The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1884-12-06
FLORENCE'S ADVENTURE.

Dearest. I am afraid YOU ara dull
here with only y'ur grandf,ther aud my
self to keep you company" sad Mis-.
Da"vers TO her nlece. gil of 49,
"Wuat will you do this stormy after.
npo,?"
ON, granny, dear don't mind me;
mall right think l will ju>i take n
race aud see what the sea is like; it will
ireshen me up, and then | will come IN
asd do my letter writing"
She bent her steps toward the lonely
cottage of an old woman who lived at
the point, MS the place WAS called. where
tue ellis took an abrupt tnrn westward,
Bridget VI Iore was b.dridden. aud al
ways glad of some one to chat with.
TulS 'ime, boweYer, Floreucd was anazsi
aud distressed to tilG the usually cheer.
ful old IrishwomHn soJhing most bitter
ly oyer scrap Of paper containing few
lines from the surgeon of the iniirmaIy
in the nearest town:
Yonr son, II pbert Moore. has been
brought here suffering from concussion
oi the braiu, bavIug islleu off tue cliff,
near the town.
But Bridget tried to stop her sobs
while she said:
IT isn't r Ibert rrets me, Miss Dam
vtrs; don't 50 much mind that. the
l'd'S bad mtnya crack on the head afore
now. but it's the light. miss. He ought
to be here to see to it."
Robert. the old woman's son. had
charge of the lighthouse, which stood on
4 rock easily reached at low water. His
duties were very Simplc, consisting mere
ly OF supplying the light With oil.
He said the light would run down
Tonight sJbbed the poor woman, "and
this bad Weather there'll he vessels on
the rocks aiore morning, aud my Il bert
will have TO bear the blame and he is
sick III bed"
Let me fetch man from the vii.
lage,' said Florence.
The time wouldn't serve. This west
"inu, if "A body ran straight Tor their
lives, they could only just get there aud
back aiore the tide comes ill.,"
Il will CO." said Florruce; "ihere is
time Tor that. know all about it," ami
before the old woman could get out tue
ble siugs, fears. aud warnings which
quickly followed one another Florence
nad lett the cottage.
Tue path wound down the cliff. then
! skirted its base, and tiuully passed along
the ridge Of rocA running sons fifty
yards ont to sea, Florence went braVely
on. At last sue reached the tower, uu.
locked the door. made her way up he
steep stairs, aud her work was soon ac-
! cOmplished.
When she left the lighthouse. locking
the door behind her, there was no time
TO be lost; she pushed bravely forward,
though now often ankle deep in water,
cheering herself with the thought that
when sue got on the level beach sne
could go faster.
Suddenly a dreadful mist seemed to
dim her eyes-she turued deadly pde-
coul this yards width of sand he al
the footing LETT heI? Had the tide come
IN 50 quickly us 10 swallow up the resi-
OF tir bsacl2
She east a desp ,iriug glance upward.
bnt the cliff IN that part Was lar t. steep
for human foot. just then some voice
in tue distance seemed to cry; ''D ,cki
turn bdck!' With difficulty sne made
her way bnck to tue udg-, which, Jeiug
n hlile higher Ihae the beach. still gave
iooung. Then, just ms svlf.possession
was failing her. she f,lt herself dragged
| through wkat seemed sea OF boiling
water toward the cliffs. farthest from tue
point There the stretch OF beach was