The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-02-08

rod close TO the water. From its top waved
I nree long stresmers. This Was In accord
snce with an agreement the two bad made
j ust before she left him for the night
who will think IL means anything she
asked herself. Still the sight Of it gave bit
OF comfo.t.
Then she began her work. For the first few
times she fsncied it would be quite easy 10
turn the machinery. But In half an hour
she began to tire, and soon every muscle
ached, and binding glare was in her
brain, for unconsciously she had kept eyes
fixed on the flames of the lamps.
Then she grew anxious. 'Oh. can not l
hold out even one night2" she thought.
She hurried to the window and put her
head into the cool air. But she was nerv-
ously afraid the time would pass, and she
should miss her duty.
The night then grew cloudy and very dark.
When il was ten sue thought 1t WAS after
mid night. There was 10 Cessation, no rest.
1t was like the drop OF water falling regu-
Iarly on the head. the old, dreadful torture.
By twelve the girl thought she would have
given countless treasures to be able to throw
herself on the floor and stay there half an
hour. Once when she thrust her her out of
the window she saw beautiful FURNISHED
purple and green wild duck suddenly dart
into the glow of the light coming straight
toward her. In the next breath he had
dashed head against the clOeeQ wire
screen. He curled over and fell dead to the
ground. The sight OF this poor creatures
fate turned her cold. 1t was like a premo-
milton.
"If give up for one minute, shall be
bysterIcall' she said to herself, and she
turned resolutely Dsck to the lantern. In
half minute she revolved the light. So
the night went on, until it was malt after
two.
Then there was little sound behind her.
She looked and saw Benny's head Just above
the threshold Of tue door. He was standing
on the stairs and had a cup and saucer in
his hand.
Mothers awake" he said. "She told me
how to make some tea She thought you'd
need it,"
'Oh. thank you! Thank you" cried the
girl. and she drank the tea eagerly.
How does it go here?" he asked.
ut hiss gone somehow. | suppose 1t will
come morning sometime How are your
mother and father%
81 think mothers better. But fathers
bad" And he hurried away.
The tea was strong, and stimulated her for
three hours. 1t was daylight then, but
there was fog. All at once the watcher
was so sleepy that her eyelids would drop as
she turned at her work. Then she would
grow frightened at herself, and for five min
utes thereafter she would be wide awake
and thinking of the sailors who might be
watching for the hssh OF the light
The moments now were terrible, Should
she live to see the hand of that watch point
to seven? Was it only one night that she
bad passed. and there were SO many more to
come Can / endure it?" she thought.
At seven o'clock she mechanically extin-
guished the lights. II will sit down one mo-
ment," she murnured.
Half an hour later Benny peeped in and
saw poor heroic, tired Kate sitting on the
floor, her back against the wall, dead with
sleep, as he told his mother.
Mrs Shafto sent him back with blanket,
which he threw over her. at ten O'Clock
she was Weakened by the sun shining in her
face. She ran down stairs to find Mr.. Shafto
tossing with fever; but her aunt looked
brighter
''lts kind of slow fever that's got me-"
said Mrs. Shafto. I've had it atore. It's
tedious, but 1T amt dangerous. l shl be
able most OF the time to direct Benny. Eat
your breakfast, Kate. Then I'll tell you
what to do. One thing sure you've got to
sleep few hours every day."
How did the next week pass, and the week
after, and still another?
David Sbafto's fever ragged fercely, but
Mrs Shafto's illness only kept her weak and
dizzy. Once the woman tried To mount the
tower stairs aud was found by Benny lying
Kate will diel She looks like q ghostW
cried Mrs Shafto,
And Kate felt like ghost. Only ghosts
should not know such mortal WEAKNESS OF
flesh and blood. When green tea ceased to
have power she said that would be the end
of her. About two O'clock every night
BenRp brought her the tea, and she work ed
on the stimulus that gave her for the re-
naming hours. She did what she could
in the day, but her aunt made her go to her
attic to sleep for several hours. For many
DAYS she would fall asleep the instant she
Law down.
Bat the third week she found when she
tried to sleep that her brain was on fire, and
every nerve seemed alive. She could not
keep still. So much the better" she said
with laugh. But she little knew the sad
and fearful significance of this.
As long as / live, the sailors shall see that
light" she said one evening, on that last
third week. THAT is my duty, and I shall
stick to it Ohw she exclaimed, with sud
den. heart breaking cry. Il wish 1 could
see my mother wish could see my moth
err
On the last day of the third week, at about
eleven in the forenoon, Kate had just finished
filing and cleaning the lamps, when she
heard the sound of laughing, and the voices
of men and women.
She ran out on the tiny balcony, and
leaned over. A boat had just landed near
Benny's signal. Three men and two women
walked up to ward the house. Kste's eyes
burned and ached, Round and round went
her brain. Then something snapped in her
head, and she thought binding, ineffable
food of light poured upon her.
"Oh. there is mother" she shrieked, there
is motherp' She reached out her arms over
the balcony and laughed so loud and so
strangely that Mrs. Dsvins cried out In ter.
rOr.
Mother mother" screamed Kate, 81 will
Jump down to youI" and she began to
scramble upon the railing.
"Stop slopw cried Mrs. Devins, and she
ran swiftly toward the door of the tower.
Some one clutched at Kate's skirts. I'll
hold herr" shouted Benny, behind, strug-
Cling with her. she don't know what she s
DOING
Painting, half dead, the mother reached
the turret. Kate was laughing and crying
Historically, and for the time had lost all
control OF herself.
II stuck to the light" she kept saying,
and would sometimes add, There's no
need of sleeping. No. there's no need of
sleeping"
The girl did not have a fever, but the
forces IF spirit and flesh had been so drained
that her mind was not quite right for
months. and it Was more than year before
che was really like herself again.
Now permanent help was had. By the
end of the summer the light-keeper and his
family were well and the revolving appara-
tus had arrived
When her friends condoled with Mrs
Dsvins, and regretted that Kate had done