Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1860-01-07
WoLFcANG (;
THE WRECKERS BEACON.
CHAPTER 1.
BEFORE THE GALE.

THE good ship PATHFINDER, Of n. York,
= aud bound to Copenhagen, had enter
ed the North Sea, havig left the Straits Of
Dover two days behind.
The commander of the ship was young
man, not over eight-and-twenty, aud his
name was MAURICE LESTER He stood by
the taffrai, gazing of upon the horizon to
the eastward ever aud anon raising his
hand above his head to feel If there was
any wind stirring. and as often casting his
eve aloft TO see how the. canvass hing AS
he stood thus his mate approached, and
spoke to him
What dye think of this, Capt'n ?"
al think we're in for a storm, sir" the
master replied "And tell you what it is,
Grifin," he added, after sweeping the hori-
zon again with his eye, "when it comes it
will be an earnest one. None of your broad
Ocean puffs with nothing but water to
hatch wind from; but we'll have it right
fresh from some of those places where they
know how to make things blow"
"Then you think we'll have hard one2'
said Griffin.
"Aye,n answered the captain, with al
most shudder, 81 feel it in my homes"
In the meantime, Captain Lester had
been watching the sea aud sky as before
and he fanced that the signs of the storm
were growing more and more palpable ev
cry moment. The sun was going down il
thick bank, giving to the whole western
horizon dull, pnrpish-red, bloody hue
with here and there spots of darker iinge
like openings, through the 6ery cloud, look
ing upon a fearful backness behind
''Do you see how strangely it looks of
there ?" snid the captain, raising his 6ngel
towards the point where the sun was sett
ing.
AYE" returned Griffin, II have beef
watching those dark places"
And Others noticed The same thing, ant
spoke of it, too.
Seven o'clock came and went Eigh
o'clock came, aud the first watch was set.
Don't go below" said the caption, a
the men of the last dog-watch left thei
stations. This calm can't last grea
while. You had better batten down th
matches now, while there is nothing else t
do; for am sure there will be need Of hay
ing them close before the coming Of anoth
er day"
The men had had no thoughts Of goinl
below, for they could see aud feel; and the!
we're not wholly ignorant Of what was com
ing; so they went at work and secured thu
matches with thick tarpaulns; and whel
this was done those who had no particuls
station collected about the wheel. Anoth
or hour passed away--and another. Te
O'Clock came, and still not breath. Tn
ship lay upon the water like dead thing
with the ropes, and blocks. and sails, ratt
ling and tapping as she was swayed to ant
fro by the lazy swells of the sea.
"What does it meanl" cried Griffin, q
the boy struck Eve bells.
"Harkp said the captain, almost instant
ly. IL guess you'll soOn see, Did you fee
that Hal--and thati"
1t was puff Of wind, and light dyinI
of spray; or, perhaps It was spit Of raiT
At all events, the puff was telt and III
drops Of water fell npon other cheeks tina
Maurice Testers; and other ears than hi
heard the roar which followed. and othe
bodies quiVered beneath the shock Of th
storm-giant when, be came in his might.
Aye the storm had come. II can
with wind and rain, and with an angr
heaving Of the sea. II came with darl
ness like Erebus, and with the voice I
thunder. The gale continued 20 increas
in fury as the long night passed away
When the mornlsg came the scene was on
Of awful grandenr. The wind WAS howlln
with terrific furyj and thp broad YEA VI