The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1879-03-21
A LIGHTHOUSE KEEPER FOR A NIGHT.

"Willie, my lad, I'll hae to gang to the
shore for mair oil for the lamps. I had no
idea my stock had got sac low. There's no
enough in The can to last the NIGHT. I
mau ava at once. Yen no mind staying
alone till I'm back ?''
mo, father, I'll no mind. Ye'Hbae good
time to be back afore it's dark"
Kenneth Mayne was the keeper of a light
house on the northeast coast of Scotland.
As most people are aware, it is usual to
have two men at least to all lighthouses,
and such was the custom i'll the case of the
Inverkaldy lighthouse at the date of this
story but Kenneth Mayne's comrade had
fallen i'll only day or two before the events
about to be narrated happened, and a sub
stitute had not yet been sent in his place.
Willie Mayne was slight, de icate looking
boy, with pale face and blue eyes. He
had been frail and delicate ever since his
mothers death, which happened when he
was only two years old. He was also a lit
tie lame, the result Of an accident. Alto
gether, he was the very reverse of the per
son you would willingly have chosen to
leave in Charge of a lighthouse at night-a
fact no one was more alive to than the boys
own father
Kenneth Mayne rowed himself to the
mainland in his boat, fastened It to the lit
tie wooden jetty which had been built for
the use of the lighthouse keepers, and set
| off for Rowanfells, the nearest village
Having purchased a small can of oil sufic
| lent to serve him until he could get larger
supply conveyed to the lighthouse, he
started on his way homeward again The
road he was pursuing led along the shore,
! the sea on one hand and line of steep and
lofty cliffs on the other.
Mayne was proceeding at rapid pace,
carrying his can on his shoulder, and had
reached a cliff in the walls made by a mar
now ravine, when be was suddenly attacked
/ by three men who leaped out upon him
/ from their concealment in The cleft of the
! rocks. Stunned by a blow on the head
/ from heavy bludgeon, he fell to the
/ ground his assailants were upon him in a
moment, and in few moments-ha him
/ gagged and bound band and foot. The
( cOnspiratoTs carried their victim between
/ them little way up the ravine, and left
I him, still unconscious, behind rock, lying
1 with his back against the wall of the cliff.
/ Willie Mayne expected his father to be
at home at six o'clock. When that hour
arrived without him, he became little
/ anxious Another hour passed, and still
/ Willie could see no signs of his father as
he stood on the small wooden landing built
/ out from the little rock islet on which the
/ lighthouse was situated, and directed bis
/ gaze TO the shore. He was growing every
/ minute more anxious and distressed in mind
/ What had become of his father? was it an
accident or mishap of any kind that pre-
/ vented him from being back a. the expect
/ ed hour? ?
/ 1t was now growing dark, and with the
/ approach of night Willie's fears and ankle.
/ ties increased greatly. The lamps would
/ have TO be lit, and who was to do it could
he possibly manage it? The boy knew hi,
( own weakness of body and nerve only toe
well, and he feared terribly in his L earl
that he was not equal to the task of kind
ling the lamps.
He waited on the landing, gazing toward
/ the shore in the direction in which his faith
7 er must approach until it was nearly dark
/ Then he entered the house again, and
( mounted the narrow winding stairs to The
room where the cans of oil for the lamps
were kept. Willie felt that at all hazards
/ be must make the effort to fill bis father
| place tonight. IF the lamps remained un
I lit no one could tell what the consequences
might be. Ships were constantly passing
up and down that part of the coast, thu
/ captains Of which looked to the Inverkaldl
J lighthouse both as a warning and a guild
/ ing beacon.
/ Willie kuelt down upon the floor. ''Ob
| Cod he prayed give me strength and
1 skill for what 1 have to do, that the ship
may not miss the lights and be driven OF
/ the rocks and the people lost. Keep M
/ dear father from danger, and bring hin
/ safe home again, for Christ's sake. Amen.
On examination, Willie found that ther,
was still some oil remaining In one of the
1 cans, enough to last some hours. He tool
! the can and began climbing the staircase
again, until he reached the small chambe
/ at the top of the lighthouse which contain
/ ed The lamps. Willie could not near reacl
/ to the lamps standing on the ground HI
/ put the can of oil down on the floor and de
scended to one of .he lower rooms, return
ing with a chair and a wooden stool. Bu
standing on the stool and the chair. the
little fellow could not yet reach his object
Again descending the long and steer
stairs, which in itself was a hard and pain
full task to the boy ON account of his lame
ness, he returned with a couple of thick
books, and placing them On the top Of the