The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1862-11-07

| her; and sailors lie was his coveted call
ing.
at seems to me, Henry, said the moth
| er. when, with trembling lip, she partec
from him, ''as if must still put Ii uht il
the little window. shall think some
times that | hear the sound of your foot,
steps, the click of the latch, and your pleas
ant voice. Q, Henry. Henry, if | couic
but light you over the stormy wa.ers!"
Tie long voyage was enled-bu'
another voyage was to end before that
The widow Locke was taken i'll. YET
with unfaiIing regularity, with feeble steF
and trembling hanc, nightly, the dea,
woman trimmed the little lamp and placed
it in the window. Sill, when the bended
| form could no longer totter about the cot
tage, when she lay helpless upon The bed
and the neighbors came in to care for her
she would say, /" Put the little lamp in the
window; my Henry will be thinking OF
it."
Night after night, and until her eyes
grew dim, she would watch the radiance
of the Pickering light, only saving some
time, "Shall live to hear his footsteps
Will that feeble flame still burn when my
life's light has gone out? ~
81 have longed to see him." she said
81 have prayed earnestly, but have Civ
en- it all up now. | shall not meet him
in this world"
iiave you put the light in the win
dow!' she asked suddenly, few moments
after. ''1 1t is growing dark"
Alas! it was not the light that was
growing dark.
Her hands grew cold. Over her coun,
tenance came that mysterious shadow, that
falls bat once on any mortal face.
ooh my boy my boy !" she whisper
ed ; "tel him, m,"-they bent lower to
catch her falling words" tell him | will
put light in the window in the window
of heaven to guide his footsteps there"
The thrilling sentence was hardly spo>
ken, when the shadow dropped from the
sufferers face, and it smiled in the calm
majesty of death. A funeral followed,
the humble hearts attended the body Of
one wo was loved for her sincere goodness
all through the hamlet; and on the hill
side. in little grave yard she was buried.
Not many days after great ship came
into the port Of a busy city. Among all
those who stepped from the decks, none
were more hopeful, more joyful than
young Henry Locke. He had passed
through the ordeal of life at sea, SO far
unscathed No blight of immortality had
fallen upon him. He had kept himself
as spotlcss as if at every nightfa!! his feet
had been turned towards the door of his
mothers cottage How his heart bounded
as he thought of her ! Strangely enough
he never dreamed she might be dead It
did not occur to him that perhaps her
silver locks were lying under the lid of
the coffin. Oh, no, he only thought of
the pleasant light in the window, that
her hands had trimmed for him. 50 he
ourneyed to his native town.
Yonder comes one who trudges on
!aggingly-a farmer in heavy oots and
frock, his whip in his hand. iIe cheers
the lazy oxen, but suddenly stops, arnaz
ed.
see you know me- said the sailor,
smiling s.Well, Farmer Brown, how
is-?'
Know You? why how tall you are
So,"-his eve drops, nis mouth trembles,
g so you've got home"
Eyes, and glad enough to get back
again,-how is mother =
"Your-mother," he says, in low
hesitating way, that teegraphs i'll tidings
before they are told in words
Yes-is she well Is she expecting
me OF course she is s? we're late by a
month, fall"
"Your mother, Henry WeTl-the old
lady, he plays with his whip, or rather
strikes it hard on the dusty road. How
can he crush that happy heart
There, you need not speak y cried
! he Young man, in voice Of sudden an
guish and hs eos2:iIa'i, almost staggcr
inc, from the farmers side, and bure"
his face in his hands.
Henry, my poor lad, your mother
is"
"Don't, don't" cried the other, show
ino now face from which all cclor had
fed. ooh! nv mother my mother
she is gone. gone-and | am coming
home so happy"
For some moments he sobbed in agony
How dreary the world had grown! The
flowers had lost their fragrance. the sur
its warmth; his heart seemed dead.
"Henry. she left message for you,
said the Old farmer, wiping his eyes will
the sleeve of his frock.
a ressage for me '''-it seemed a
if the white lips could hardly speak
eyes says she-so ny dame told me
and so tie minister said" Tell Henry
will put light in the window Of heavel
to guide his footsteps there"
Did she, OBJ did she gay that! Go
bless YOU for telling me. All my lon
voyage have thought Of the light in he
little window. / have seemed to see
streaming along, down TO the foot of th
hill. till it grew brighter an| brighter as
drew nearer. A light in the window {
heaven1 Yes. mother, | will think 20
are still waiting for me. | could MT sf
Won in these long years; but | knew Il
: ight was burning. | cannot see YOU no
G but know that the light is burning"
Al