Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1879-05-30
TEMPTED.

1t looks like 1t up IN the no 'theaSt.
Seems to be a-fillin' in to leeward, too. :"
" Yes, it looks bad all round. l guess
we'd better count on bunking at the
station tonight"
"Wen, l s'pose we must, if you say 50.
Sarah has been a-watching the weather
all the afternoon. Seems as though she
knows when I've got to go on station
fore l do myself She don't like to have
me leave her alone with the children {;
and to tell the truth, cap'n, don't really
like to do it myself. If l was q young
feller without a family, wouldn't mind
it."
Neither would 1, David; and yet l
don't want reckless young chaps in nv
crew. Boys that think it's kind of lark
to spend the night at the station will do
very well in ordinary times, but if it
comes to going off in the boat I'd rather
resk my life with steady men, who know
just what the danger is and are willih'
to face it; men who go because it's a
Christian duty; and if there's some one
praying for 'em at home, SO much the
better"
"Of course I'm ready to go, cap'n.
Do you think we'd better muster the
whole crew"
Better notify 'em to come down if it
turns out a rough night, David. If thG
wind off shore is shifting to norward,
we shall catch it heavy before mid
night" :,
Every well, I'll send Steve Hendrick-
son round to tell the men,"
Eyes; and let him come down to the
station and get my mare. I'll go and
saddle her for him. Tell him to come
ready to stay all night, for we may want
him if anything happens"
"Steve is too good a boy to lose"
unused Capt. Wooley, as he turned back
to the life-saving station of which he
was the keeper. "He's doing all he can
to support his mother, and will make a
true man. I'll keep him in the house
tonight, and not put him to rough ser
vice. He had narrow escape in the
last storm, and some one else can take
the chances this time"
The keeper was as good as his word
and when Stephen returned from his
round among the crew of the station he
found his orders were to take charge OF
the house, keep up the fires and have hot
coffee ready when the men came of
duty. This was dull music for an active
daring boy, accustomed. to exposure anC
eager for adventure; but Capt. Wooley'I
crew, although volunteers, always
obeyed orders without murmuring.
The storm came down heavily during
the night, and watch was detailed tC
patrol the beach, about half the men go
ing out. Toward midnight call cam,
for help from station No. 7, the mex
station up the beach. There was
wreck ashore near the line between TIN
two districts, and Capt. Wooley wen
up with the remainder of the crew.
Stephen was left alone, with only tn
fire for company. He found the hour
passed very slowly. He had been hur
in previous storm, and laid up at hom
for several weeks. Money had run Low
the while, and the time was near at han,
when the interest of mortgage on hi
mothers place would fall due.
His thoughts, as he sat by the fire
were not pleasant, for his mother ha
no one but him to depend on, and b
puzzled over all sorts of vain plans 70
raising the needed money before quarter
day.
He was only lad of fifteen years
This care weighed upon him heavily
Besides the fear of trouble in case til
interest was not forthcoming, he had q
old-fashioned feeling of honor abou
paying a debt when it was due.
With this anxiety on his mind b
dropped into dose, and dreamed of see
ing a rainbow over the sea, with on
end resting on the beach. He remen
bered in his dream the old couplet:
"Where rainbow touches ground
A not of money NAV be found"
He thought: "Of course there ism
any money there, but I'll just dig dow
, a little ways for fun" and he was star
} ing for the spot when he heard voic
calling:
Here, Steve! Here's the money ov'
here!"
He sprang up, hardly knowing wheth
he was asleep or awake, and present
= heard Dave Throckmorton's voice hal
ing again:
"Here, Steve! show light, car
youP"
He ran and threw open the door, al
Dave came in with another of the ere
hearing.the lifeless form of man on
stretcher. with tarpaulin thrown ov
it.
Hes gone, / guess" said Davi
we dragged MN out OF the SURF, but
broken spar struck him, and I'm afra
he's past help"
THEY laid the bruised figure careful
in a bunk, and then hastened back
the scene of the wreck But Stephe
after examining the injured man, cal
. to the conclusion that life was not e
tinct, and he therefore set to work, a
plying such restoratives as the stati
afforded.
The limp form was that of young ma
l. whose fair skin and soft hands told I'll
l. he was not sailor. Brown curls W.