News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1884-05-29
SURF STATION NO. 8.
BY REV. EDWARD A. RAND.

and calling as ''Sam Walker, Surfman,
Station g." They were looking across
the white, chilly sands to the sea, that
under the tearing, exasperating strokes
Of The wind hourly grew more and more
violent. The clouds had a scowling look.
1t was not disturbed sky simply,
angry here and there, but everywhere
its face was one of settled, ugly, morose-
ness.
''Mischief brewin'," said Sam.
eyes; the wind has been busy at some
thing for the past twenty-four hours, )"
replied Will
'tHow white and ugly that surf is |!
Looks to me as if it was all full of
sharks teeth, white and hard"
Somebody will feel them when the
storm breaks-at any rate, before it is
over"
eyes; I s'pose the vessel is on the
water that has been quietly movin' on to
meet its doom in this storm, and didn't
know it more than you and I know the
future"
All this time sea and sky had been
growing blacker
Keeper Joel Barney, the official head
of the crew at Station 9, stepped out of
the station, and the conversation was
interrupted. When Sam and Will were
alone again, Sam said:
''That sea and me feel alike, guess"
"Why?"
"Oh, I am not at all easy
Here Sans face seemed to darken like
the sky.
'What are you thinking OFF,"
'tTm thinkin' of somebody that
wronged me once. That was in old
England. We were both boatmen and
there was an extra chance at work we
both wanted, and Payne Chesley set on
foot some stories that lost me my old
place and kept me out of better one.
Lies lies l' said Sam, vehemently-
call of them"
"Wen, didn't people see that ?"
eyes, but too late to help me. If it |
had been the truth, it couldn't for the |
time have hurt me more"
'What's false will wash off like mud.
It's only what is true that sticks in and
stays and hurts.
But Sam was not disposed to dwell
on this side of the subject. He arose,
strobe off grumbhng. and sat down in
the station doorway.
ssWhat makes me think of Payne
Chesley, I don't know. feel ugly as
that sea looks, and don't know but I
could put Payne Chesley under the
water if I had him. Seems to me 'twould
be Just sweet to do that. But that isn't
the thing for an old chap like me, ;" he
said, meditatively. "We've got to swal-
ler those feelin's."
Still blacker grew sea and sky.
A very savory odor of old Java, fried |
potatoes and biscuit now came from the
station kitchen, and the crew gathered
for supper.
"Storm broke" said Keeper Barney, |
amid the rattling dishes; 81 see the
rain on the window near me"
Just then Silas Peaslee came in from |
the beach and his dripping ''sou'wester"
told the story of the arrival of the rain.
ga bad night" said Silas, ''if a vessel
gets on Howlin' Pint"
But no vessel was so foolish as to do |
that fatal thing.
The men ON duty patrolled the beach |
as the regulations require. -Four times
between sunset and sunrise they tramped |
from two to four miles each side of the |
station. Each patrolman carried his |
Coston signals, which could be lighted |
at once, burning with red flame and
warning off any vessel that might be |
discovered sailing too near the shore, or !
announcing to any wrecked vessel that !
help was near. But though keen eyes |
watched and quick ears listened, there
was no sign of vessels in danger or dis
tress. There was only that near and in
cessant thunder in the darkness, that |
awful roar of an invisible anger which |
manifested itself in an occasional throw
of cold surf about the feet of the patrol
men venturing too near the edge of the
sen.
The morning lighted up confused
mass of white, struggling billows under
black, heavy masses of storm cloud that
swept the sea with pitiless discharges of
rain. The men at the station were at
breakfast when Arnold Rankin rushed
in shouting:
''There's a wreck off here p
''Boom-m-m p came the report of
a gun from the sea.
''That's Arnold's voucher" cried
Keeper Barney, springing from his seat
and upsetting the chair in his eagerness.
s'Our surfboat cannot live In that sea-
Open the boat room doors. Man the
beach wagon, boys"
Out upon the sands the cart was quick
" rushed, and wreck gun and other
apparatus taken from it. The gun was
placed in position, and a shot carrying
with it light, strong line sent over the
wreck.
They've got it I" said Sam Walker,
looking toward the vessel, around which
boiled the white surf. ''They have made
it fast -
''Take two half bitches with the shot
line round that whip" shouted the
keeper, soon signaling to the wreck to
haul on board.
The "whip" was larger line doubled
through a single pulley-block, and it was
patiently hauled on board, followed by
hawser. These two lines were made fast,
the hawser being secured above the
"whip" or endless line.
''Send the life-car, boys" said Keeper
Barney. "Quick I"
Every moment the storm seemed to
be gathering more force, as if to
resist the brave men in their
work of rescue. More heavily
rolled the waves upon the shore
the wind charged up and down the beach,
and roughly the rain splashed the faces
of the surfmen. And yet how the crew
worked, springing from duty to duty and