The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1885-02-12
IN THE LIGHTHOUSE.

1t was the last Qay In the Oiu year,
and yet it did not seem much like win
ter. though the maple trees were bare
aud the flowers all dead. The oaks
were covered thickly with leaves.
True, when the wind blew it rustled
through brown, dry foliage very differ
ent to the living tints of months back,
but when you looked at the soft. mud
dy roads, or the clear blue sky, you
scarcely realized that it was just past
Christmas.
John Hudson, keeper of the light
house at Fishing Point, was brushing
his weather-beaten coat (once black,
now almost ''sage-greenO, and giving
parting directions to John Hudson, Jun
ior-called Jack" by his familiars.
Nov mind and don't set the house on
fire while am gone. l must six that
chimney when l get back, or Well be
burned out yet; and don't take to fool
ing with the oil-there isn't very much
of it left now. There's that cord of
wood in the yard; guess you had bet
bit. | expect the Inspector will be
round before long, and we want to have
everything taut and trim when he
comes. Get your dinner when you're
ready; may be back in time, aud
may not. with all these errands to do in
the village; but, anyhow. shall be
home this afternoon. Good-hy, son-
n.y." and he' tramped briskly away
through the trees.
Stub! Stub! here. sir. You must
stay home with me. Father don't want
you. There's rat. sure's live! Sick
it, Stub! S-s-s-sick it!''
Now" said Jack, after an exciting
chase. in which boy and dog had howl
ell and barkcd a most powerful duet,
''now, Stub, Wen wash the breakfast
we?'
Stub looked a knowing assent, and
sat gravely on a chair (Which he first
knocked the cat Off. while Jack wash
ed and dried the few dishes as deft as a
girl. He had lived here as long as he
could remember. His earliest recollec-
ton was looking at the bright reflector
and seeing in it u sweet, low
ing face, with tender blue eyes. near
his own. His next memory of the face
was in coffin, pale and still, while his
father held his hand, and the minister
from the village talked in n low. sad
Jack was (as he would inform you)
''only little fellow" Now. from his
dignitied age of ten years he felt him
er was formerly sailor, but in conse-
quence of losing one of his fingers in
the icy regions of the north he had to
accept the position of lighthouse-keep-
er-loving the sea too well to think for
a moment of any work further inland.
Suca stories as he used to tell Jack in
the winter days, when they would be
cut off by snowdriftS from the rest of
the world. Such thrilling adventures
delighted the boys ears in the long,
solitary evenings. Stories of the time
on Labrador. when tremendous whale
boats crew. and two men
got drowned; of the mutiny that once
broke out on the Fair Betsey, and
the sneaking Italian who got put in
irons for starting it.
Jack would 60 to bed with "creepy"
kind of feeling after these stories, but
the morning light always drove away
the shadows, and he would VOW to him
self never to let such ridiculous stories
frighten him again. Stub, let's play
Robinson Crusoe in the yard, now that
the dishes are all washed; Jane (to the
cat), you can come, too, if you want"
said Jack. opening the door. Stub ac-
cepted the invitation for himself and
Jane, by making dart at her as she
lay blinking near the stove, and rush
ing her out doors with scant cere-
mony.
This shed here shall be the cave,
and III wear fathers fur cap and be
Robinson Crusoe You can be Friday,
Stub. You are black and You don't
know much: and Jane shall sit up here
on the woodpile and be the parrot.
Now, Friday, you just stay there VIII 10
1 10 to get some sticks for the wood
box;" and Jack, making his work into
play. worked with q will. while the
waves romped and tossed about on the
shore ike merry children. and little
grav cloud, no bigger than a mans
hand. rose slowly in the north and
made another dash of color in the brill
liant sky.
why. declare, if it amt going to
snow! 1 wish father would hurry up.
How quickly the clouds have come, and
they look heavy. too, as if they were
lust bursting with the piles OF snow
fiakes hid away in them. My! won't
1t be Jolly coasting, though! 1t hasn't
been half winter yet-no snow, ex-
eept a little that melted right away,
and none of the ponds frozen over. |
guess | had better see if my sled's all
right" and away Jack ran on this hol-
low prstense-this delightful piece of
self-delHsiOn about the condition of the
..Artful Dodger," for had he not ex-
amined it daily for the past two months
and longed impaiiently for a chance to
use it? My! there's q snowflake, as
sure's the world; aad there's another.
and spother--swaFms OF 'em!" ex-
claimed happy Jack to his small but
select audience of Stub and Jane. They
were very amiable, and frisked and
gamboled with as good an appearance
OF happy innocence as could be de-
sired.
Its getting dark very quickly; not
4 o'clock vet. guess it's going to be
a pretty big fall this time, and-whew!
Stub, hear the wind; sounds squally,
don't it?
Stub looked with an air of gravity
through the windows, and seemed to
be of the opinion that it certainly did
appear threatening.
What keeps father so late. won
der? If it keeps on getting dark as fast
as this the light will have to be fixed
pretty soon.
Thick and fast fell the snowtlakes,
hurrying, scurrying down, as if in
haste to see which could first reach the
earth. Every now and then a violent
gust of wind would come that romped
and rioted among the dry leaves that
still clung to some of the trees, and
near at hand the waves surged and
dashed and tossed themselves on the
shore and against the rocks.
Il know the lamp ought 60 be lit:
I'd better 60 right away and do it, "
said Jack. addressing his companions.
As they raised NO objection Jack start
ed, materials in hand, and they follow
ed-to see, no doubt, that everything
was done fairly and sauarely. Up the