Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-08-25
Wild Rose OF Cape Cod.

Cape Cod IN December lou have only
narrow strip of sand 10 cling TO, and the At
lantic Ocean, even when it is not in great
rage, clutches away, with one single wave Of
its watery hand, an acre or two Of sand,
while the cold waters of Cape Cod Bay
sweep right in on the other side, within
sight, too the arm Of sand is SO thin and
worn away. Look on your map at the state
Of Massachusetts,. and see If am not right.
Wen, on Cape Cod, as said, Wild Rose
was born but that was twelve years ago,
and so, this last December, she celebrated her
birthday. 1t wasn't much Of a celebration,
TO be sure, for there wern't many persons to
celebrate it-only Mrs. Rose and Johnny
and Wild herself, for Captain Rose was gone
on fishing trip.
At tea that night there was upon the
table big loaf of ginger cake" frosted
too-and around it-not on it, mind you
twelve small tallow candles. " Twelve
dips" johnny said, "that made rs much
light as the Highland itself" Aud Johnny
ought to know for the keeper Of Cape Cod
light is great friend Of Johnny's and often
in summer let's the lad 60 up with him to
see him light up"
This Highland light stands ont on the
the bleak cape, and is oftentimes that which
greets the sight Of seamen when approach
ing the coast of New England from the At
lantic ocean.
Even in summer the wind blows the wings
of young turkeys over their heads, and in
winter it blows--nobody knows how hard.
I'm quite certain that you have never seen
a home like Wild Roses home. 1t is hid
den away in the very bottom OF big hollow
in the sand, and is protected on all sides by
a high fence to keep the sand from covering
it up. In the first place the house has been
built upon piles driven into the sand but
the fence was afterward. added, and outside
of the fence was barrcade of seaweed
Over the stills, fence, seaweed and all, was
the fsherman's cabin. As snug aud warm
and comfortable as anything on Cape Cod
could be. Not far away was a charity
house, not a poor house" where poor folk.
could go and live when they hadn't any
where else to live, hut a rude room. inclose,
| 10y rude outside into which poor ship
wrecked sailor might crawl and possibly say,
himself from freezing to death until he'll
should arrive. Wood aud matches and
straw are supposed to be kept in every char
| ity house along the coast.
Johnny Rose was two years younger thar
| his only sister, Wild, but tcn-years-old boy
hHoNS more pl tlle sea ana sillls anu HNn
ing. than the wisest grown-up person in thu
world who lives inland
The Little Katie was Captain Roses fish
ing schooner, and the little schooner wa
| frozen fast in the ice more than six weeks
right in sight from the land, mp the banl
above the cabin. Two weeks passed by
and still the ice held the fishing boats, an,
would not lot them 90 Stout little steam
tpm4 typnt RAINING with firm hptpa "a.
good intent, at the ice, day after day, in or
der to break it up, and tow the boats ont %
danger; but the cold came down stronge
than ever, aud knit the ice cakes firmer
Every day Johnny bundled up until h
looked like | don't know what. made Tn
toilsome journey over to the Highland t,
look through the "glass at his father
schooner, and every night for two weeks
with face on fire from the friction OF tn
wind, he came back with the good news
No signal up yet"
No signal up yet meant that there wa
still something lott to cat aud wood to bun
ON the Little Katie, and hope also of gettm
free from the ice without sinking.
Now and then neighbor came down int
the hollow and walked right in withou
knocking at the calm door, to inquire no,
Mrs. Rose was getting on, aud IN say yc
again Cape Cod has seen harder time
than this, Mrs. Rose Keep a stout heart
and we'll have the fleet safe IN pruvidenc
harbor before many days" And then Slr
Rose would put on a bright look and say, il
a CHEEKY voice, "Oh, hope so," but in he
heart she feared all things, for did she no
know that every dwelling on Cape Cod had it
widow sooner Of later
Al last there came a day when Mrs Ros
said that Wild might go to the light wit
Johnny TO learn the news.
The two children set off in high Gle,
The sky was clear, and the wind was blow
ing from the west The lighthouse was no
more than a mile away, and what could haI
pen TO the children Nevertheless, Mr.
Rose gave many commands. They We're t
return as soon as they found out what new
from the Little Katie, and if it should snow
they were to go back or forward, whicheye
way should be the nearer, and il near th
coast, they were to 90 to the charity house Il
the bank and wait there for rescue.
The wind helped them on their way, and
to write the exact truth, blew so hard and s.
last that it came very near blowing then
past the lighthouse, over the high bank int
the ocean.
It's a tough day, even for the Cape,
said the lighthouse keeper, when The
reached the lighthouse. " And the boat
have drifted, Johnny. For the life of me
cant make out the Little Katie !" but john
made her out without the slightest difficulty
OF course he did Does not every CAP
Cod boy know his fathers boat More thai
all, there hung the signal of distress. Tn
lightkeeper saw it, and Wild looked at il
and Johnny looked again, and declared tina
"come what would, he'd get out there, am
find out what the matter was.''
Then the " glass " was put away, and the
all went down, and the children, thorough
warmed, started for home.
A little cloud over Cape Cod bay gre,
and came nearer, and spread out more am
more, and at last began TO drop down, whit,
like snow on the ground,
It was not dark, and johnny knew tn
sand-marks well, Here bunch of poyert
grass and there forlon little clump @
bay-berry bushes, whose outlines he kne,
just as he knew the outlines of the boat
and sails, served to guide him when the al
was thick with snow
"We're lost +" said Wild pulling bach
and trying to stop Johnny but the little fe
low declared they were not lost at all di
not he know all about itY Hadn't h
"fogged il many time to the light an
back Why there, right ahead, was a pol
that he knew. OF course it was right Of
top of home and there was mother, calm
at this moment, not fifty feet away.
All OF which statements were quite true
aud in five minutes they were all safe in III
cabin, and had told. their news from the ice
bound boats.
Nothing 10 eat may be, and cold, pen