, 1882-05-12

He tied Lucy into her little chair
with an apron, and wrote a note TO his
mother
DEAR MOTHER.-Father wanted me
right away and the lamp is not lit, and
it is after sunset and hope Lucy won't
get into any trouble. Your son,
HENRY BRUCE"
He put this note in front of the lamp
aud hurried off.
A boat was always kept ready, AMI
Henry sprang into it and rowed of with
energy. 1t was dark, however, and the
rain had begun to fall. He tied his boat
to the little pier, and ran to the tower.
He opened small, heavy bronze door,
and entered large, always dimly.lighted
room in which was stored coal and wood,
oil for the lamp and fresh water from the
mainland.
The stairs were in this room and Henry
ran up. The room above was the kitch-
en-, over that was the bedroom, and
from this ladder led to the lantern.
Henry called, but there was no answer.
He went up into the lantern. All was
dark and silent He spoke again and
again, but still all was silent. Then he
heard groan, and he rushed down the
ladder, got the keepers hand-lamp and
ran back. His father lay on the floor;
his eyes closed and blood ran from his
temple. 1t was plain that he had fallen
and hurt himself.
Henry began to cry. He did not
know what to do, and the Emergency
Drill" didn't occur to him. Then he
remembered that he ought to stop the
flow of blood, and taking his fathers
handkerchief from his pocket he tied up
the wound. Still his father neither spoke
nor moved. Then he cried again. And
then he thought of his mother. She
must by this time be at bone, and with
out hesitation he rushed off again, but
this time to his boat. 1t took him but a
moment to unite it and spring in and be
off.
The rain fell heavily, the waves dashed
on the rocks, and Henry looking up saw
the dim outline of the lighthouse. He
stopped rowing. His heart gave great
Jump, and before his eyes seemed to
flash the "charge to keepers" hung up
in the lighthouse:
"You are to light the lamps every
evening at sunsetting and keep them
burning bright and clear until sunris.
ing"
His fathers faithfulness, the great i'm
portance Of lighting up, rushed into
Henry's mind and again he involuntarily
repeated his Emergency Drill"
"What is the matter ?"
"The lamps are not lighted"
"What first ?"
''To light them"
He turned his boat and rowed back a
few rods. But was it first? 1t could
not be He must take his mother over.
His father would die for want Of help.
AS he paused, trembling, anxious, irreso-
lutte, he remembered how often his
father had said that no wreck should
ever be his fault, and it was terrible
night
Henry knew what his father would
say, and he at once rowed directly back.
He returned to the house, stumbled up
the dark stairs, got the lamp again and
ran up into the lantern. 1t took him but
a moment to light the lamps, and the
glow spread out on the sea, and aroused
by the glare his father opened his eyes.
"The lamps" he said.
"I have lighted them," Henry replied;
''and now I am going for mother" :"
"Stay p was the answer, and his
father closed his eyes again.
Henry hesitated, but he sat down in
the hard chair in which his father spent
each night watching, He know what
his father meant. The lights would go
out, and needed care all night.
And so Henry sat there. The wind
howled; the house shook and swayed;
the sea.birds dashed against the glass;
the rain beat on the roof, and all sorts Of
wild sounds seemed to be in the air.
Sometimes he got up and bathed his
fathers head with water. He brought a
pillow. He talked to him, but had no
answer but q moan, yet he never cried,
and he never ceased to keep the lamps
burning "bright and clear"
1t seemed to him nearly morning when
he heard pounding at the lighthouse
door. He knew it was some one seeking
shelter, and he went down and opened it.
There stood man and q boy and-his
mother
Henry cried then! And he laughed
and he clung around her neck, and he
poured out that his father was hurt, and
he had kept the lights burning he had
to leave Lucy, and all of it in one
breath.
"But," said his mother, pushing back
her wet hair. "I do not understand.
Where is your father? Where is
Lucy?"
"He is up stairs. ] left note for you
by the lamp"
"But 1 have not been home," ex
claimed his mother. II have been all
,,;,ht oy, tho aaa Our frienla here told