The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1885-03-06
THE BEACON FIRE.

1t was a wild and rocky coast, along
which ran the path that led to the home
of old Martin Frere. At ordinary times
the cottage would have possessed but
little attraction for a bold sterling youth
like Owen Glenn. But visitor had Of
late frightened up its precincts-a young
girl named Annie, named after the aged
grandmother who dozed by the hearth
through the long evenings content to
watch the bright flames as they shot up
from the broad fireplace, and perhaps to
see visions of the past with her dim
eyes.
Dame Frere was a sharp voiced, bust
ling woman, long past middle age, and
not having the name of possessing a very
sweet temper, but she had a soft place
in her heart for granny, and it was to
please her that she had invited her pretty
namesake to come and visit them for a
few months.
Annis was tall, slight girl, as straight
as pine tree, and as graceful as a fawn.
Her yellow hair hung in a perfect maze
of shining curls all about her shoulders
and far down below her waist Imagine
sweet innocent face lighted with great
lustrous dark eyes, and red mouth al
most always curving into smiles, and
you have some idea of Annis.
Most of the young girls in the vicinity
were buxom merry lasses, with hair and
eyes to MATCHBOX of intense black
ness-and with more or less of the hoy
den in them. Their laughter was loud
and hearty, and their ways more frolic-
some than refined So that it is not
strange that when this graceful. quiet
stranger came among them, with her
shy ways and blonde coloring, her swift
changes of expression and native ease of
manner, she was at once taken into the
hearts of all the young people in the
neghborhood.
Owen Glenn had fallen head over heels
in love at his first meeting with Annis,
and had not missed an opportunity of
meeting her at the various rustic gather
ings to which she had been invited, and
tonight he was going to seal his fate by
telling Annis that he loved her, and ask
if he could hope for a response to the ar
dent feeling with which he had been in
spred by her.
Owen was not at all certain as to the
success Of his suit for there was another
who admired Annis, and who was far
l,
and as owen, in his freedom from vani-
ty, also thought, in good looks and in
other qualities calculated to win girls
heart.
Annis had received the pleasant little
courtesies and attentions of both in way
calculated to wound neither; though, as
to that it would have been an impossi-
bility for her TO be other than so sweet
and gracious as not TO enkindle hope in
each passionate young heart.
Thus matters stood as Owen started
from his home to take the long and
tedious walk over the cliffs, which must
be traversed before he could reach the
cottage which sheltered the object OF
his love
1t had been raining steadily all day
long and as night came on the wind
had risen to gale.
But, wrapped. = n his waterproof cloak
and lighted on Ms way by lantern
Owen cared nothing for the threatening
elements, and walked along, whistling
softly, now and then pausiug to shake
himself, after the fashion of some hug,
water dog.
Then he would trudge on again, think
ing what terrible night it must be a
sea, and breathing prayer for the wave
tossed mariners far from home.
Suddenly dull, booming soun(
reached his ear.
1t came from a seward direction
but at first he kept on his way think
ing;
This is not the harbor, and ever
one who has the slightest knowledge o
the locality will be sure to avoid such
dangerous coast; 50 it's no business o
mine.
Again the sound came. This tim
Owen stopped and listened
A thought came into his mind as h
did so, but it initiated so directly agains
his inclinations to give heed to it tha
with an impatient "Pshawm he starte
on.
But he could not rid himself of it.
was this: "If a ship is in peril, and hu
lost her way, the only thing that coul
save her would be huge beacon fir
to cast light upon her surround
ings.''
To build fire would be work {
time and of hard labor.
To keep one up long enough to d
any good would take hours of watchful
ness and he would have to abando
all hope of seeing Annis that ever
ing.
1t was hard struggle, but inclini
ton proved to be made of materii
which could not hold its own againl
his own strong sense of duty.
He gave up all thought of the pleasal
greeting he had been living upon in h
heart all day long, and set himself
work to gather fuel for the beaco
fire.