Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1875-08-18
Wild Rose Of Cape Cod.

Wild Rose Of Cape Cod.
Nearly all the roses in Massachusetts are
born in June, but Wild, the little daughter
of CAPTAIN John Rose. was born in Dcccm-
Der. and on Cape Cod, too.
Ah what Il struggle it is to live ut all on
Cape Cod in December, You have only Il
narrow strip of sand to cling to, and the
Atlantic ocean (even when it is not in a
great ra@e) clutches away with one single
wave of its watery hand an acre or two of
sand while the cold waters of Cape Cod
bav sweep right in on the other side. with
in sirht. too: the arm of sand IS so thin.
and worn. and wasted away. Look on
Your map ut the State of Massachusetts
and see if am not right about it.
Well. on Cape Cod. rs said. Wild Rose
was born; but that was twelve Years ago.
and 50, this last December WAS celebrated
her 18th birthday. 1t wasn't much of 4
celebration. to be sure, Tor there wercn t
many persons to celebrate it-only Mrs.
Rose. and Johnny, and Wild herself. for
Captain Rose WAS gone on u fishing trip.
At tea that night. there was upon the Ia
bic a big loaf of ginger-cake-'' frosted :
too-and around about it-not on it,
mind vou-twelve small tallow candles.
"Twelve dips" Johnny said, that made
rs much LIGHT rs the Highland itself And
johnny ought to know. for thc keeper of
Cape Cod light is Il great friend of.Iohnny :,
AMI often in summer lets the lad 60 up
with him to see Linn light up"
/ This Highland light stands out on the
/ bleak cape, and i, oftentimcs the first light
/ that grcct> the sight of >eamen when ap
preaching the coast of New England from
over the Atlantic ocean.
Even in summer the wind blows so hare
ut the Highland that it blows the wings o
Young turkeys over their heads, and II
winter it blows, nobo " knows how hard
I'm quite certain that You have nevc
seen home like'Wild Roses home. 1t i
hidden away in the very bottom of biz
hollow i'll the sand. and is protected on al
sides bv u high fence to keep the san'
from covering it up. In the first place th
house had been built upon piles driven in
to the sand. but the fence was atterward
added, and outside of the fence was barr
cade of scaweed Over the stills. fence
>cawced, and all. WAS the fisherman cal
in. aS snug. and warm, and comfortable a
ANYTHING on Cape Cod could be. Not +,
. away, on the Atlantic coast. was chart
house not 4 "poor-hou>c, where poo
folks could 20 and live when they hadn
anywhere else to live, bat 4 rude room
incIo>cd bv Il rude outside, into which
1 poor shipwrcchcd mariner might craw
2 and possibly save himself from freezing
: death until help should arrive. Wood an
, matches, and straw are supposed to
, kept in every charity house along the coas
johnny Rose WAS two Years young'
9 than his only sister, Will but 4 tenye;
old lad on Cape Cod knows more of II
sea. and ships, and fishing thrn the wise:
crown-up in the world, WHO lives inlan
The Little Katie was Capt. Rose : tishr
! schooner and the Little Katie was troZ'
, fast in the lee more than six weeks az
RIGHT in SIGHT from the land up the bar
:, above the cabin Two weeks passed b
o and still the ice held the fishing boats ar
: would not let them 90. Stout little steal
n tue, went rasping away with firm bow
: and good intent ut the lee day after day,
i order to break it up and tow the boats o
4 of DANGER. but the cold came down stron
or than ever and knit the ice cakes firm
il and tirmer. Eycrv day Johnny, bundl
y up unit! he looked like don know "h;
4 made the toilsome journey over to t
= Highland t. look through the glass
Y his fathers schooner. and, every night I
II two weeks, with ftce on fire from Il
friction of the wind, he came back with
GOOD news, " No signal up yet,
No signal up Yet meant that there "
~ still something left TO eat. and wood
e, burn on the Little Katie, and hope also
'd Getting free from the ice without sinking
ly Now and then u neighbor came do'
into the hollow and walked right IN WI
le out knocking ut the cabin door, to inIu
p how Mrs Rose was getting on, anu to
r> a"ain: Cape Cod has seen harder TN
Tx than this, Mrs Rose. Keep up i ST
heart, and we'll have the fleet safe II
of Providence harbor before many day
ed And then Mrs. Rose would put out Il bri:
ed look and say, in Il CHEEKY voice, 4" on
he hope So" but in her heart she feared
things, for did She not know that ev
dwelling on Cape Cod had its widow so
n cr or later? =,
he At last there came Il day when N
ID Rose said that Wild might 90 to the Ii
he with Johnny to learn the news:
he Thetwo children set off in high glcc.
ie- skv was clear, and the wind was blow
nj from the west. The Highland light no
IN was not more than Il mile away, and w
nj could happen to the children? Nevert
he less. Mrs Rose gave them many &C
IT. mandS They We're to return rs soon
'm they found out what news from the Ill
ge Katie, and. if it should snow, they wer
e. 90 back or forward, whichever way sho
be the nearer, and if near the coast, t
an were to 90 to the charity house In the b.
in, and wait for rescue.
.aS . The wind helped them on their way, a
,nJ to write the exact truth, blew so nara
,o,. 50 fast that it came very near blow
M them past the li1ht-hous over the Il
sn bank into the ocean.
IL It's tough day, even for the Cal
said the light-kceper when they reac
nIo the lighthouse, and the boats have Il
r'' ed, johnny. For the like of me, ! c
make out the Little katie;' but job
made her out without the slightest dlfil
ion tv. OF course he did. Does not e'
lad Cape Cod boy know his fathers b
ate More than all there hung the signal OF
test treSs. The light t-keepcr saw 1t, and
sec looked at it, and Johnny looked again,
ms declared that Come what would, he'd
the out there and find out what the M
oS- was"
Then the " glass " was put away,
thev al went down, and the child
Gus thoroughly warmed, started lor home.
lest A little cloud over Cape Cod hay
to and came nearer and spread out more