American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1875-07-24


wronged has forgiven you, well and good
L owe you no ill-will, but l do not love
or respect you now, and never cam
Rosep' he cried, you are cruel! Oh
come to me and fly before it is too late. >
''Hushr' l said, sternly. All tha
wild folly is past, and forever. I shall be
the wife of Rollin Weatherbee next week
ut this time, and far from here; the wife
of the only man l ever loved. That mad
fancy conceived for you died as sud
denly as it sprang to life, and can never
Goodnight and good-by."
sped back into the house and locked
the door behind me, leaving him alone in
the darkness. l found mamma had fallen
10 sleep in her chair by the stove and was
relieved that l would thus be spared
answering any questions.
The wind blew colder and harsher
across the moorlands. A dreary rain be.
gan to fall, and the night settled down
desolate and lonely. Merideth House
was oppressively quiet and my heart was
full of sad forebOdings. What if the
dreadful autumnal storms should come on
just after Rollin embarked for Avondale :
What if his ship went down in the waters
of the lake and he never came to me?
Would it not be a just punishment for my
wild folly? Had not been untrue to him
and fled with another, and that other a
base-hearted, unprincipled villain? Had
/ l not let his kisses fall on my lips and
listened to his words of love? Oh! | was
ashamed-ashamed; and hid my face in
my hands, praying God to forgive me and
send Rollin to me in safety.
The days that followed were damp and
chill, with mist and wet east winds. But
the dreaded storm did not come on. Each
night l went to rest with a heart full of
anxious fear; each morning l arose, thank
full to find only wet winds and somber
skies. Thursday morning came, gray,
cold, chilly, like the ones that had pre-
coded it. Thursday night the ship Cora
Bell was expected, and by that ship Rollin
Weatherb6e would come to me.
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 I was.almost hysterical, and my
heart was like lead in my breast. "A
wan faced bride yell be if We dinna
brighten up Bit" HARDWOOD said to me,
and did not wonder as l caught sieht of
my dead-white face in the mirror.
The evening came on dark and desolate
No moon, no stars, only gray sky, va
ried here and there with dense, black
clouds. 1 could not stay in the house 1t
cloak threw the hood over my head, the
cape over my shoulders, and walked down
the avenue, and leaning on the stone pill
lars of the gate looked out toward the
lake. Suddenly something caught my
eye; it was bright light high up in the
air. Z" A lighthouse, of course" | said
mentally, g but why have l never seen it
before? That is not the lighthouse that
directs ships to Avondale landing, for the
IL
House. l have seen the light night after
night from my chamber window" l
turned my eyes in the direction of the
landing. 1t was dark as pitch. But to
the left, full half mile, shone that brill
liant light. Suddenly a thought struck
me. g My God, it is the lighthouse on
the rocks!" l cried, and my heart seemed
to stand still. l remembered that l had
been out there once in my boat. An old
fisherman, sitting on the rocks and drop
ping his line in the water, had answered
my queries concerning the lighthouse.
" 1t is where the red light is hoisted of a
very stormy night" he said. Mot often
used, miss, for the beacon at Avondale
guides the ships safe to the landing. But
this is lighted sometimes to show where
the danger lies if the night is DER danger
ous."
His words all came back to me now with
dreadful distinctness. The light seemed
to burn into my very eye balls-the light
that shone clear and white-not the red
signal of danger-high up on 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 Weather
bee was coming to me on that ship, and
he was fiend enough TO wreck hundred
lives for the sake of killing one man.
What could be done ?-how could the
danger be averted? Without even
glance back to the house l opened the gate
and sped toward the lake. l knew every
inch of the ground.
On l went till l reached the hut of
fisherman. / gave a loud knock at the
door, then burst it open without waiting
to be hidden. A stalwart man and his
burly son sat over the CRATE. Both started
to their feet at the sight of my deathly
face and staring eyes. why, Miss
Rose-but-"
l stopped them.
For Gods sake" cried, "cOme with
me! The beacon at Avondale landing has
not been lighted, and the house on the
rocks is burning white light, and the
Cora Bell will be wreck unless some
thing is done. One of you go to Avon,
dale 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"
Z" Yes, with mel | can't stay here; |
must go with you in the boat and see that
the light is put out. am not afraid. The
night is dark but the lake is not rough.
The only danger is threatening the Cora
Bell. We must be quick"
On we hurried, | keeping pace with the
long limbed fisherman. Down to the
landing the young man fastened, and up
into the lighthouse, while | sprang into
the boat which the old man unlocked and
scarcely waiting for him 10 seat himself,
seized an oar and rowed with all my
might. How slowly we went-hOw slow
ly! Would we never reach the rocks ?
And all the time that wicked, hateful light
burning into my very eyeballs. There at
last The light made the landing less |
dangerous than l had thought. The old |
man fastened his boat and l climbed up |
the rocks.
Careful, MISS he continued, g those |
rocks are wet and slippery;" but reached |
the lighthouse and entered with IA heart |
so wild with fears for the Cora Bell that | |
forgot all danger for myself. | ran like a
squirrel up the stairs, up the ladder-on
l reached the tower. | |
opened the door, leaped into the loft,
where the lamp CLEANED and 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' / |
cried, ''what would you do?" and with
one bound 1 dashed my whole force
against the lamp, shattering it in pieces,