Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1875-11-14
A Lighthouse Story.
New York World

| at was one night some seven year
ago-nOt any breezier than this one, no
| half so breezy as this will be sn bOu
from now, when it Turns midnight
who in thunder says my predecesso
| (who Tells me the stOIy),' should come
along SIDE this here light slltbe way from
Bnffalo nigh on to ten O'Clock when til,
wind was rising, but a young man from
the city over there, and his lady-love
Good God, says 1. as her bonnet come
up above the hstchwsy, into the light o
my lantern, il it amt q female! l was
never more astonished in my life,' ,ys
he, for she was beauty, and q LADY
from her feather down to her shoes
And the young man what was with her
he appeSrsd to be a good chap, too, and
they YVES both in the best of spirits
laughing and going on at great rate.
OF course the young lady wanted t.
know ali about the light; and of course
took her up and showed it to her, ex-
planning how it had to be wound up
every four hours. and how the wick had
to be trimmed, and how the flame had
to be kept at certain hight, and how
everything sbout the lantern and Tense S
had 10 be tested and proved once in not
very long whiles. And it was mighty
pretty says my predecessor, to look
into the young lady's eyes while was
telling her all this, for it seemed as if
she kind O. made MP to an old weather
brace that didn't get his natural sleep,
and looked what she called lonesome.
Well, says my predecessor, that went
on till time come to go back; and by
that time it was abreezing. 1t was
Ol sck enough to chopcoaIs out of, and the
letting of that young lady down the lad
der wa'n't no good JOB, with the waves a.
pitching and the boat having to be kept
of for fear of its smashing its side
against the wall. Her young man ON
say this for him, that he was a game
oneD he went down just below her
both of 'em with their hindsides turned
outward and hanging on the ladder like
grim death-ready to catch her if she
slipped. So they got down to pretty
near the boat, with me a-holding the
lantern over the rail, and the men s.
yelling and the wind a-whistIi1e, and
Inc white-caps ker.snorting. Are you
'eady? says one of the bnatmen as they
got down to the water. Yes,
'ays the young man. Then,
avs the bostmsn, put one of
1Sui olAho dlOuud yOuI lauJ . WALSH,
md when 1 say the word, Ready! do
iOu give me your other hand, which
I'll grab, and then she must let go the
adder and do you step back with her
nto the boat. I'll steady you. All
light, says the young man, cheerily;
md darling, will you do as the boat
nan says? he said. Yes, dear, 1 heard |
Ter answer with little tremble in her
Toice. Then, in baIfa minute, the boat
nan shouted, Ready! and then the |
'oupg man cried out, Trust to me,
Ovel and then 1 heard q tumble in the !
oat, and thought heard 81 lash. And |
hen there was a shrek from the young
nan. o, God, 1 have let her fail! |
Where is she? he cried. Overheard, by
ID! yelled one of the bOatmen; and |
ne next minute, they said, the young
nan had torn off his coat and was over.
card, too. | heard says my prede-
essor, 'the oars a.rustling in the boat
)r half a minute, and then thought l
ouId see ii scOOt away down the stream.
hey say the men rowed five miles
own the worst current in the country,
uniting for those two drownded lovers.
ut they didn't find 'em; and reslIy
ever was sure whether they was eUer
lund.'"