Litchfield enquirer., 1877-10-11

P1OO wA4mb OGA .0CEhA tO shIlSO W1OUuGE after an,s the Cockatoo would put in ar appearance. However, at 11:3O, that yes sel was Heen So issue majestically from hel cove. and take up her position. All ac knowiedGAd her to be magnificent speci. men 0EheRDlaas, sitting like a queen mp, on the. water, and looking every ineh's winner
 Asfhe committees zboats accondinga .tc custom, pulled alongside. Mir. Lewcraft, who, though now very i'll, had insisted on accompanying the race, was seen reclin. ing en a pallet on deck. Conditions oi the match having been formally explained my uncless visitors paid him a Reserved compliment on the fine appearance of.hia yacht, receiving in return gracious and wholly unexpected invitation to come on board and inspect her. Eagerly accept ing it. the gentlemen dived below, and quickly returned with faces of genuine astolishment. ,r 6. #..sF
 My dear Mir. Lewcraft," said one, ''you are. of course, the best judge of yourlyessel's trim, but. permit us to ask, are you not something short of ballast? Your space and head room are marvellous. It is to be hoped that you have not sacri- feed stability so cpnyenience. Unless. am mistaken, the speaker added, glanc- ing t0 Windw ward, s'there will be weather enough, to try the stiffest of youl'' a
 s'GenAemen, yoH will see" was MT. Lewcraft's only response. as he bowed them farewell, s,ss b,5 @ e.l. e. 'a .s-
 The sea, meanwhile, had been increas- ing, and the wind freshened so rapidly, as to amount, before the starting gun was fired, to half gale. Such was the threatening aspect of things that all the yachts, except the Cockatoo and her next neighbOr, the Dione, struck their topsails before the start.
 Bang! Open flew white acres of cspvass and away bowled the yachts. the Cocka- too. last, and taking if so easy that. but for the death 's- head and -bones-rny un- cle's lively racing colors- still flying aloft, she might be thought only spectator. Her crew, all of the Bob Grantham type, could ba seen lounging rather than bus tline about the deck; nevertheless, she was aeahlanly handled, appeared. despite her large topsail, as stiff as a house, and long before the storm.mist shut the race from view had left her nearest competitor full half mile astern. sag ss
 At'two. o'clock on that day. Mir. Earwak- CT, looking very pale and anxious, made his appearance at Fountain Violet, to learn with great surprise q would not glve 1t a worse name, that his supposed dying friend was sailing stormy match on the hiahBeasi M@@
 Had Captain SweetIove arrived? On be- ing assured that he had not, Mir. Earwak- CT composed himself and took some lunch con. An interesting colloquy then ensued between himself and Squeezer, in which the latter detailed with great minuteness her masters recent condition and doings, his failing intellect. his nocturnal wander ings, his snatches of feverish rest during the day in which exclamations might be heard to escape him. &c., all pointing to. one sandzztha@ a@same predominant idea "Goldl goldv he would mutter. "More goldl All gold, I tell you. Ali gold!,'
 "Have you, my good friend, asked Mir. Earwaker, ''any reason to suppose that your poor master, whom you watch and serve with such kindness and fidelity, has been inthe habit of-of concealing what what money he has by him about the house, AoN?H Ezzz2 NI ls ~s4
 '"Such, Sir," replied Squeezer, ''are my convictions. likeways Mayp-that is, Molrs. There ain't a hole or corner in the house not stuffedwith bank notes, gold, and siivers and what not yBless'ee, we've heardlit ehinking most nights m ths
 AtslD HA tuOuBHt, mQS9Q the laWyers ''Thes misefs fancy full upon him, and that before his nephew comesl With him come explanation, reconciliation, my dis grace and ruin. Ha! how the wind shakes this old place!, he went on -iuvoluntarily, as 8 tremendous gust howled by. .sDon't ships go down in weather like this?"
 Squeezer shivered, and owned. that it was possible. @s7. ,ss-sAa7ea-a
 'I-I think I'll stroll to the cliff. The yachts, they tell me, should be returning" " said Earwaker, and he went out.
 Deeplte She weathers groups were as- semb1sd oH the cliffs, eagerly watching. Few sails were visible, most of those not engaged in the race having run for shelter from the increasing gale; but in the far distance snow, white speck, in serong re- lief against the black horizon, seemed to be attracting every eye
 "Tis she. sure enough" said a coast guard man, examining her through his powerful glass. "Topsels gone or struck, but-Blazes! how she travels! If she don t round that 'ere flag boat in half an hour. my nams's not Bill Jerdine. nor her'n
 BiNJ@As q tfuS. .pfophet.A On ~ept the gallant yacht in solitary grandeur, Of the rest, the Dione alone remained in the race, mile or so astern, and with ter. rife heel, while the Cockatoo sailed like a moving rock.
 The report of the winning gun was in- audible in the storm, but the flash and smoke announced the latters victory. As she rounded the flag boat, however a strange thing occurred. Her distinguish ing fag-the death 's-head and cross-bones which, by custom, should have been flown till sunset, was seen to sink half-
 Being Sdt Tin sm0sosahf m0s,safassst water. she was vas quickly surrounded by boats, the excite ment on shore incie lsing in proportion. Very soon the news was told Bob Gran than, with sobs that shook his shaggy frame, announced that his master lay dead on tAeAvAyer washed deck.a~ m;
 "HS seemed worry weak, ]" Bob explain. cd. "but didn't complain nufin." Half an hour since, however, he had beckoned Bob. and, with a very labored utterance. bade him thank the hands for the sk,li and attention to duty to which he owed his victory, his last words-accordine to posthumous testimony-being these; ''Coom wot may. Bob. you take her m a winner. Give us your hand, old friend. and now don't ye look at the guv'nor aein till you hears the winning-gun. sAnd, by jingo, " added Bob, fairly bursting into tears, "when We run to him he was gone. !"
 Not having been appraised of old Louisa fears 60 quickly as Mfr. Earwaker. l only reached Fountain Violet late that day The solicitor met me on the thres. hold feelingly communicated the news, and conducted me to the chamber of the