The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1885-03-07

Seven o'clock, ana father not home
yet! Well the light will burn an hour
yet without fixing. Father says it would
burn longer than that, but it's safest to
look at it every four hours, and he's sure
to be here before il wants looking TO. So
Jack got his favorite book from the shelf,
and sat down for a cosy read in his
fathers armchair near the stove. 1t GER
talnly was very exciting-where Cru
soc and Friday discovered the ar
rival of the one and twenty savages, and
disturbed them at their revolti~g repast.
But Jack got up so early mornings. and
was so active all the day, that no wonder
his ideas began to stray and his eyes to
blink and close. Stub had settled himself
near for a little quiet meditation-nose
between two black, outstretched forepaws,
and gaze fixed on nothing in particular;
while, Jane, having first made her toilet
for the night by careful washing ana pat
ting, doZed peacefully behind the stove.
Tired Jack slept, and dreamed he was
Crusoe, and had Just built a beautiful
sled, and he and Friday coasted down
among the cannibals and sent them flying
on all sides; and the old clock licked
licked, while out doors. the snow blew in
whirls, and a weary man fought hard
against the wind and sought to find again
the beaten path to his home. Hour after
hour passed, till the faithful hammer
striking TO- woke Jack in bewilderment
at not finding himself in his own little
bed
Whats the matter?" he said shaking
himself and standing. Why how late
it isl What can have happened to
father?"
Stub reused up, but could not answer
the question, so wisely kept silence
people don't always, you know.
The light the light oh, suppose it's
gone out must 60 up this very minute
to see, though it's awfully dark, and the
stoves gone out, too" but l can't stop
to make it up now. Come, Stub, you
can go with me if you want to. ;" said dip
lomatic Jack, who really didn't like to go
through all these dark passages and stair
ways alone but who wouldn't have Stub
know it for the world
Jack reached the foot of the ladder, and
was slowly mounting, when his foot slip
ped and he fell. Stub looked at him help
lessly, and waited for him to pick himself
up. Jack had kept hold of his lantern,
and fortunately it had not been exiting
uished the oil can fell at a little distance.
whats the matter now? What ais
my foot?" said he, making several in
etfectual attempts to stand My, how it
hurtsl" and he held it in his hand while
he bravely kept the tears back. Il guess
I've sprained it, or something. What
shall | do? [ could manage to slide down
stairs again and wait there till father
comes. But then the light; that ought to
be attended to- Oh, why amt father
back" and he WINGED with pain as sud-
den twinge came to his ankle.
"Oh, dear, its tough work, " said he, as
with the oilcan slung across one arm he
tried to climb the ladder with one foot
and one knee.
Il guess 1 better give it up-pshaw!
What's a fellow good for anyway. if he
can't put himself out of the way for other
folks once in a while. How the tower
shakesl What night it isl"
The ascent was made at last and the
light reached Just in time, " said Jack;
1.-THE oils all but finished. l guess l
didn't put as much in as father did, and
he hoped around the narrow space and
trimmed the lamp 1t took him some
time, and the boy fingers were getting
stiff wi h cold, while his ankle kept bring
ing look of pain across his face.
I shall freeze before l get it done,
groaned Jack, putting his finger ends into
his mouth to warm them. MY foot! my
footl" he shrieked as forgetting it for an
instant. he had stepped on it. Stub in
the room below gave howl of sympathy,
and dashed frantically at the foot of the
ladder to reach his comrade.
II can't stand it any longer! Oh, father,
fatherl" and Jack fell unconscious on the
floor
All was silent once again in the house;
no voice save the old clock tick-ticking
the seconds away-the last minutes of the
Ole year.
Loud blew the wind in the face of a
footsOre man, bruised by an Outstretched
branch, unseen in the darkness, and Striv-
ing, with unsteady steps, to reach his
home. Out at sea a noble vessel was
battling with the storm, and happy hearts,
unconscious of danger were thinking of
the glad meetings of the morrow-think
ing of the dear faces that should welcome
their return in the bright new year. Anx-
ious hearts were beating in secret, as the
pilot and the captain paced the deck I'M
easily, and peered through the storm,
and
Questioned of the darkness, which was sea
and which was land.
Fishing Point light ought to show to
the norard, said the captain.
"I've been looking for it. " returned the
pilot, "but the snow is so binding I've
not been able to see it vet There it isl"
he exclaimed, after some minutes more of
weary watching, and the snow-cloud
seemed parted by a warm CLEAN of light.
And miles away, in stormrocked tower,
lay PROSTATE FORM cold and motionless,
while the Joy bells of the glad new year
were ringing in the hopes and triumphs
of thousand hearts.
Bravely the glad ship Dauntless sailed
into port on that morning with flying
colors and friendly cheers from the shore.
"a pretty narrow escape we had last
night-so the pilot tells me, said pas
senger to his friend, after hearty greet
ing. "Au but lost off Fishing Point,
The light shone on the rocks just in time.
or we should not have been here now.
But Jack never knew anything of this.
All he knew was that his father said, pat
ting his head: "God bless you, sonny.
If it hadn't been for the light shining
through the darkness of that awful night,
l shouldn't have been alive to take care of
you now" And Jack thought this quite
made up for the long, weary weeks of
pain before he could use his lame foot
again.
The Latest Fad"
Cincinnati Enquirer]
LIZ co.. III