The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-03-02
THE HAUNTED ROCK.
BY CHARLES z. z. WOODS.

young and beginning the world, aud could
not afford to be nice in my selection OF an
occupation.
The remarks of my friends, when they
heard of my new career, were Ger 5elnly not
calculated to reassure me. Most vi my COM
panions we're in one way or the other con-
nected with the sea, and all the congratula-
tions I got upon my advancement in life we're
ominous shakes of the head and muttered
remarks as to there being queer tales about
them lighthouse chaps" the concluding prac-
tical advice being generally, II wouldn't take
il if was you, Tom.
This was certainly rather calculated to throw
q damper upon my new employ; but, as |
argued with myself, if did not take it, had
nothing better to look to, and l would not
throw myself upon my friends; so determined
to make the best l could of the matter, went
down to Blackwell to be instructed IN my
new duties 1t was not long before made
myself sufficiently acquainted with them as
to be az fat at the management of the lamps
aud apparatus and was at length pronounced
fit to undertake the duties of supernumerary
lighthouse-keeper.
These supernumeraries have to hold them
selves in readiness to proceed to any part of
the coast where they may be required to re-
lieve others who, from sickness or other
causes, are removed from their posts. few
mornings after my instruction was COM
pleted, received sudden intimation that
was required to proceed to take charge of
a lighthouse on the coast of Wales On
making inquiries about the new charge
to which l was posted, all l could
learn was, that the legitimate keeper
had deserted his employ some months
before, and had not since been heard
of; that his place had been temporarily filed
up by man from neighboring village, who
it was hoped would have continued in it; but
that he had recently insisted upon giving up
I, ILL 1n,ef f1,a,l ,l,1i-
ness of the life more than he could bear
With this information (Which was all the peo'
pie at headquarters either could or would
give me), ] was forced to be content, and
started off for Wales that very afternoon,
arriving at the scene of my future
the first glance, the prospect was not alu-
ring. 1t was at the end of October, on one
of those dull, boisterous, dank days on which
all Nature seems mourning the brightness of
the summer that's past, and lamenting the
rigor of the winter to ensue. The wind came
sometimes in strong chill putfs that seemed
to send the cold to ones very bones; some
times in soft sighs that moaned dismally
through the half-barren trees, sending the
leaves slowly futtering from the branches
to rot upon the oozy ground. The
desolation of the scene seemed
even to have infected the few cottages by
which I was surrounded, and in which the
only signs of life appeared to be clouds of
steam evidently from washing) which came
through the open doors, while few slat-
ternly women went in aud out on pattens,
sometimes chiding the groups of children
that clustered on the threshold, greediiy eye
ing the pools of mud and water beyond
Even had | wished to possess it, saw that
there was little Information to be got there;
and as 1 was tired with my journey and anx-
ious to be out of the cold soon as possible,
/ WI / 81 wi oh
1 hired with some little dificulty), and set off
for the lighthouse, which was built upon a
rock at some distance from the land. On the
way thither / thought that the boatmen eyed
me somewhat curiously, and were not very
talkative, simply hailing my volunteered in
formation that | was the new keeper with
an "Ah" and a significant glance at each
other. l did not notice this much,
however, l was occupied with my
own thoughts, specializing how 1 should
pass my time in the grim building 1 was
approaching, round which the eager waves
leapt, as if anxious to engulf it, curling
back with sullen roar at their defeat On
my arrival was received by the man whom
1 was to relieve with evident satisfaction.
He was a gaunt beetle browed Welshmau;
and could not help noticing the haggard
anxious look his face wore. Almost the
moment set foot in the building he called
out to the boatmen who had brought me to
walt, as ne WOulQnt take long beCJluS
his new mate to rights with the place. and
they could take him on shore" This, how
ever, l combated stoutly, and insisted on
his at least keeping me company the
first night, as did not know how the lights
worked; to this, after much demur, he con
sented, with evident reluctance, and the boat
went back.
My new abode consisted merely of the Jam
tern, in which the lights burned, and beneath
the watch-room, furnished with bed, chair,
and table, and such culinary and domestic
necessaries as the keeper required. A flight
of stairs led to the door by which
the building was entered, and
lower flight seemed to lead
to cellars or recesses of some sort nay COM
panion did not, however, show me these as
he said they were never used, and it wasn't
worth while going down in the cold. The
evening drew quickly on; and as the autumn
twilight grew darkling over the waters, the
sea and wind both seemed to rise, and
the crash of the breakers as they leaped
fiercely up the rock, aud the whistling of the
gale, were anything but agreeable adjuncts to
residence desolate enough in itself.
For the first hour or two of the evening I
was busily employed in learning how the
lamps were trimmed, lighted, etc., and il
reading the regulations by which the keeper
was to be guided. When had, as thought
made myself sufficiently acquainted with the
routine of the life that was before me, sa
down with nay quondam companion, whose
name was Morgan, and as we smoked ou,
pipes by the fire, tried to gather from him the
particulars of the late keepers disappearance
and why he himself was giving up the stua