Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1877-06-28

gusts through the broken panes ; and
Nelly thought even were she able to
light the lamp, itmust inevitably be put
out again. What was to be done If
she conll only keep a light of any
kind barning, it might be of some
use. There was large lantern down
stairs, she knew (; and hurrying down
she got this, and lighting it, carried
it up again, and hung it where she
trusted it might be seen. But it shone
so fcebly, that she feared it would not
be noticed, or might even be taken
for the light Of fisherman's cottage,
in which case it would serve only to
lead astray instead of guiding safely.
Poor little Nelly wrung her hands
in despair. Oh, if she only had some
body to help her How futile and for
lorn, and miserable she felt ! And
just then-she never knew how it was
just then she seemed to hear, amid all
the noise of the storm. the sweet
words of the hymn her dead mother
had been so fond of singing 'Jesus,
lover of my SOUL" She knew it by
heart, and now she stood involuntar-
lily repeating fragments Of it to her.
self, until she came to the words
"0ther refuge have none;
Hangs my helpless soul on Thee
leave, oh leave me net alone,--
Still support and comfort
All my trust on Thee is stayed
All my help from Thee bring"
A strange feeling of peace and COM
fort stole into the heart of the child.
God is here: He can help me-" was
her thought and instantly after, she
recollected that in the wood shed con-
nected with the kitchen was pile of
pine.knots. The wind could not blow
out the flame of pine knot, but would
rather serve to fan it. So down the
steep, wearisome stairs the poor child
again went, and presently returned to
the top of the tower with her arms
full Of the pine knots. These she
lighted and carefully disposed all
around the glass covered room
wherever she could find place in
which to stick her torches so that the
brilliant, ruddy glare might be visible
in all directions. And there, alone in
the dreary summit of the tall light.
house, shivering in the cold wind and
rain that beat upon .her slight figure,
stood poor little Nelly, listening to
the storm, straining her eyes Though
the darkness, and trembling with anx-
iety and settlement as she thought of
her father in the storm, and of poor
Brister. dying in the room below,
perhaps. But still through it all
seemed to sound the sweet words Of
the hymn, Jesus, lover of my soul"
An hour passed, and poor Nelly,
intently listening, thought that she
heard sounds below, and then faint
echo of some one calling her name.
Then came hurried step on the
stair, and in the red smoky glare of
the pine torches she saw her father
standing. Oh, with what sharp cry
of relief and JOY she sprang for
ward to meet him, though at the very
moment in which his arms were out
stretched to receive her-overcome
with cold, fatigue and anxiety-she
tottered and fell almost insensible at
his feet. Very tenderly, with tears
in bis eyes, the rough lighthouse
keeper bore his little daughter below,
and placed her in bed; and there,
with delicious consciousness Of safe
ty and rest, poor Nelly fell asleep.
She never woke until the bright sun
light of the next morning fell across
her bed, when, opening her eyes, she
saw Nanny Sylvie's kind, motherly
face bending over her. with tears
streaming down her sable cheeks.
Dress de Lord ,dar amt anoder child
in all de Car'inas fit to hold pines
knot to her." said the afectionate
creature, proudly. 'An' | heerd Jem
Long say, when his boat come in las
night, dat eff it hadn't been for de
light house lamp, he and t others
would sartinly have been lost"
"And so should l." said Mr..
LATHE. fondly smoothing his little
daughters hair, and then he told her
how he had watched in vain for the
light, and not seeing it had attempted
to cross in the storm and darkness,
when suddenly red glare had shone
ont, and revealed to him that he was
drifting fast upon one of the most
dangerous of the reefs. From this he
had with difficulty extricated himself,
and guided by the strange light had
succeeded in reaching home in safety,
and there had found old Brister as
we have described, while Jack, worn
ont with rubbing and crying, lay
asleep by the fire. Where was Nelly?
and what could be the meaning OF the
red fitfnl glare in the lighthouse tow
err? Almost sinking with fear and
apprehension; the father had mounted
the stairs, and there, at the first glimpse
of his little daughter,-pale and trem-
bling, yet standing firmly at her post,
he had the whole story. And how
proud he afterward was of his brave
little girl, we can very well imagine.
Aunt Sylvie had been prevented
returning home by both the storm
and the illness of the fisherman
wife. She had felt no anxiety about
the children, believing that their faith
err must have returned.
The little family at the lighthouse
live there still happy and oontented.
Nelly is o big girl now. Uncle Bris-
ter, who entirely recovered, is to this
day very fond of telling this story to
the people who sometimes in sum-
mer cross over to visit the lighthouse.
"Guess it's de fust lighthouse was
eber lighted up wild pine.knots," he
says.-,St. Nicholas for july.
nNn mans ralirinn ia q whit hatr