Nevada County picayune., 1890-09-18
LAURA.

! <h l'lNd9dHl SdblItlil III uOuoi VI Capt. Morril's return from foreign service had assembled at the Astor House. The guest was an officer in the United States navy. He was shortly to be married to Laura Men ton, then in London
 Capt. Merrill had one weakness an oyerfondness for wine Time and again had he promised Laura to avoid the cup, and had as often bro ken his promises. How could he re- slst now, when her name was toasted by his friends? Again he yielded.
 She had sad to him. with unusual earnestness in her sweet, appealing tones, when last parted:
 If you break your word this time feel as if some terrible evil will re- suit from it.
 The words, which had sunk deep into his heart, had kept him sober all the passage home. This meeting with his friends, however. spoiled his good resolutions \ week later he was bowling out at sea in his own enter.
 One night about six days out, the wind was blowing a perfect gale. The captain. having left th" charge of the vessel to a young and rather inexperienced mid,hipman, was be- low in his cabin with his other of ticcrs enjoying himself over bottles of old wine.
 "A dark night, captain," re- marked the first lieutenant, laugh ing; just the kind of one to enjoy ourselves as we are now doing"
 Aye, aye, MT Winton," an swered Merrill, aa with unsteady hand he poured out another glass of wine; but, somehow, don't like the shrieking noise of the wind in our rigging tonight. It sounds un- pleasant. "
 The captain shuadercd as he spoke. while his officers looked sur priscd,
 Still the wind kept bowling. The noise would seem to go with un- earthly sound right through the creaking timbers of the craft.
 "IIa! what is that:" exclaimed Morrill,, suddenly rising with un- unsteady limbs, as a sort of scream seemed to run quiyeringly along, right under his feet.
 'lt is nothing, sir" answered the first lieutenant, but the grating of the main yards in the slngs.'
 More winc-more and more ' There was laughter, there was shout ing, joking and singing down in the cabin of that storm-driven vessel And in the midst of il all was sud- denly heard long, grinding crash that threw the jewellers off their feet that sent the cutter, half buried in the sea, upon her beam ends with shaking, cracking timbers and roelings masts.
 Down into the cabin fell a man gled form headlong the midship- man. Mir. Ward, who had been knocked over and badly injured by falling spar.
 "Wc'vc ran into fir" began the poor fellow; but that was all he could say. His eyes were turned with an expression of half-reproach upon the intoxicated Morrill,.
 The latter, somewhat sobcred, staggered up with his officers to the deck
 Through the gloom he could just make out a vessel q brig appar- ently sinking, Only the stumps of ter masls remained, while in the Iurid Ight of her lantern, hung up ln the mizzcn rigging, her hull was seen, half buried,
 -Down helm howled Morrill,, now completely sobercd.
 As hi, own vessel had suffered no damage except the loss of her booms forward. and the splitting up of her s,arboard, Che men were able to obey orders.
 Morrill, was about lowering his h.... ,,b.n hp saw those of the other