The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1860-01-04

White Fdton that had been wrecked on that
coast, and of his Carrie who had, perhaps,
in company with those same men, trod the
same path he was now treading. What
had been her fate! Had she been murder.
ed by these wretches, or reserved for some
more dePlOrable doom! These thoughts
filled him with unutternbIe agony.
Woltgsng had now drawn near the wa.
ters edge; and soon coming to the mouth
of cave he entered it, followed bv the
three ruffidns who bad charge OF our hero
The. bottom CT the cave sIoped upward
from its entrance for some distance, and
then became almost level. The captive,
(ior such Maurice Loster now felt himself
to be,) frequently hit his feet against what
he thought, with a chill of horror, were hu.
man hunes strewn around the cavern, but
he could not clearly make them cit in the
dim light. Hs also noticed that tie bottom
of the cave was very wet, as though it bad
recently been covered with water. The
wrecker chieltsin stopped, at laet, near
what seemed the end of the cave, and max
ing sign to his followers, they clspped
manaC!es on the wrists and ankles of Miu.
rice before he had time to note their inten,
ton.
"Now, Captlin Lester" said WoItgang,
"you must remain in this place for short
season. You are perfectly safe here 81
lence! Say not word! If you attempt 10
leave this spot, you will be slain the moment
you set foot outside the cave"
Thus speaking, the chieftain and his fol.
lowers silently but rapidly withdrew, leaving
Maurice nearly stupefed with astonishment.
As they passed from the mouth of the cave,
their feet were wet by the rising wa"es.-
Tile tide 1Oas fast coming in.
After short time, the captive looked
about him with eyes somewhat accustomed
todhe dim light, and became satisfied thai
what he had supposed to be human bones
were really euch. There were many o.
OF them. And moving among them were
huge rats. seeking for prey. The top o { the
cavern, in some places, was but q few feet
above his head, and in one place he dscov
cred small aperture, through which fain
light struggled, and on going underneath it
he thought he smelled the odor of vegetation
and dowers.
On turning, from the contemplation o
this aperture, towards the mouth OF the cave
Captain Lester observed. with alarm, tha
the water was creeping up the sloping bot
tom. What if il should fill the c4vern!-
All! nov he could account for the presenc
there of those human bones. They wer
the sad memorials of other hopeless prison
ers who had been left in that cave to psriS
by dropaing.
Slowly but surely the waters crept along
The vprmin fed before them to the elevated
spot on which Maurice stood. Slowly fol
lowing, the incoming water at length reach
cd his feet!
at the end Of the cave, within few fee
OF the wall, and underneath the aperture be
fore spoken Of, was a large piece of rock
some toGr feet high, that might have falleI
from alb We. TO this Maurice FASTENED a
quick ly as his maDacIes would permit
After some exertion he succeeded in climb
ing to the top OF it, and stood erect, his hea
within a few inches of the roof Of the cav
ern. But he wos not allowed TO occupy thi
retreat alone. As the water began TO circl,
round its base, the rats also sought re!u q
on it in greet numbers, and in vain did Mau
rice try to dslodge them with his mansclet
feet.
Soon Gas it seemed 10 the cap;ive) tn
water came ripping over the top OF tn
rock. He 'elt its moisture apon his feet
And still ii rose--slowly bat relen'lessly
rose higher higher; Ond ns it rose. the rat
climbed up his limbs for safety. 1t was il
vain that he brushed them off with his let
tered hands. They Instantly returned
They clambered up his back--to his shaul
ders--over the back Of his neck-to tn
crewn OF his head; their clammy bodie
striking a chill to his very heart.
Aud still higher the waters rose, and NOR
thckly the foul vermin clustered upon tn
devoted captive's shoulders and head, .
their only places Of safety. Driven trant
at last by the horror OF his situation, he Wa
about to plange into the surgng tide an
seek a watery grave, when bis attention W.
arrested by the tread of rapid footsteps net
the aeerture above his head, aRd the SOUND
of hursh masculine voice, sImost lnstantl
followed by a noise as of struggle, and
piercing shrek which thrilled Maurice LIE,
n ter to the very souI. He could not be mi
taken; it was CARRIES voice. Again h
heard it, but now in tones OF entreaty. 9l
il ,pas her voice. She was not dead! Sh
lived and was near him! G ,therng all h
strength, he shouted, "Carrie! Carrie! Cal
REL"
A dead silence followed, broken only b
the fearful mu. murs Of the still rising water
and the splash of the rats as they tell ifo
the wretched coptive's head and shoulder
only to return again. in their fierce struggl
for q perch Of safety from the advancir
tide, which had now nearly reached o.
hero's shoulders.
The above is all of this story that will
pnblished IN our columns. We give this
a sample. The continuation OF it fro
where i, leaves off here can be found on
in the New York Ledger, the great fami
paper, to which the most popular writer's
the country contribute, and which is for sa
at all the stores throughout the city Al
country, where papers ere sold. Rememb
and ask for the New York Ledger Of Jan
ary 7, and in it you will find the continnati
Of the story from where it leaves off here.
If you cannot get copy at any book stol
the publisher Of the Ledger will mail yon
copy if you will send him five cents in
i letter.
4 The Ledger is mailed to subscribers at
a year, or two copies for %. Address 70
'-'tars to Robert Bonner, publisher, AZ Al
'e'' ~v York. 1t is the handsome