Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1870-01-21
MISCELLANEOUS.
THE CHRISTMAS NIGHT OF A FISH
-- .s.-. ... ERMAN.
A TALE OF THE PACIFIC COAST.
I'm a. e


Dark fantastic clouds enveloped the
western horizon. Darker and darker
they became as the northwestern breeze
arose, and soon the veil of night envel.
oped land and sea, and nothing could be
seen except the phosphorescent sheen of
the foam crested waves, over which shone
the beacon light of Point st. Isabelle.
Sometimes the wind drove the clouds
asunder, and the moon became visible,
shedding flood Of gorgeous light over
the dashing waves, and seeming to bathe
the shore and lighthouse in halo of glory,
and lighting up the hull, spars and sails
OF lbrigantine that tossed upon the
waves, not many miles from shore. The
next moment another darker bank of
clouds advanced and again nothing would
be visible but the sheen of the waves and
the steady beacon Of the lighthouse.
Hark Distinctly the boom of gnn
could be heard above the roar of waters.
A minute after another and another
boom came over the waves 1t was the
call for help of vessel in distress.
Two men stood before the door of the
lighthouse. They were gazing towards
fiickering light that was ascending the
path, borne in the hands of woman.
"Its Dora Grayton. Poor woman I! she
is looking for her husband. What shall
we tell her ?" asked the lighthouse keeper,
taking his night glass from his eyes.
-"Tell her." answered the other, rough,
weather-beaten fisherman, "tell her he's
gone down, boat and all -
You can't tell her that. Besides you
are not sure that his boat hasn't weathered
the gale. You did well to make for the
shore before night, but Grayton was fur
ther out than you. The last saw before
it got too dark was his boat near the brig
antinet"
"P'raps he got aboard OF her; p'raps
not, for boat can't live ten minutes In
suchla scar cried the fisherman, point
ing with his hand towards the huge
waves that thundered against the shore
over which they broke, throwing the spray
far inland. a. Ha ~
"My-husband- husband have
you seen himi" painted the woman, as
she rushed passed the two men into the
shelter OF the arched doorway. i...
A howling gust of wind sweeping
around the corners of the lighthouse
drowned the answer of the fisherman. She
grasped his arm and again demanded the
whereabouts Other husband.
"He hasn't ceme in, / guess he's
HSSsrb %sS Che cbrigansinsi" answered the
"W,hat vessel fred the guns " inquired
"Weil, I guess it was the brigantine,"
cried the lighthouse keeper, "seel she's
sending up signal rockets !" he shouted
moment after. .a
Again alnFid light Illuminated the wild
sceneS n was the second rockot-another
call for help from the vessel. =. ,.....f.
" If she's firing another rocket she's on
the bank or on the rocks. 1t matters lit
tie which way, she goes down." shouted
the 'fishermaIi.a y 1Ilhf t5lUL
The next moment he rushed down the
path to the shore, for third rocket had
been hred. irs.sf7 .s-r Hl .ierur o. 200 tau
"Take my child--take my child-I
must save my husbandp screamed Dora,
pushing a bundle into the hands Of the
lighthouse keeper.
aStop stopP' cried he, bat she had al
ready vanished from his sight '--f-
With doubtful shake OF his head the
keeper entered the kitchen where ne
found his wife, into whose charge he gave
the bundle. UuWDVn UDt IN Vn0Il
'fPpof babe, only six months old and
already fatherlessP r. exclaimed the kind
woman unrolling the large shawl in which
was wrapped q sleeping child. ~ p
"Itsa pity, sure enough" sympathi1ed |
the kind hearted keeper. ~ If,s added he |
after a short pause, q the old man had
relented and taken the couple to his house,
Charlie Grayton would never have be-
come fisherman"
"Dora loved him and told the old man |
that she'd rather drown herself than mar
ry the rich fellow. And the old man said ]:
DO so, you can do as you like. If you
marry the poor boatman you will never
receive a cent of my wealth. II you ever
get tired of living in q hut then come to
me-but don't bring your husband. My
door will never be open for him."
"Yes, that's So And remember when
Dora received q letter from her father in
which he begged her to return and leave
hert husband AND baby. THAI he had
money enough TO pay FOR thousand d.
vorces If she wanted to free herself from
the bonds of matrimony," said the light
house keepeTO who had put On his coat
SNoW, , he continued, pr.n of for Sbo
cave. Look OUT for the light and take
With lEsts words The lighthouse Keeper
lett the room-saQMa Z cIOQd
Let us follow him. qTory
The seAlwas now in perfect swirl,
tossie8 itpfyhite-capped waves, high into
the m9tky air, and the puffs Of the gale |
seemed "a haze Increased inJ strength. |
that lined the Ehprey and the salt spray |
flew in fsatheFy showers over 4 group Of |
four men and one Woman Whowere stand
ing Reak the white line OF the suff.
They all gazed seaward.
Again the veil Of driving clouds rent