Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1860-01-05

searching after the lost ones; but could gain no
trace of them Not even piece of the wreck
could I fnd-not mark of the ship nor of one of
its crew! came home with sad and heavy
heart
Maurice Lester stopped few moments, and
bowed his head upon his hands, for his feelings
had almost overcome him. In little while how
ever. he looked up again, and added, in touching
tone,-
''Ah, my dear friend, you do not know what 1
have suffer ed-tongue cannot tell it, nor can pen
write it. That blow did break my heart-broke
it in the rendng Of its tenderest cords, and in the
crushing of all its earthly hopes DO you be-
lieve in dreams?'
The mate started, not so much at the character
of the question, as from the sudden manner in
which it was put.
"Well," said Lester, in lower tone, &c I have
had dream repeated many times; but never has
it come to me SO directly and SO wildly as within
the past three foul days. Carrie Thornton IS not
dead 1 know she is not she has appeared to
me repeatedly in dream, and calls upon me to
save her Tonight, as stood all alone by the
mizzen rigging, trying to peer out into the thick
gloom, heard her voice as plainly as you now
hear mine and she called out for me to 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 me-saw her
then, with my eyes open as have often seen her
in my sleeping dream -
At this point the captain was cut short in his
speech by the cry of LIGHT Ho - from the deck.
They hurried up and found the men crowding for
ward
"What is it p Lester asked.
i" I think it is light, SIR replied Parker
"Here, sir,-just stand here,-Now turn your eye
about four points upon the larboard bow.-Wait,
now, till she rises, -Ha-there there See !
Did you see it, sir?''
Yes-he did see it, and he knew it must be
light upon the shore but it was a great way off
He watched until he had seen it several times,
and then he remarked to hismate that it must be
alighthouse. The light bold and distinct,
and evidently at a considerable height above the
level Of the sea for, had it not been So it could
not have been seen at that distance. After a
shart consultation, during which reference was
had to the chart of the Northumberland coast, it
was decided that this light must be upon Dorton
Point. To the north of Dorton, as the captain
knew from personal experience as well as from
the chart, there was snug harbor, of easy
trance. Those things were settled.
AS soon as it had been determined where the
light was, Captain Lester made all possible haste
to determine his course ofaction. Had the thing
been practicable, he would have laid his ship to !;
but that could not be done. No one even gave it
serious thought. So it was determined that the
chip should stand on, at least till something fur
Their was discovered.
At half past twelve the gale had moderated
considerably. The light was now to be seen very
plainly whenever the ship rose, and the captain
and his officers felt sure that they were right in
their calculations.
cat all events" said the former, sswe have
no choice but to stand on, at least"
He was interrupted by cry from the bows that
nude every soul start with horror.
" BREAKERS! BREAKFAST"
Captain Lester leaped forward, and in very
few moments he was satisfied that the warning
had not been false one ; for he could not only
hear the awful roar of the breaking seas, but he
fancied that he could see the cleaning of the
white foam as it flew high in the air. AS quickly
as possible the topsail was taken off, and the an
chors cut loose. The ponderous grapplings plung-
ed into the Kissing sea, and the iron cables were
spun through the hawse- holes like lightning
Shap went the starboard chain: and in moment
more shock was felt as the larbord anchor found
bottom; but it could not hold. The cable parted
as though it had 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 ever-at least league away and
yet here are the rocks directly under our bows
What can ii mean?'
Maurice Lester did not answer: but an old
weather-beaten sailor who stood at the wheel
and who had looked a thousand dangers in the
face, answered for him
"ITs A WREcKER's BEACON! I've seen such
things afore. There amt no use in firm the gun
sir. That light was put there to lead poor Jack
to his death that the coast sharks might pick his
bones!'
"BREAKERs! RocKs!- On the starboayd
boo NO HOnthe h1rboard APoRT!'
But it was too late for mortal help. The shin
had met her doom. She went upon the rocks
with crash that sounded high above the roar of
the clements.