The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1882-08-13
HULDAH DEhNE'S HEROlSM.

rocks upon which stood tall lighthouse,
made up the dreary picture Huldah Deane
was gazing upon with such wistful intent
ness. Her gray eyes presently followed
the swoop of an osprey, and his after-night
upward with his prey in his talons.
+" I Nould rather he that nshhqwk than
ttuidah beanb," she said, giving expression
to her eiooty thoughts. Z" must stay here
day in year out-here, whore nothing
happens, where the sea frets, and | fret with
IT,. So | light tho captains pipe, scrub the
tower, and do chores for the dame. Who
cares what else do, or what becomes of me ?
Yes, old sea, I'd rather he lshhawk, and
snatch fish from you, than he IIuldah Deane.
oh dear II something would only happenl
If could do something great or wonderful
90 ont in fe.bcat, maybe, to save drown
ing folks, or"
" Huldyi lIuldy Doanc J" the quick, inn
patient call reached her, even above the
roaring of the surf, II was Capt buttons
voice. Como right in, quick mothers
taken In q spell, an can't make IL out"
Huldah obeyed In awed silence. A
spell the captain couldn't make out must be
very bad, she thought. What ifncithcr she
nor anybody else could make IL out ? And,
alas who could understand the fixed stare
of the DANES kind eyes, or the pinched
shrinking of the features so suddenly grown
unfamiliar to the two who dwet under the
same roof with herr
"She's got to hev the doctor a. soon as he
can he fetched, Hubby"
"The doctor from shore ~ questioned the
girl.
Certain. There's none closer as | know.
DO your"
"No," she gravcly answered, but the
main lands long way off, aud storms
rising"
" II makes no difference" said Capt. Dut-
ton, stuhhornly. "She's been n good mother
to me, an she's in n bad fix. The doctors
got to he fetched, that's all"
In his rough, good hearted way the Cap
tain loved his mother as he loved nothing
else.
4" III she should die, want her to know
somehow as I tried to do my duty by her
last Of all. And Hubby" laying his hand
on the girls shoulder-"I amt concerned
but what she'll he took care on as fur as you
can do II, child. It's hard lines to leave u
young ono like you here with such terrible
trouble, hut there's no help for il. pll fetch
the doctor soon as kin, leastways fore the
sun drops. No sailor kin say as ever Kyle
Dntton missed lighiin' the beacon wi the
last ray ~ sunshine, or turnin' of lamps as
the sun stepped cross the horizon. Livin,
I'll he here in time for that, Hubby"
lie nodded ana went away.
Huldah shvored as she glanced down at
the motionless figure on the couch below.
Maybe she would lie left thus utterly alone
for hours-for days. Her breath came hur-
riedly. II seemed to her more than she
could bear. Frantcally she forced open the
window, and thrusting her head through,
shouted herself hoarse in n vain effort to
make Capt. Dutton hear her above the roar
ing of the sea. Tho boat tossed from wave
to wave, plunged further and further away.
And IL was but few hours ago that lIuldah
mad wished she might have an opportunity
TO do some great heroic deed Now she said
to herself: "You were a pitiful coward
then, lIuldah Deanc. You brave enough TO
60 in life.boat 10 save drowning folks
You deserve to be nothing better than n fish
hawk. Because Dame Dutton lies ill yonder,
and the Captain puts of to fetch doctor, is
that any reason why you should go into
spasms of fright For shame Remember
what father told you that day hesailed away
never 70 come back any more Do your
duty always, lTuldah.' Isu't il your duty
now, foolish girl, 20 get right down from here
and see to poor Mrs. Dutton ~
Closing the window, she descended from
her perch TO renew her excrtions for the
relief of the poor dame But toll as she
might, nothing she could do would change
the fixed attitude, or calm the quick drawn
breath that told of bitter suffering.
Presently the day began to wane. The
clouds ranged themselves in solid masses, and
darkness and storm besieged the sca-girt
tower. Crossing to the clock in the corner
she scanned its face. "Five o'clock So
late Why the sun is down in less than
half an hour, and tue Captain will lose his
place if the beacon is notlighted by shutdown
But what can do? It's the order, he says,
that women and children shan't have any
thing To do with the lights"
One moment she stood with tightly com
pressed lips. Then brave, resoute smile
parted her lips.
"Well Pm hardly child, | suppose, but
neither am a woman. Ships may be lost il
the beacon is not lit" Then lighting the
lantern the Captain always used, she hung il
on her arm, and after one more look ut the
sick woman, left the chamber
Almost at the threshold began the seem,
ingly endless stairway, winding up into re-
gions of height and loneliness. She did
not allow herself TO hesitate now, but began
the ascent hurriedly. A fearful journey il
seemed through the darkness, broken only
by the Gtful glimmerings of her lantern, and
now and then cross rays of light from the
Sits of Windows in the thick walls. Clasp
ing the iron rail, she toiled on, her limbs
failing, her heart humping, and her brain
i'll whirl. Not until she had reached the
top step did she drop down to rest. tx.
hausted by fatigue and nervous excitement,
she had to recover strength before she could
even open the door into the lantern room.
Fortunately the great lamps were trimmed
and supplied with oil. Every part of the
machinery was also in working order. Capt.
Dutton was one of the most careful of th,
lighthouse keepers.
" And he shall see that do not mean hin
to lose his place for one nights failure I,
light the towcr,h liudah said her heart
warming for the first time TO tho silent inan
who had, in his way, done his duty by her
AS well as by the place of trust no filled
60 Who knows, though but this light may
fall upon tho very spot where he has gone
down To the bottom of tho sea-"
Again n shiver crept over the slende
figure, and only the blazing forth of the bea
con dispelled Ler vivid fancy. One by on,
the lamps liared ur, and were turned int
place. The renectors, polished 20 their utmost
caught the cheerful rays and sent them in
far-reaching circle of radiance out through
the darkness and the storm TO give warnnl
to those who were gone down to the sea IL
ships"
But this was only the beginning OF HUI
dah's work. II was chief part of In
keepers duty, she knew, TO soe that Tia
Hghts nu'hen hhuhhIhed throughout III
night. Now, however, she must return I
attend To the dame awhile. hut n
she turned ia so there was sud
den crashing of the glass about her
a whirring swoop Of some swift-winge
creature overhead, gust of wind,
larng of the circle of lights, and then dark
ness, rayloss, absolute. The storm moane
and shrieked in her ears, and IIulda
shrieked too hiding her face in her shawl.
What had happened Again the winge
intruder whirred by, beating the air wit
wearied and dripping plumage. All no,
she understood. Once Capt. Dutton Ia
told her Of a storm-bird breaking one of hi
transparenoies. Attracted by the light, doubt
less, this wanderer had dashed against .h
glass.
There was but one thing to be done. sh
could not hope TO relight the lamps unit