Sharp County record., 1880-10-14
WALLY, THE WRECK.B0Y.
A story of the Northern Coast.

His real name Is W dlldCe, DuV MO
mates always called him "Wally," and
although he is now big, broad-shoul-
dered young mariner, he is still pointed
out as the "wreck-boy." One summer
not long ago Wally sailed with me for
a week out upon the blue waters across
the bar after blue-fish, or among the
winding tide-water creeks for sleeps
head, and it was then, by means OF
many questions, that | heard the fol-
lowing story.
Wally's father was a lighthouse
keeper. The great brick tower stood
aloft among the sand-hills, making the
little house which nestled at its base
look dwarfsh and cramped.
Wally was about twelve years old,
and seldom had the good fortune to
find a playmate. Two miles down the
beach, at Three Pine Point, stood a
handsome cottage that was occupied by
Mr.. Burton, city gentleman and a
great ship-owner, during the summer,
and sometimes his daughter Elsie, a
bright-eyed little girl, would come
riding along the sands from the cottage
behind small donkey, and ask Wally
to show her his "museum.
1t was a matter of great pride with
the boy to exhibit the many curious
shells, bits of sea-weed, sharks teeth,
fish bones, and the full-rigged ships he
had whitfield out and completed on
winter nights, and Elsie was an earnest
listener to all his explanations; showing
him in return the pictures she had
made in her sketch-bOok.
Not far from the lighthouse stood a
life-saving station-a strong two-stOry
building, shingled upon its sides to
make il warmer. Here through the
winter months, lived crew of brave
fishermen, who were always ready to
launch the life-boat, and 60 out through
the stormy waters to help shipwreeked
sailors.
Wallv was favorite here and spent
much of his time listening to the tales
they told ofbcean daf f-ers and escapes;
but he liked best of q to trudge along
the sands with the guard on dark nights,
with lantern in hand, watching for ships
in distress. The Captain of the crew.
who was an old seaman, taught him the
use of the compass and quadrant and
other matters of navigation, while the
rest showed him how to pull an oar, steer
and swim, until he could manage boat
as well as any of them.
Just before sunset each day Wally's
father climbed the iron steps of the light
tower and started the lamp, which
slowly revolved within the great crystal
lens, flashing out four times each min
ute its beam of warning across the
stormy waters. Every few hours it was
the watchers duty to pump oil into
: holder above the light, from which it
flowed in steady stream to the round
wicks below. If this was neglected the
lamp would cease to burn.
Wally, who was an ingenious boy,
had placed small bit of mirror in his
little bedroom in the attic so that as he
lay in bed he could see the reflection of
the flash across the waters. One wild
October evening he had watched it un-
til he fell asleep, and in the night was
awakened by the roaring gusts OF the
gale which swept over the lonely sands,
and he missed the faithful flash upon
his mirror. The light had gone omt
Many ships out upon the sea were
sailing to and fro, and there was no
light to guide them or warn them OF
dangerous shoals. Nearer and nearer
some of them were drifting to their
fate, and still the beacon gave no warn
ing Of danger. ,
The Hg6t-keepcr, hours before, had
gone out upon the narrow gallery about
the top of the tower to look at the storm,
Just as large wild fowl, bewildered by
the glare, had flown with great speed
toward it, and striking the keepers
head had lain him senseless upon the
iron grating. -..-. 49,. .....
\ l have seen fractures in the lenses, or
glass reAectors, of lighthouses as large
Is your two fists, such as it would re-
qSre heavy sledge-hammer to break
by human force, caused by the fierce
flightof wild fowl; and netting of iron
wire isusually spread upon three sides
OF the leus as protection to the light.
Sohi0ViihOSt u ldISe HulupGI VI uedu
birds will be found at the foot of the
lighthouse in the morning after stormy
autumn night, when wild-geese are fly
ing southwark.
Wally sprang from his bed, full of
dread lest his father had fallen to the
ground; for he knew he would never
sleep at his post of duty. But first in
his thoughts was the need of starting
the lamp again. Calling to his mother,
he sped up the spiral stairway, which
never seemed so long before, and began
to pump the oil. Then he lighted the
wick from a small lantern burning in
the watch-room and pumped again un-
til the oil tank was quite full. His
mother in the meantime had found the
form of the keeper and partially restored
him. Wally stepped out upon the gal
lery to find his father hat, and looking
seaward, saw something which for a
moment made him sick with terror. In
the midst of the breakers lay large
square-rigged vessel, helplessly pound
ing to pieces upon the outer bar. In
the intervals of the wind's moaning
Wally could hear the despairing cries Of