.
So it determined that the ship should stand on,
at least until something further was discovered.
At balipast twelve the gale had moderated con-
sidcraby. The light was no" to be seen very plainly
whenever the ship rose md the captain and his OIL
GERS felt sure that they right in their calcua
tons
AT all events" said the former, 1--WE have no
choice but TO stand on, nj least
lie was interrupted by cry from the bows that
made every soul start with horror
"BREAKEns BRgAKgRsW
Captain Lester lcapcd forward and in n very few
moments he WAS satisfied TINT the warning had not
been false for he could not only hear the awful
roar of the breaking seas, but he fnncicd that he
could see the cleaning of the white foam as it flew
high in the air. As quickly AS possible the topsa
was taken OIL and the anchors cut loose. The pom
dcrous grapplings plunged into the kissing sea and
the iron cables were spun through the hawsc-holes
Ike lightning. Snap went the starboard cham aud
in II moment more n shock was felt rs the nrboard
anchor found bottom but it could not hold, The
cable parted as though it Ind been hempen string,
and on swept the devoted ship
:" In heavens name gasped Griffin, what does
this mean See The light is still burning as
brightly AS cver--nt least a league awAy-and yet
here are the rocks directly under our bows What
can il mean2'
Maurice Lester did not answer; but mn old, wea-
thcr beaten sailor, who stood at the wheel and who
had looked thousand dangers in the face, answered
for him;
"lr's WREckER's BEACON I've seen such thing
afore, There aiut no use in irn the gun, SIR That
light put there to lead poor Jack to his death
that the coast sharks might pick his bonesi"
" BREARgRs Rocks On the Hdrboard bon -
No On the idrbodrd ,-PoRT ~
But i, was too late for mortal help The ship had
met her doom. She went upon the rocks with II
crash that sounded high above the roar OF the
elements.