Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-01-04

with his daughter, was 10 meet me in Copen-
hagen, and there we were TO be married, and
all three come home together. The evening
before / sailed | spent with Carrie, and when
left her felt that | was leaving my very
life.
"Well," continued Lester wiping his eyes,
81 went to Copenhagen. waited a month
then heard that the American ship, White
FdCny with William Thornton and daughter
on board, had touched at Dover, and that all
were safe and well when she left. l waited
another week, and then crossed over to Ham
burg; but could learn nothing there. Next
went to London, and there learned enough
to assure me that the ship had been lost On
the second day after she left Dover severe
storm had arisen, and several vessels had been
reported lost. | sent my ship home in charge
of the mate, and spent four months in search
ing after the lost ones but could gain no
trace of them. Not even piece of the wreck
could ind-not mark of the ship nor one
of the crew l came home with a sad and
| heavy hear"
Maurice Lester stopped few moments, and
! bowed his head upon his hands, for his feelings
had almost overcome him. In little while,
however, he looked up again, and added, in a
| touching tone,-
"Ah, my dear friend, you don't 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 tenderest cords,
and in the crushing OF all its earthly hopes!-
Do you believe in dreams 2"
The mate started not so much at the charac-
ter of the question, as from the sudden man
ner in which it was put
"Well, said Lester in lower tone, 'Ihave
had dream repeated many times; but never
has it come to me directly and so wildly as
within the past three or four days. Carrie
| ;e and cbo =
she has appeared to me repeatedly in a 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, l 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 forward.
"What is it?" Lester asked.
81 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 -Ha-there there !
Yes-he had seen it; and he knew it must
be light upon the shore but it was great
way off He watched until he had seen it sew
eral times, and then he remarked to his mate
that it must be a lighthouse. The light was
bold and distinct, and evidently at consider
able height above the level Of the sea had it
not been so it could not have been seen at that
distance. After a short consultation, during
which reference was had to the chart of the
1
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 entrance.
These things were settled
AS soon as it had been determined where
the light was, Captain Lester made all posi-
bic haste to determine his course of action
Had the thing been practicable, he would have
laid his ship to; but that could not be done.
No one even gave it a serious thought. So it
was determined that the ship should stand on,
at least till something further 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, ''we have
no choice but to stand on, at least"
BREAKERS BREAKERS! %
captain Lester leaped forward, and In a 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 anchors cut loose. The ponderous
| grapplings plunged into the Kissing sea, and
! the iron cables were spun through the hawse-
! holes like lightning Snap went the starboard
| chain and in moment more shock was
| felt as the larboard anchor found bottom; but
! it could not hold. The cable parted as though
1T had been hempen string, and on swept the
devoted ship.
"In heavens name p gasped Griffin, 'what
does this mean? See The light is still
burning as brightly as ever-at least a league
away-and yet here are the rocks directly I'M
der our bows! What can it mean 2"
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 :
'IT's WREcKER's BEAcoNl 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 starboard bov!
No! On the ldr6oard! PoRTp'
But it was too late for mortal help. Tie
ship had met her doom. She went upon the
rocks with crash that soundeth high above
the roar of the elements.