The Plymouth Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1869-1941, 1870-01-20
MISCELLANEOUS.
TEE CHRISTMAS NIGHT OF A FISH.
ERMAN.
A TALE OF THE PACIFIC COAST.


1T was near the Eve OF Christmas.
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 q 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 brigantine 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.
y minute after another and another
boom came over the waves. 1t was the
call for help of a vessel in distress
Two men stood before the door of the
lighthouse. They were gazing towards a
flickering light that was ascending the
path, borne in the hands of woman.
It's Dora GraytOn. Poor woman 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
antiner'
"P'raps he got aboard of her; p'raps
not, for a boat can't live ten minutes in
such a sea- cried the fisherman, point
ing with mis- hand towards the huge
waves that thundered against the shore
over which they broke, throwing the spray
far inland.
you seen him." painted the woman, as
she rushed passed the two men into the
shelter of the arched doorway.
A bowling 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 of her husband.
He hasn't come in. | guess he's
aboard the brigantine!" answered the
man.
"what vessel fired the guns?" inquired
Dera
"Well. guess it was the brigantine,' ~
cried the lighthouse keeper. Seel she 8
sending up signal rockets !" he shouted a
moment after.
Again lurid light illuminated the wild
scene; it was the second rOcket-another
call for helm from the vessel
"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 fisherman
The next moment he rushed down the
path to the shore, for third rocket had
been fired.
Take my child-take my child
must save my husband y screamed Dora
pushing bundle into the hands CT the
lighthouse keeper.
"Stopl stopp cried he, but she had al
ready vanished from his sight.
With doubtful shake of his head the
keeper entered the kitchen where he
found his wife, into whose charge he gave
the bundle.
"Poor babe, only six months old and
already fatherless'' exclaimed the kinc
woman unrolling the large shawl in which
was wrapped sleeping child.
"It's pity, sure enough" sympathizet
the kind hearted keeper. eff" added ht
after a short pause, "the old man hat
relented and taken the couple to his house
Charlie Grayton would never have be
come fisherman"
"Dora loved him and told the old MAJ
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. Ii yo
marry the poor boatman you will neve
receive q cent of my wealth. III you eve
get tired of living in hut then come I
me-but don't bring your husband. NJ
door will never be open for him,
"Yes, that's so. And / remember whe
Dora received letter from her father 1
which he begged her to return and leav
heri husband and baby. That he ha
money enough to pay for thousand d
vorces if she wanted to free herself fror
the bonds of matrimony," said the hight
house keeper, who had put on his coa
and hat
Now" he continued, "Tm off for ,,th
cave. Look out for the light and tax
care of the bahet''
With these words the lighthouse keept
left the room.
Let us follow him.
The sea was now in perfect swir
tossing its white-capped waves, high in'
the murky air, and the puffs of the ga
seemed to have increased in strengt
The waves ieaped madly over the rocl
that lined the shore and the salt spra
flew in feathery showers over group
four men and one woman who were stan
ing near the white i;ne of the SURF
They all gazed sesward.
n o~iu tho voil NJ dviviuU clos1ds rel