Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1884-07-11
5HERDST0WN JEFFERSON COUNTY VIRGINIA. FRIDAY JULY H. 1854

Advance was the government steamer
whose Office it was to supply the light
houses and see that they were kept In
proper condition.
David Judkins was going TO give warn
Ing that there was no light OIL the Plum
Pudding. Phoebe slipped ont OF the house
unobserved. The fog had come so sud-
denly that 1t seemed like magic. A dense
gray mist seemed to have swalloNe ed VI
the world. Only very brilliant rays OF
light could penetrate that fog, but the
| Plum Pudding light was the finest on the
coast. PLebe's practiced eye searched
anxiously In the direction OF the Plum
| Pudding. But she looked in vain; there
was thick darkness everywhere. The
lamp on the Plum Pudding was not light
ed. Phoebe listened, and heard the steady
: plash of retreating oars. David Judkins
and his friend were rowing vigorously to
Pondunquit uarbor.
She ran down TO the shore TO the place
where her row-boat was fastened. She
got in and rowed swiftly ont into the
thick darkness. She had not her compass,
which she usually carried in her pocket,
and if she had, it was too dark to see il
without a match. Could she find her way
to tho island? Phoebe rowcd swiftly in
the direction of where the Plum Pudding
ought to be. Presently sho felt that She
had gone far enough. But where was the
island? Why did she not get there? The
| bow Of her boat seemed to be pointed to-
ward the open sea. Had she been rowing
toward the open sea instead of the Plum
Pudding? And then suddenly it seemed
| to her that sho WAS going back toward
Mouse Island.
Stout hearted as sho was, Phoebe felt
her courage failing. She let the oars slip
from her hands into the bottom OF the
boat, and uttered faint cry Of distress.
1t was so faint cry that only the sen
gulls could have heard it, but an answer
seemed to come-the sharp, shrill sound
OF horn. 1t could be nothing but the
great horn of the lighthouse, although 1t
seemed to come from the direction Of Pom
dunquit IIarbor. The sound WAS repeat
&c it was the lighthouse horn. Phoebe
rowed witk might and main, and very
soor dark shape loomcd before her
through the darkness, and her boat grazed
the rocks OF tho Plum Pudding. 1t was
ut the very stecpcst part Of the rocks, but
Phoebe could not delay to row 20 the land
Ing. Up she scrambled, never needing
tint her clothes were torn and her hands
scratched and bleeding.
1t was difficult to find her way to the
lighthouse in the thick darkness, and
now there came no sound to guide
her. Never before In PhGbe's lifetime
had night found that lighthouse with
darkened windows. And what had that
horn meant? a terrible fear lest some
thing worse than shc had thought OF had
happened TO her father made Phpbe's
steps falter on the very threshold. She
pushed the door open, but only to find
that the living-room, where her father al
ways sat, WAS empty. Phoebe seized n
light which was burning on tho table and
ran up the lighthouse stairs. AT the top
she almost stumbled over her father lying
in heap, the great horn fallen from his
hand, his red face and heavy breathing
showing his sad condition.
Phoebe sprang to the lamps. The great
dazzling light flashed out. There was a
few moments Of perfect silence and then
there came shout from tho water below.
Phoebe seized the great horn and blew q
blast in answer.
"I.ight ahoy :" shouts voice again.
Phoebe seized her fathers arm and shook
him with all her strength. Ho opened
his eyos and tried with her help to stand
upon his feet.
"Put your head out Of the window and
shout 'Ahoyl Oh, try your best to do it,
father'' begged Phoebe.
lie die try, but it was only Summer
ing whisper that came. Phoebe lowered
her voice to the gruffcst base notes of
which it was capable and shouted "Ahoy"
herself. D. '.
"All right" shouted tho voice below.
awe thought there was no light. The
fog is so thick that we could not see 1t ten
rods away. Never saw such fog, even
In this place. Advance will be here to-
morrow with supplies"
Gay, ay, sir!" shouted Phoebe, still In
grufest tones.
And then, to her great relief, she heard
the sound Of retreating oars
Then she helped her father down stairs
to his bed. She did not 60 to bed herself,
because she knew that her aunt would
discover her absence and send somebody
in search OF her, and 1t was not long be-
fore her cousin Augustus Algernon ap-
peared.
"Tell Aunt Huldah Maria that wanted
to come home," was all that Phoebe would
say.
81 don't SOC how you fopnd your way
said Augustus Algernon. The fog is SO
thick that couldn't see a glimpse Of the
light till got half way over. Folks over
on the Island thought it wasn't lighted.
But they may bo sure you could never
have got here without any compass IL II
hadn't becn."
The next morning Captain Saul came
to Phoebe and laid his hand oil her head.
"I tried to light the lamp, Phoebe;
didn't think I'D got so far that couldn't,
and blew the horn twice; shat was all ]
could do" he saiG. ...
'T might never have got here but for
that, father" said Phoebe, taking his
| 1.bo. t.,J /, bors Cha did mt ronrn1ct