Liberty advocate., 1843-12-02
For The Liberty Advocate.
LIGHTHOUSE.
by zENo.

DY ZENo.
It is known TO the most Of reader
that there are lighthouses built on til
"lone islands Of the sea" for the purpos
Of giving warning 10 vessels, Of strand
and shoals, and of directing them on thel
course through diihOVlt vatersi and, tha
government employs family 20 resid
upon each Of these islands 10 take charg
ofthe lighthouse, and keep the light con
stantly burning during the night, and VIII
never see any other human beings except
when the government ship comes, once o
twice a year, to bring them supplies
There are several lighthouses upon is
lands adjacent TO the coast of the Unite
States, which are kept up and supplied il
this way.
On one Of these, some years since, re
sided family, consisting ofthe man, wife
son and two daughters. 1t was poo
family, Of course, none other would en-
counter the hardships and priyations o
SUCH life, for SO small a stipend as wa,
provided by government. But happines;
is not always excluded from the huts oI
the poor. Indeed, | doubt il worldly
possessions, past suficiency for the com
forts Of li(oever promote permanent hap.
piness. The splendor and show of fash.
ion and pride, which prevailed so gener-
ally in towns and cities, had no attrac-
tions for Mr.. Stanly. He placed his mind
upon objects of purer and more exal-
ted nature. His hope, his trust, his hap
piness, were all in God. He had resided
upon this island many years, and one of
the principal objects Of his care, was to
instruct his children SO far as his humble
requirements would suffice, in the rudi-
ments OF an English education, and to i'm
bue their minds deeply with the nature
and importance ofthe Christian Religion.
The employment of the son and daugh-
tiers was about the same; when they we're
not studying, their time was mostly occu-
led in working in a little garden, which
they had brought TO some perfection by
bedding the foundation with sea shells,
and then raising it,with loan from the
xterior,--and s1mes by fishing; or,
when the weather was good, they would
frequently lake boat ride round their
"bri2ht isle of the sea-" or visit some of
4. he different coral beds aud islets, that ay
around and seemed 10 sleep, like fairies,
upon the bosom Of the "dark and blue
ocean, But when the Sabbath came all
labor ceased The garden utentenslls
were put by, and the oars laid upon the
the rocks to dry; and naught was heard
upon the island except the wild scream OF
the sea fowl, and the hollow song Of the
waters; or, if the breeze was fresh, the
dashing of the waves upon the shore.
One evening towards the end of May,
after having busted themselves the fore
par, OF the day in the garden, George
and MAZDA, his sister, got into their canoe
with the intention Of rowing TO little
island, about two miles distant, where
they had often amused themselves byshsh-
ing. The winds were still, and as they
piled their oars to the blue wave, the little
boat skinned along as light aud noise
less as the swan upon its native stream.
And often did they look over the sides of
the boat with exultation, to see the swift
currents leaping from it, like s,eeds upon
the plain. All who have quit the busy
bus,ling scenes of life and taken shelter
In the ''oak leviathans," those hoatingI
bridges between the ends Of the world,
know how suddenly, and unexpectedly i
storm may come up at sea, more par-I
ticularly in the warm climates. A dead
stiffness seemed to peryade, for a few mo-
ments, air and water. Then the sky was
suddenly convulsed, ,and The ocean assumed
a deeper blue from its sympathy with the
clouds above. The sough OF the distant
storm raised sea and sent the dark lash
ing waves against the little boat, which
careered before them like water nymphj
till the wind burst from another quarter.
The ocean seemed again to have forgotten
its rage. Then was heard that melan- !
choly moan of the waters which is an
omen of danger to the sailor; bu! the
spell was temporary. The waters began
10 swell into cumbrous waves, but soon
they rose up into mountains and rolled
and opened such cavernous gulf that II
would seem as if the very foundations ol
che earth were broken loose, and air,
earth and ocean were mingling together.
The boat seemed but mere phantom oil
some.s spirit Of the deep which was mena-
eng the rage Of the storm, and ut the next
sweilo the waves waste dissolve amidst
the elemental strife. "George, we shall
be lost, lnever saw the sea run SO high be-
fore: 0, God save us!'
Don't be frightened, MAZDA; we must
pear her deep astern and keep her from
snipPlng the breakers, and, if she rides
clear Of the cape atthe headland, we may
weather it.n
s'eorge, the land isn't hundred yards