Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1882-03-16

room, in which was stored coal and wood
oil flor the lamp and fresh water from
the main land.
The stairs were in this room and Hen
ry ran up. The room above was the
kitchen, over that was the bed room
and from this a ladder led to the Ian
tern. Henry called, but there was nc
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 flushed down
the ladder, got the keepers hand lamp
and went back. His father lay on the
foor; his eyes were 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 remem-
bered that he ought to stop the flow of
blood, and taking his fathers handker-
chief from his pocket he tied up the
wound. Still his father neither spoke
nor moved. Then be cried again. And
then he thought of his mother. She
must by this time be at home, and with
out hesitation he rushed off again, but
this time to his boat. 1t took but mo-
ment to unite it and spring in and be
off.
The rain fell heavily, the waves dash
ed on the rocks, and Henry looking up
saw the dim outline of the light house.
He stopped rowing. His heart gave a
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 clearly until sun
rising ....f-
His fathers faithfulness, the great i'm
portance of lighting up, rushed into his
mind, and again he invOluntarily repeat
cd 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 irstP 1t could not
bel 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 a terrible
night --....--- E..
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 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. t
81 have lighted them," Henry replied; !;
''and now am going for mother"
'1Stayl" 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 knew 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 a. moan, yet he never cried,
and he never ceased to keep the lights
burning bright and clear ai7n
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 a man and boy and
his motheri Io l1a ba'H 1"
Henry cried thenI And he laughed
and he clung around her neck, and he
poured out that his father was hurt and
he had to keep the lights burning. and
he had to leave Lucy, and all Of it in one
breath. ,, .I.1l,-sl /
But" said his mother, pushing back
her wet hair, 81 do not understand you.
Where is your father? Where is Lucy?T
"He is up stairs. l left a note for you
by the lamp" s.5r.s s4
"But have not been home" exclaim-
ed his mother. 81 have been all night
on the sea. Our friends here told me
they would give me passage back, so ]
waited. 1t became dark so early, and
we were dashed on the rocks and ouI
mast broken. We had no idea where we
were, and we could not see the light
house. Then all at once it blazed up, and
all night, this fearful night, we have
struggled toward it" 4rf II bsnmf
And so il was his mother that Henry
saved when he decided that his father
would hold his duty dearer than his life,
and turning back took his place and kept
the lights burning r.es is ..ts
How happy they all were that night
after the keeper was carried down stairs
and came to his senses, and told how he
fell and only had power to put out the
flag. The only thing that troubled Mrs.
Bruce was the thought of Lucy tied in
her chair
When Mr.. Bruce recovered he asked
for an assistant, and when the man
came behold he brought his son, a year
younger than Henry. and Henry felt as
if he had got his Man Friday."-LOur
Continent