Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-02-19

it that with an impatient ''Pshaww
he started on.
But he could not rid himself of it.
It was this: eff a ship is IN peril, and
has lost her way, the only thing that
could save her would be huge beacon
fire to cast light upon her surround
ines"
To build fire would be work of
time and hard labor.
Te keep one up long enough to do
any good wauld take hours of watch
fulness, and that he would have to
abandon all hope of seeing Annis that
evening.
1t was hard struggle, but inclina-
ion proved to be made of IN aterial
which could not hold out against his
strong sense of duty.
He gave UP all thought of the pleas
ant greeting he had been living upon
in his heart all day long, and set him
self to- work to gather fuel for the bea-
con fire.
After several hurried journeys to
the woodland, which lay a little dis
tance away, he succeeded in sccumu-
lating pile of branches and dry twigs,
which he had raked out with his
hands from a deserted hut, which
stood on the confines of the thieket,
and had evidently been gathered to-
gether for some purpose; but under
the circumstances Owen felt himself
justified in taking it, as it would have
been impossible to have kindled a
flame with green wood.
Just as he had succeeded in coax
ing 8 splendid blaze to life, q voice
cried:
Halo, Glenn, is that you? What
in the name Of wonder are you do
ingl"
II am answering to signal of dis
tress. Hark!' as dull soand came
again from the sea.
"Well, old fellow, I wish you JOY of
your post, and hope it'll do the good
you expect. For nay part, I'm of to
old Martins. [ hear little Annis is
going away tomorrow, and [ don't
want to miss a sight of her beaming
face tonight. It's bright and sweet
enough to be mans beacon light for
all his life. Good bye, and good
fortune attend your work. It's lucky
all are not such selfish fellows as I
ana"
It was as if a thousand fends were
tugging for the mastery Of Owen
Glenn's heart, as he listened to the
rafting talk OF the gay, hght-hearted
youth.
Should he give Robert this chance
of seeing Annis, and of perhaps ask
ing her to be his wife, during this
very night, while he stood and worked
to do good, and in Gods providence
tried to be the means of saving the
lives of people who were nothing to
him?
Thus his thoughts ran over and
over again, repeating themselves like
the voices of mocking demons, while
outwardly he labored on as unremit-
tingly as though no influence of the
kind were at work piling on fresh fuel
for the flames, or pushing some burn
ing log into a better position. and in
that way he won the victory.
Peace succeeded to the wild storm
of agitation which had momentarily
threatened to engulf him. Thus the
night woro through.
With the morning came q great
calm. One would not have thought
that the sun-hecked waves which came
leaping in, white crasted and tumul-
tuous, to meet the stern barrier of
rocks, and crawl up, up almost to their
summit. could be aught but playing
IN their force. All, it is treachereus
beauty-that of the sea.
Too tired to notice the beauty of
the transition from storm to sunshine.
Owen walked slowly home. His
work was done, and he must have
rest.
Late in the day he started out for a
walk. He was ia that miserable state
of mind which oftentimss follows
some great exultation of spirits. The
thought that Annis had gone away
without his seeing her again weighed
upon his mind like an unwelceme
| incubus
At the voice of Robert Hunter, who
stopped to accost him, he shraRk and
trembled as though in pain, but he
listened as intently as though his life
| depended upon what he was about to
say. Had he proposed to Annis, and
had he been accepted?
Glenn" he began, Il wish you
and could change places about last
nights work.
'It's rather late for that now" was
the quiet answer.
I'm fully aware of the fact, and
that's what [ regret about it. I'm
afraid I'm dished IN certain direc-
ton"
What do you mean?" asked Owen,
with sudden interest.
why. if you believe it, I might
just as well have left my visit unpaid
last night; indeed, had far better done
so. Annis was so interested at tie
chance OF there being ship outside
IN distress that it was all l could do
to prevail upon her not to face the
storm and come and help, she said !;
and she gave me some pretty rubs, |
can tell you, about my leaving you
alone to do the good work, as she
called it. I do believe that little
| Annic will n ar iooly of mo ooaiy, ~, ~,