Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1880-09-22

ly sought to cheer US with a tiny plaster of
Paris Santa Claus. and as il TO cast our
dropping hearts lower, lurching wave
struck the vessel abeam, and threw the
smiling little figure to the other end of the
saloon, breaking him into q thousand
chalky atoms. Then We all prayed to be
able to make our New Year calls as usual;
but New Years day came, and still we
were afioat in q driving storm, with the
wind dead against US the air filed with
snow, sleet and rain. and the decks flooded.
We did not meet passing ship in all the
long voyage. One day We were crossing
the banks of Newfoundland, dreamy lit
lie owl was waited into the rigging, and
was caught and gwen TO the .stewardess,
who crled over il; but that was all We had
to remind US that we were not III a world
without form, and without land for its
boundaries. In ur.twentielh day ont, the
reckoning showed that We were near Long
island. and the wind fell, only 10 be fol-
lowed by dreary mist. The captain was
a mirth- loving old salt, but now his face
wore an anxious look, and he was not for
u minute absent from the bridge. 1t was
time for pilot TO board us, and guide us
past the shoals hereabout into the port.
The night came on, and the qIivering en-
gines that had been plodding ce selessly
these twenty days were ordered dead
slow" Men were on the lookout at the
bow and at the masthead. At intervals
was heard coming from the watch over
head, as out of heaven, q long drawn cry:
"All-l-l-l-'s welLl-l-l-." And oftener yet
was heard the cry of the quarter-niaster "a
he measured with line attached 10 lead
en- plummet the number Of fathoms of
water in which We moved: ''By the deep,
nine!' ''By the deep, ten." and so on
through many changes. The captain was
grave and silen., almost rude TO those who
interrupted him. The fog whistle shrleked
discordantly every minute, and all ears
were awake for a response. The steamer
la5ored cautiously onw ri in the mysteri.
Gus night as If uncertain of her position.
We passengers stood shivering in our
thickest wrappers near the wheel-house.
The mist came down suddenly, and sud-
denly 1t rose. Sire Island light ahead"
That was the glad sound that we now
heard. We could see the light glimmering
IN the haze on the starbosrd bow. Soon,
too, there appeared ahead of us the yet
brighter beams of the Highland light. The
capi ain then came down from his chilly
post on the bridge, with his ruddy storm
beaten face wreathe,i in smiles, and how
great was the care that had been removed
from his mind by these sentinel ''pillars of
ire.' He had crossed the ocean ten times
year for nearly quarter af a century,
and since the Fire Island and Highland
lights were built. they have ever been the
best of friends to him. throwing warmth
and JOY into his heart VIII, n Its care were
heaviest. Many other vessels were beating
owards our coast on that bleak January
night. with It's deceptive mist and angry
seas, and many hundred mariners We're
seeking in darkness for the lights that point
The way to safety 1t is the same every
night in the year, winter and summer. The
ships have their compases, and the officers
their scxtants an quadrsnts- When the
sun is in sight they can determine their
position with tolerahle certainty. But
sometimes the sun is hidden under the
clouds for days together, and they have to
depend on what they call dead reckon
ing" which is not so certain. The mys-
terious currents of the ocean may carry
them miles out of their course without a
warning.