The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1880-06-09

come $50 be said, sS5
Mister 'Enery's goin' to take birth here
to- night, Judkins, /" said Dobsop. Youand
me win arrange about a shakedown It's my
watch at midnight SO he can turn in as soon
as he lxes.''
should prefer being up with you, Dob
son, " I said II want to see the sea, and
how things look in the dead of night. 1t must
be very weird and very grand here in a
storm"
Aye, aye, sir. You'll have storm enough.
Better sleep while you can, and let the sea
take care of itself.''
But came to sit up" remarked, " and
unless you object"
Me, Mister Emery Not bit of it,
Come aloft if ye like; I'll keep We COM
pany." ss
We went up to the gallery again, and |
stood leaning over, gazing steadily, half
dreamily, at the heaving water. The sea was
evidently rising and yet the long, heavy,
booming swell rolled in without breaking un-
til close upon the rocks. Then the roar arose,
the spray dashed up in vain attempts to reach
the beacon, and fell back exhausted on the
whitened sea.
AS | continued to look across the moonlit
waves, a strong sensation of the unhealthy of
it all came upon me. could fancy 1t was all
unreal knew and felt that was in the
lighthouse, that all was right, that was in
good health and spirits, and yet all the sur
rcundings appeared as il were in dream.
/ could see shape in the water beneath, a
dark form, and lol suddenly it was clad in
| white, a female shape, ascending to the gal
lcry. knew the face in the lantern light.
1t was Agnes. Strange illusion
! called out the form vanished the spray
splaehed heavily down to the water, and Dob
son approached me quickly and anxiously.
Did you call, Mister Emery ?"
Yes, die" replied. 1.-THE spray very
nearly came up into the gallery. It startled
me.''
That's nothing replied Dobson you
will have it over the lantern afore to morrow.
Hold up your hand. Dye feel the salt on
it?"
| | put up my palm to the wind, and then
touched my tongue with it. It was quite
salt to the taste.
You'll excuse me, sir but you's looking
pale and wore out Turn in, and come up at
daybreak. That's the time to see the sea
and sunrise too"
| knew the well-intentioned sailor was
quite right. Twas over-wrought my nerves
were highly strung wanted rest.
|
+" Will you call me early, or if anything
turns up9"
~ will, sir You shall know. One of my
mates is agoin' ashore at dawn I'll call ye
then for certain sure.p
| So we babe each other good night and
descended to the sleeping room in semi dark
ness, In ten minutes | must have been sound
asleep the noise Of the waves dashing out
side and the rushing sound of the wind, far
from keeping we awake, were soothing to my
troubled spirit. slept, nor did the restless
cuckoo in the clock that whirrcd and chirped
the hours through the stormy night awake me
from my dreaming.
/ was half aroused by touch upon the
shoulder, and opened my eyes, but the semi
darkness was still before them. Then voice
knew said:
Toms just of, but the morning wet and
stormy, sir. Be advised and stay below !;
you"
had laid down again, and was asleep once
more before he had completed the sentence.
must have slept some time, when a dull
sound aroused me. I looked about, and it
wac not till the clock-door burst open and the
bird came out that recoected where was.
"Cuckoo !" counted six strokes. Then
the dull and distant sound came down upon
the wind, and began to wonder what it was.
A third time, louder now, and "fatter,"
SO to speak, as if the wind had caught the
noise and borne it hard against the stone-pil-
lar wherein lay. / could hear Dobson and
his companion hurrying to and fro, and in a
few moments, as the former passed the door,
called aloud, and he came in hastily
"What's the matter, Dobson?"
Vessel drifting in, disabled. She'll strike
l fear. They're signaling for help-dont ye
hear the guns?"
He was gone. Guns A vessel in distress !
Here was an adventure, indeed. / leaped out
of bed and hurried through my toilet, from
time to time looking out upon the angry,
tumbling sea, driven in before a sou'west
gale, in broken hills of water.
/ assembled to the gallery, and the grandeur
of the scene beneath took my attention for a
moment from the Keeling yacht that was drift
ing helplessly it seemed, fairly down upon
the cruel line of Jagged rocks that were now
and then visible to windward.
Now, mate, +" said Dobson, you and me
must take this job in hand. Wen cross the
rocks before she strikes yonder, and save the
poor fellows. Come
To their establishment volunteered to
help.
Excuse me, sir, but you amt any good in
this. You can bear hand on the lifeline,
howsomever; and If we should not both turn
up to muster, why"
Without another word they shook hands
solemnly with me and with each other, and
then descended to the rock. followed to
the door, and made fast the lines they had Sc
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