Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1882-03-16
The EMERGENCY DRILL.
BY LOUISE STOCKTON.

BY LOUISE STOCKTON.
Sometimes in the long winter even
ings, Henry Bruce amused himself max
ing out lists of lonely people, and his
own name always stood at the head. He
agreed that Robinson Crusoe had a hard
time, but Robinson CrusOe could remem-
Der when he had rs much company as he
wanted, and Henry could not. The man
4 in the iron mask was solitary enough
but how about the time before he wore
it9 As for st. Simeon Stylites, Henry
would not put him on the lists at all
because, even if he did choose to live on
the top of a high pillar, he always had
crowd gaping up at him. Henry's
grievance was one he only shared with
Adam; he had never had boy to play
with him.
His father was the keeper of light
house on the northern coast of England
| The light house stood on rock two
miles out at sea, but Henry lived with
his mother and little sister in cottage
on the mainland. There was not anoth-
er house within sight, and not a boy
within days travel. Men used to come
up the coast shooting and fishing, but
curl0usly enough no boys ever came
along, and although Henry had seen
him on vessels, he had never had good
honest hours play or talk with boy
in all his life.
There was another odd thing about
the life here. At all light houses in
these times there are two or three men,
so if one gets sick there will be some
one to take his place. But Mr.. Bruce
had never had an assistant. Every
thing had always gone on right, and so
the Government had never realized that
he was alone. and he never spoke of it
because he was afraid that he would be
paid less if he had man to help him.
He expected Henry to take the place of
assistant as soon as he was old enough.
In the meantime to educate the boy for
possible contact with the world he used
to put him through what he called ''The
Emergency Drill" This related-to diff
ferent matters, but it always began in
the same way. The first question was
"What is the matter?" The second /:
What frst?" Then: "Do / need help?"
and if the answer to this was "yes' then:
where shall get itP" Henry became
so used to these questions that be put
them to himself on many occasions, and
he often amused himself playing he was
general On the battle field, or king
out hunting, and he imagined all sorts
of troubles when the Emergency Drill'
was of use.
One morning fishing boat came in
bound for the nearest town, and Mrs.
Bruce asked the men to take Ter along
to buy yarn for the children's stockings.
They agreed. but told her she would
have to walk back, but she was willing
TO do this, although the distance was
twelve miles, because, as she said, if
they did not take her she would have to
walk both ways.
Everything went on very well until
near sunset when the sky began to cloud,
and little Lucy became cross and sleepy
and cried for her mother. Henry gave
her bread and milk, but still she frstted.
She did not want to play and she would
not go to sleep.
"My goodnessI' he cried. 81 wish all
babies were grown up! would rather
hunt lions than take care of you'll" He
then picked her up and carried her to
the door. Now" he said, I'VE will watch
for mamma"
The rocks stood up against gray and
heavy sky. The wind had begun to
moan, and the birds few screaming over
the water. There was not a sign of
their mother coming on the beach, and
Henry felt more lonely than ever. He
looked over to the lighthouse and wish
ed his father would light lit up, and it
seemed TO him that sunset, the time for
lighting, must surely have come. Sud-
denly little flag appeared in the Ian
tern. Henry sprang to his feet.
"What is the matterp" he exclaimed,
in real earnest.
81 don't know" was his reply.
"What first"
"To go to the light house."
But he was mistaken. The first thing
be had to do was to dispose Of Lucy. He
could not take her; he could not leave
her.
"If you were only horse" be hur-
riedly cried, 81 could put you in the
stable. If you were u COW I'd tie you
to the stake. But what can l do with
baby?"
Lucy can co." said the child.
nv SnO Cdii hO dito CAONs NAhN
then be looked out agsin,but his mother
was not yet in sight, and the red flag,
which meant "Come at once" still shook
and beckoned to him.
He tied Lucy into her little chair with
an apron, and wrote note to his moth
er:
Dear Mother, Father wanted me right
away and the lamp is not lit and it is
after sunset and 1 hope Lucy won get
into any trouble.
"Your son HENRY BRUCE"
He put this Eote in front of the lamp
and hurried off.
A boat was always kept ready, and
Henry sprang into 1t and rowed off with
energy. 1t was dark, however, when he
reached the lighthouse, and the rain
had begun to fall. He tied his boat to
little pier and ran to the tower. He
opened q small, heavy bronze door and
! entered large, always dimly-lighted