The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1869-10-21
The @edfora GazettR
THE BOY MAGICIAN
OR
The Secrets of the Sea.
CHAPTER ].
THE PRISONER OF MID-OCEAN.

CHAPTER ].
THE PRISONER OF MID-oCEAN.
Late one summer afternoon, dozen
years ago, a solitary white man stood
before an idolatrous temple on an is
land in the South Pacific.
He was of middle age, tall thin, and
gaunt, with rugged featurers and sor-
rowful eyes, and with every sign of
goodness and intelligence.
Beside him was grim stone idol, in
grotesque human form, more than
twice as tall as himself which he had
just finished, aud was indicated by
the mallet and chisel in his hands.
sit is DONE" be muttered. "And
these heather littlesuspect that have
cut my name and story in the base of
this idol"
He ran his eye rapidly over the in
scription in question. 1t was as fol-
lows:
"The Sth of May, 1852, /, Da-
Vid Lester of the firm of Lester
& Nichols, of Norfolk, Viz
ginia, sailed as passenger
from Charleston to HongKong,
Uio Cape Horn, in the ship
'Hecla.' A cyclone struck us
in mid-ocean, the ship founder
ed, and we took to the boats,
which all filled, with the ex-
ception of the one / was in.
Alter drifting several days,
during which my companions
perished, reached this island,
The IdOlatrous inhabitants
made me slave in their tenn
pie, and for more than four
years | have been doing meni-
al offices and carving images.
| have been chained every
night, and watched continual
ly by day, but have neverthe-
less made three attempts at es-
cape, and shall soon make an
other-d0ubtless my last, as
am resolved to succeed or die,
preferrlng death to longer cap
tiVity. | therefore write these
words upon this idol, praying
any one who may see them to
report my fate, if possible, to
my family at Norfolk, Virgin
ia. Finished this inscription
this 7th day of July, 1851"
For several minutes the prisoner
contemplated these lines in silence, and
then aroused himself, looking warily
around.
"Three times / have tried to escape
in a canoe" he mutered," +" "and every
time | was caught, and visited with
tortures. To be caught again in such
an attempt will be certain death. Yet
l will risk all the first opportunity
that offers. This longing for freedom
and my family is becoming positive
madness. Oh, my God! what is
that?"
Ho guzed in perfect eturofaotion to
the eastward, far out upon the ocean.
There, miles and leagues away, was
a ship, her white sails cleaning as she
lay becalmed upon the waters.
ga ship! shipn cried Lester, sob
bingly. "At last, oh Heaven! AT
last my prayer is answered! !
THE PRISONERS HOME.
On the east bank of the Elizabeth riv-
er, just out of Norfolk, and overlook
ing Hampton Roads, stood a beautiful
cottage, the home of the wife and
daughter Of David Lester, the prisoner
of the lone island in the far Pacific.
Near the close of a lovely afternoon
in May, Mrs. Lester and her daughter
sat together upon their front veranda.
The mother was . lovely sWeet-fac-
ed, sad-eyed woman Of two-and-thirty
years.
The daughter, Amy Lester, not yet
fifteen, was a strange compound of
child and woman.
"You are thinking of father, dear
mother?" murmured the maiden, as
she marked the lady's longing gaze,
Yes, child. Your father, my hus-
band where is he? Somewhere un-
der the sea waves, wrecked on desert
island, or languishing on a hostile
shore? 1t is five years since he left us
on that fatal voyage to China. My
reason assures me that he is dead; yet,
Amy, | can only think of him as liv-
ing?"
at is so with me, MOTHER" said A
my, with tremulous quiver of her
lips. 81 dream often that he is living
that he is coming home !"
"We need him in a hundred ways" +"
said Mrs. Lester, signing. If any
thing were to happen to me Amy, I
shudder to think what would become
of you. You have been brought up
in luxury, and would feel keenly any
change to poverty"
care we not rich, then, mother >"
asked Amy, in surprise.
81 supposed SO, dear, until three
years ago." replied the mother sadly.
"Your father was merchant and
ship-owner, a partner of Colonel Mich
OILS. Bu, two years ago Colonel Mich
OILS informed me that the outstanding
debts of the firm more than balanced
the assets in short, Amy, that he was
on the verge of bankruptcy, his for
tune and ours alike wrecked!"
II don't like Colonel Nichols!" said
Amy, thoughtfully. "Ifhe lost all his
money with ours, how does he live in
such grand style? To whom do his
ships and great house belong"
''To his nephew, Ally Bell. Colonel
Nichols is Ally's guardian. The Colo
mel has nothing of his own, excepting
farm or two up country, which were
not risked in the business.