Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1881-01-21
Stub, we Il wash the breakfast dishes

Stub, we II wash the breakfast dishes
won't we?'
Stub looked knowing assent, and sat
gravely on the chair (which he first knock
ed the cat off, while Jack washed and
dried the few dishes as deft as girl. HI
had lived here as long as he could remem
Der. His earliest recollection was looking
up at the bright reflector up stairs. and
; seeing in it sweet, loving face, with ten
der blue eyes, near his own. His net mem.
ory of the face vas in coffin. pale and
still, while his father held his hand, and
the minister from the village talked in a
low sad tone. But this was years ago
when Jack was las he would inform you)
''only a little fellow" Now, from his dig
nified age of ten years, he felt himself ar
rived at mans estate. His father was
formerly sailor, but in consequence of
losing some of his fingers in the icy regions
of the north. be had to accept the position
of lighthouse keeper loving the sea too
we'll to think for a moment of any work
further inland. Such stores as he used to
tell Jack in the wintry DAYS, when they
would ba cut off by snowdrifts from the
rest of the world. Such thrilling adven-
| lures delighted che boys ears in the long,
solitary evenings. Stories of the time on
Labrador, when tremendous whale cap
sized boats crew, and two men got
drowned; of the mutiny that once broke
out on tie Fair Betsy, and the sneaking
Italian who got put in irons for starting
it.
Jack would go to bed with Creepy
kind of feeling after these stories. but the
morning light always drove away the
shadows. and he would vow to himself
never to let such ridiculous stories fright
en- him again. ''Stub, let's play Robinson
Cruse in the yard, now the dishes are all
washed; Jane Ito the cat). you can come
too if you WANT said Jack, opening the
door. Stub accepted the invitation for
himself and Jane by making dart at her
as she lay blinking near the stove, and
rushed he out doors with scant ceremony.
| ''This shed here shall be the cave aud
| III wear fathers fur cap and be Robinson
Cruse. You can be Friday, Stub. You
are black and you don't know much; and
Jane shall sit up here on the woodpile and
be the parrot. Now, Friday, you just stay
here while l go to get some sticks for the
wood-box;" and Jack, making his work in
to play, worked with a will, while the
| waves romped and tossed about on the
shore like merry children, and little gray
cloud, no bigger than mans hand, rose
slowly in the north and made another dash
of color in the brilliant sky.
'W5y, I declare, If it amt going to
snow! I wish father would hurry up.
How quickly the clouds have come; and
they look heavy, too, as if they were just
bursting with the piles of snow-flakes hid
away in them. My! wont it be jolly coast
ing though! 1t hasn't been half a winter
yet-Eo snow, except little that melted
right away, and none of the ponds frozen
over. guess had better see if my sled Is
all right" and away Jack ran on this hol-
low pretense-this delightful piece of self
delusiOn about the condition of the
"Artful Dodger;" for had he not examined
it daily for chance to use it? my!
there's a snowflake, as sure's the world;
and there's another, and another-swarms
of them ~ exclaimed happy Jack to his
small but select audience of Stub and
Jane. They were very amlable, and frisk-
ed and gamboled with as good an appear
ance of happy innocence as could be de-
sired.
cts getting dark very quickly; not four
O'Clock yet. guess it's going to be
pretty big fall this time, and-whew!
Stub, hear the wind; sounds squally, don't
it 2"
Stub looked with an air Of gravity
through the window, and seemed to be of
the opinion that it certainly did appear
threatening.
''What keeps father so late, wonder?
If 1t keeps on getting dark as fast as this
the light will have to be fixed pretty
soon.''
Thick and fast fell the snow flakes. bur
rying, SQUIRTING down. as If in haste to see
which could first reach the earth. Every
now and then violent gust of wind would
come that romped and rioted among the
dry leaves that still chung to some of the
trees, and near at hand the waves surged
and dashed and tossed themselves on the
shore and against the rocks.
II know the lamp ought to be lit. I'd
better 60 right away and do it," said
Jack, addressing his companions. AS they
raised no objections, Jack started, materi-
ais in hand, and they followed-to see, no
doubt, that everything was done fairly
and squarely. Up the stairs went the trio
Stub ahead, shutting aid peering into all
the dark corners; Jack, with the lamp and
oil in his hand, followed warily, and Jane
with dignity suitable for lady of her
years, bringing up the rear. Jack knew
how to set to work. He watched his faith
er daily, and had sometimes been allowed
to help him; so, in a very short time, a
friendly glow of light poured through the
windows Of the little tower, and laid bare
the deep, treacherous rocks with blunt
distinctness, while they strove vainly to
to hide beneath the stormy waves.
II suppose we might as we'll get supper
ready, against father comes" and Jack
laid the cloth neatly and cut the bread
with a will. Like few rare and isolated
boys Of his age, being hungry was. Jacks
normal condition, relieved at occasional
intervals by being satisfied. Supper was
waiting-father' tea wac boiling and bub-