News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1886-04-22
PATR0LLING THE BEACH.
by EDWIN A. RAND.

May | go with youw asked VIII
Waters, who Glanced to be calling a
the Life Saving Station near Pebbly
Beach, one evening.
''Oh, yes" replied Sam Williams, il
his hearty way. ''Plenty of room"
Sam was about leaving the kitchen
which was also the living room of the
Life-Saving Station. The clock on the
wall had just blithely sung out, Gone
two-three-four five six seven
eight TIL" Some of the crew had
sleepily stumbled up the short, narrow
fight of stairs leading to their quarters
| for the night. Shines Towle, who, until
the appointment of keeper, was now
acting as the head-man at the station,
had gone into the boat-room adjoining
the kitchen. 1t was a room about thirty
feet long, with big door mouth in
front, and glass eye on each of two
sides. The boat-room contained the big
surf boat, warranted to be twenty -four
feet in length and not to sink, as it was
buoyed up by air chambers at each end.
| Then there was cart, loaded with all
kinds of apparatus needed for the relief
of wreck, and ready to be rolled out
of the boat-room's ''mouth' the very
moment it was opened. In this room
there were also coils of rope, light
line to be shot to a wreck and a mortar
for shooting it, brceches-buoy, life
car, drawers packed with rockets and
coast signals how many things, indeed!
The acting keeper now came out of the
boat,room, swinging a lantern in his
hand. lie was short, stout man with
gray whiskers and blue eyes, and he
was dressed in blue flannel suit.
''You all ready, Sama" inquired the
acting keeper.
''Jest about"
Sam had put on a short, heavy fisher
mans jacket and 'isou'wester," and
tucked his trousers into pair of long
rubber boots that an elephant (small
one) could have walked in. Beneath
the dropping caves of his "sou'wester'
protruded sharp red nose, and some
where in the rear flashed two bright
brown eyes. A long sandy beard
fringed like broom the lower portion
of his face.
"Here's your time-detector," called
out the acting keeper.
"All right" said Sam, picking up a
small leather case, to which was at
tached long leather shoulder strap.
"And let me see! | b'lieve | have
got my costOn signal" exclaimed Sam,
clapping bis hand down on his pocket
and proving its contents. The ''signaln
was small black package, perhaps
three inches long and an inch in diane
ter. 1t fitted into brass socket fur
nished with handle. When the han
die was pressed down, this drove
6 :, ~
nal, striking a percussion cap which
ignited fuse. ''Come, Win" called
out Sam, snatchlng up a lantern.
"Time was out on that ere beat"
He opened the door to let his CON-
panion out, closed it, and then halted
minute to get, as he affirmed, his
''bearin's."
"There's a moon somewhere, and it
isn't dark, " he said, looking up to the
stars that snapped like small Goals on a
big, black hearth. Then he looked off
on the sea, which was an indefinite
mass of darkness, but announced its
presence by a steady and rather saw
age roar-r-r-r! There was little snow
that whitened the rocky rim of the
beach along which they slowly trudged.
"What do you say they call you"
asked Win.
81 am surfman, and that means, /
s'pose, good at handlin' craft in the
surf; and then go on these beats and
am q patrOlman,' replied Sam.
GLOW many watches do you have at
night?''
7'Wall, the first watch is from sunset
till eight, and the second from eight
. Il
the third watch, and from four till sun
rise, or at eight, is the fourth watch.
Then comes the first watch again. We
have to go in the daytime if the weather
is SO thick and hazy that we can't see
two miles each way from the station.
That ere lookout on top of the Station
is where we watch on clear days, and
we put down each vessel that passes"
On they stumbled, over the black, slip
perry rocks that the tide had lately
washed, splashing now through dark
pools, then stepping into patch of
soft gray sand, or hobbling over the un-
easy pebbles that gave the beach its
name. All the while Sans lantern
twinkled faithfully by the side of its
master, and Win kept up a persevering
fire of questions.
"Do you have many in your crew?o
''We have keeper and seven surf
men, one bein' cook. | tell We, Win,
on a howiin night, it is tough goin'
along shore. Once | was an hour and
half goin' mile. You see, my lantern
was blown out, and then | couldn't see.n
GLOW many stations are there in the
United Statcs?"
E'There we're one hundred and eighty
nine by the last official report, but there
are more now. They are addin' all the
time Here, at this station, we 90 on
the first of September and leave by the
first of May, and each man has fifty dol
lars month from the Government We
have to find, though, our own rations." "
"Now, Sam, what would you do
should you see a wreck2''
"Wall, l should burn my signal, and
hurry to the station and rouse 'em.n
'What them"
"Wall, we should launch the surf
boat if it wasn't too rough, and if twas,
we should get out the mortar and the
Lyle gun, and fire a line to the wreck,
if near enough"
"What them
"Wall, we should send EN- a life car
or the breeehts' buoy, and Il they're