The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1875-08-05

Each night went to rest with heart
full of anxious fear each morning I
arose thankful to find only wet winds
and sombre clouds. Thursday morning
came, gray, cold, chill, like the ones
that had preceded it. Thursday night
the ship Cora Bell was expected, and by
that ship Rollin Weatherbee would
come to me.
1 was restless and uneasy all the long
day. No glimmer of sunshine lighted
the dull, gray skies. a damp mist fell,
and the cold east wind blew over the
moor. By night 1 was almost hysteri-
cal, and my heart was like lead in my
breast. ga want faced bride ven be, if
ye dinna brighten up bit. ;" HARDWOOD
said to me, and I did not wonder as I
caught sight of my dead white face in
the mirror.
The evening came on dark and desc
late. No moon, no stars, only a gray
sky, varied here and there with dense
black clouds. I could not stay in the
house. 1t seemed like prison to me,
and, Selling a cloak, threw the hood
over my head, the cape over my
shoulders, and walked down the avenue,
and leaning on the stone pillars of the
CRATE, looked out toward the lake.
Suddenly something caught my eye it
was bright light, high up in the air
'A light house, of course" I said
mentally, "but why have L never seen
it before? That is not the light house
that directs ships to Avondale landing,
for the landing is exactly opposite
Merideth House. ] have seen the light
night after night from my chamber
window" I turned my eyes in the
direction of the landing. It was dark
as pitch. But off 20 the left, full half q
mile, shone that brilliant light. Sud
denly Il ought struck me. ''My God,
it Is the lighthouse on the rocks I" I
cried, and my heart seemed to stand
still. remembered that 1 had been
out there once in my boat. An old
fisherman sitting on the rocks, and
dropping his line in the water, had
answered my queries concerning the
lighthouse. cit is where the red light
is hOisted of very stormy night" he
said. mot often used, miss, for the
beacon at Avondale guides the ships
safely to Che landing. But this is
lighted sometimes TO show where the
danger lies, if the night is DER danger
GUS"
His words all came back to me now
with a dreadful distinctness. The light
seemed to burn into my very eYe-balIs
the light that shown clear and bright,
not the red signal of danger-high up
Oh the cruel rocks. Quick as lightning
it all flashed through my mind. Some
one had lighted the lamp to wreck the
Cora Bell upon the rocks. Who could
that some one be but Breeze Rogers
He knew Rollin Weatherbee was com
ing to me on that ship, and he was
fiend enough to wreck a hundred lives
for the sake of killing one man. What
could be dOne-hOw could the danger
be averted? Without even a glance
back at the hOuse, I opened the gate
and sped toward the lake, 1 knew every
inch of the ground.
On 1 went till l reached the hut of
fisherman. gave loud knock at the
door, then burst it open without waiting
to be hidden. A stalwart man and his
son sat over the CRATE. Both started to
their feet at the sight of my deathly
face and staring eyes. ''Why, Miss
ose-but--" / stopped them.
For Gods sake" [ cried, leone
with me The beacon at Avoudale
landing has not been lighted, and the
house on the rocks is burning a white
light, and the Cora Bell will be a wreck
unless something is done. One of YOU
go to AvOndale, and see why the keeper
has neglected his duty, and one of you
come with me to the lighthouse on the
rocks"
With you, Miss Rose, why"
Yes, with me | cant stay here,
l must go with you in the boat and see
that the light is put out. I am not
afraid. The night is dark, but the
lake is not rough. The only danger is
threatening the Cora Bell. We must
De quick.
On we hurried, 1 keeping pace with
the long-limbed fisherman. Down to
the landing the young man fastened,
and up into the light house while I
sprang into the boat which the old man
unlocked, and scarcely waiting for him
to seat himself, seized an oar and
rOwed with all my might. How slowly
we went-how slowly. Would we
never reach the rocks? And all the
time that wicked, hateful light burning
into my very eye balls. There at last /
The light made the landing less dan
gerOus than I had thought. The old
man fastened his boat and I clambered
up the rocks,
careful, miss, " he continued, 'those
rocks are wet aud slippery :" but [
reached the lighthouse, aud entered
with a heart so wild with fears for the
Cora Bell, that forgot all danger for
myself. I ran like a squirrel up stairs,
IN the laddeP-on-up uphill I
reached the tower. l opened the door,
1 leaped into the loft where the lamp
cleaned aud flashed its white light into
my very eyes. A man, with a daredevil
face, turned at the noise. He had been
so intently gazing through a glass out
upon the waters that he had not heard
my approach. "Fiendp' I cried. ''What
would yOu do !" and with one bound I
dashed my whole force against the lamp,
SCATTERING it in pieces, and extinguished
the baleful light. For one moment we
were left in utter darkness, and a mans
voice hissed-" Girl, you shall rue this
I have you in my power now" I felt
his iron grip upon my wrist, and
screamed outright. Then the door
burst open-the light of a lantern
flashed into the tower, and the burIy
form of the fisherman entered and stood
behind us. Seize him-bind him - I
cried. He will kill me"
The burly fisherman set down his
lamp, and caught the arms of Breeze
Rogers, and quickly as thought pinioned
them at his back. tore up the skirt
or my dress and twisted III a stout cord
that securely fastened the villains
limbs. He scarcely moved-so sudden
had been the ishermau's attack, so
iron-like his hold. 'Now bring him
down." 1 said, q will lead the way
with the lantern" He took Breeze
Rogers 1.-THE, slender figure in his arms
as if it had been a child's and followed
me down the ladder. II was a treacher-
GUS descent, but we landed safely upon
the rocks, and took our seats in the
boat. Breeze was not gagged, vet he
had said no word-made 10 sound. We
had not rowed half the distance back to
the landing, when, Joy of joys the light
flashed ont from the Avondale beacon
house, reaching far over the waters, and
knew the Cora Bell vas saved
The strain upon my nervous system
had been too great. As we reached the
Avondale landing fell in a dead faint,
and knew no more till l woke in my
room surrounded by a crowd of anxious
faces. HARDWOOD was rubbing my hands.
mamma bathing my forehead, some
strange faces were scattered about the
room, and ROllin-my Rollin-bent