Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1881-04-21
Select Story.
THE KEEPERS DAUGHTER.
Pretty Good Love Story.


A lighthouse on a rocky coast. Out
side, thunder, lightning, wind and
rain, and great black waves dashing up
against the rocks at the foot of the
tower. Inside, winding flight of
stairs leading to an octagon-shaped
room containing the plainest kind of
furniture. The occupants, a girl of
eighteen, tall and 1.-the, with black hair
hanging in massive braids to her waist,
and luminous gray eyes under straight
black brows. Her dress of gray water
proof cloth was short and scant and
hung in wet folds about her limis; and
strangest of all girdles, coil of rope
encircled her waist and trailed one end
on the floor. By her side boy OF
fourteen years, with his blue blouse
open at the throat, and faded plush
cap on his dark curls These two were
bending over man who lay in all his
magnificent length on the floor A pic
turesque looking man, with his fair
hair clinging in dripping masses to his
forehead, a curling, golden beard and
q white, firm throat, and one might be
persuaded that the closed lids with
their long fringes covered a pair OF
steel blue eyes.
Reckon he's goner, Liz, said the
boy, as he paused in his vigorous rub
bing of the mans hands.
The girl was forcing some liquor
from tin cup between the blue lips
and did not answer directly; but wher
their patient gave the faintest possible
sign, she exclaimed, joyfully See
Neddie, he breathes Now work fast,
whereupon they both fell to rubbing
him at great rate.
When Allen Mcintyre opened hi;
eyes he looked about him confusedly
The odd little room, the girl with hel
black braids, and the boy looking sc
like her that one would at once recog.
nize the relationship the drenched
condition of all three, and the strange
languor through all his frame-what
did it mean He closed his eyes wearl
ly, and then the boy spoke up in this
bluff fashion
you came near goin' under, cap'n
but Lizzie pulled you out
Then Allen Mcintyre remembered
all, and languidly raised himself into g
sitting posture.
1T is too wild q night to be ahoat in
little craft like that said the girl
making gesture seaward, where a
tiny boat had broken up an hour be
fore.
1T was fair when | left the shore,
replied the man. i ventured furthe
than ! intended. Then the wind wen
down, and | could only drift until thu
storm arose. | have a recollection o
fierce rush of wind and wave that up
set my boat, and blow on my head
probably from some part of the boat
as | went over
Yes said the boy, there came ;
flash of lightning, and Lizzie and |
looking out, saw the boat capsize. S.
Lizzie caught rope and ran, and
after her We're used to that sort o
thing, eh, Lizzie ? Lizzie nodded, anc
the boy continued, animatedly. 'Yoy
see, my father keeps the light, but he
is sick just now, so Lizzie and | tenc
the light-we always do when father il
sick or has gone to the main.and-anc
we've pulled out more than one fellow
more than half dead. Why
Never mind that. Neddie, inter
rupted his sister, gently, and the un
spoken reproofin in her voice had the eff
feet of making the lad look somewha
shame faced as he went back to thu
first part of his story.
Well, sir, we ran down the slope a
the side of the cliff out there where thu
waves were tearing up like ten thou.
sand wild horses. And every time i
lightened we could see you bobbins
around out there like a piece of cork
We were afraid of your striking
against the lodges, so Lizzie fastened
one end of the rope about her wais
and | held the other while she wen
straight IN and struck out for you
Mcintyre uttered low exclamation
and turned his gaze from Neddie t.
Neddie's sister, The boy wagged hi
head proudly.
'Ah,' said he, with cleaning eyes
that's nothing for our Liz to do! Sh
caught you, and ! pulled you both in
But you're monstrousheavy! though
that we would never get you up stairs
! Mcintyre laughed as he rose rattle