The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1860-01-05
HISTORICAL ss5aEH Richmond, Wayne County, Indiana

communicate it, too. Fmust tell ii now. for
have a strange foreboding of coming ILL
Something is 10 happen that will bear great
calamity to some of US. am not croaking
II am only reading what the Unseen has
written 10 my soul. However, you shall
hear nv story. You have heard that my
parents were both lost at scar
"Yes.'' said the mate.
.'And perhaps you knew that they were
lost in this seat"
Il have heard so, SIR
"Aye-so it was. l was q boy then
They were on their way ,oICopenhagen. as
we should be now. My father commanded
the ship--she was called the CLARA Jane
Size was named for my mother; and she was
a staunch, noble craft. l was at school then,
in Troy; and when l knew that my parents
were dead was we'll nigh mad with grief
1 ancied then. in my first hours Of orphan
age, that my heart would break; and. think
such would have been the case if they had
kept me at school. But some of those who
cared for me came to seeme, and it was final
ly arranged that should go to sea Aud
pros spered-prospered SO we'll that, when l
was twenty years old, they gave me COM
mand of ship.
The man who owned the ship which /
first commanded was named Thornton. He
had a daughter named Carrie-one Of the
sweetest. purest. and loyeliest creatures that
ever graced the poor life of earth. She was
four years younger than myself; but even
when l first knew -her--and she was not
then more than fourteen--she was a woman
in int elect and grace, though a child in sim
plicity Of love and confidence. Mr.. Thorn
ton did not object 10 my suit, SO loved her
with all my soul, and was blessed to know
that she loved me in, return. 1t had been
arranged that we should be married when
she was twenty years old,--.hat had been
our plan for more than two years, Mr.. Thorn
ton having set the bounds himself. II lack
ed two months Of the time, and had ar
rang ged to remain at home until we were mar
ried But--Thornton had heavy ship
lreighted for Copenhagen, and her captain
was dying. He could find no one to take his
place but me, and he asked me 10 go.
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 plan
ming to visit Copenhagen, where he had two
brothers in business--they were 10 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 to take Out the new ship and Mr..
Thornton, with his daughter. was 10 meet me
in Copenhagen, and there we were to be mar
ried, aud all three come home together. The
evening before l sailed 1 spent with Carrie,
and when left her felt that 1 was leaving
my very life.
"Well," continued Lester, wiping his
eyes, Il went to Copenhagen. l waited a
month--then heard that "a hssAmerfcan ship,
White Farm with William Thornton and
daughter on board, had touched at Dover,
and that all were safe and we'll when she left.
l waited another week, and then | crossed
over to Hamburg; bus could learn nothing
there. Next l went to London. and there |
learned enough TO assure me that the ship
had been lost! On thu second day after she
left Dover a severe storm had arisen, and
several vessels had been reported lost. l
sent my ship home in charge of the mate. and
spent four months in searching after the lost
ones; but 1 could gain no trace Of them
Not even piece Of the wreck could l find
not mark of the ship nor one Of its crew!
l came home with sad and heavy heart
Maurice Lester stopped few moments, and
bowed his head upon his hands. i9r his feel
ings had almost overcome him. In a little
while, however, he looked up again, and
added in touching tome
"Ah, my dear friend. you do not know
what | have suffered-tongue cannot tell it.
nor can pen write it. That blow did break
my heart-broke it in the rending of its ten
deres, cords. and in the crushing of all its
earthly hopes!--Dn you believe 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 a lower tone, "a
have had a dream repeated many times; bu
never has it come to me so directly and
vividly as within the past three or four days
Carrie Thornton Is mt dsadi | know shei
not.--she has appeared to me repeatedly
a dream, and calls on me 10 save her! t.
night, as stood all alone by the mizzen rig
ging. trying to peer out into the thick gloom
| heard her voice as plainly as you now heg
mine, and she called out for me to save her
OF course what followed was mere fancy
though even tha: affected me much: ihougl
l saw her, s,andiu: not far of, upon hug
sea, with her arms stretched imploringly tt
wards me--saw her then, with my eyes oper
as l have often seen her In my sleepin
dseami-"
At this point the captain was cut short
his speech by the cry of "LTGHr no." fro
the decx. They hurried up and found IL
men crowding forward.
What is liz" Lester asked.
Il think it is a light sir" replied Parke
Here. sir.--juss stand here.-Now turn yoc
eye about four points upon the larboard boy
Wait. nov, till She -there.-thert
See.--Did you see it, sir!'
Yes--he had seen il: and he knew it mu
be light upon the shore: bat it was gre
way of. He watched until he had seen
several times, AMI then he remarked to b.
mate that it must be a lighthouse Tt
| light was bold and distinct. and evidently
considerable height above the level of tt
sea; for, hal il no: been so, il could n
/ have been seen at that distance. After !
short consultation. during which reiersno
was bad to the chart of the NortAumberlar
coast, it was decided that this light must t
upon Dorton Point. To the north of Dorto
as the captain knew from personal experien
as we'll as from the chart. there was snu !,