The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1886-01-27


Certain she replied. when 1 was
about seventeen-would you like 10 hear
about it?''
Wouldn't We We were never known to
refuse TO listen TO one of Grandma Trefey' S
stories.
at was one winter afternoon" she said,
when / was about seventeen years old, tha .
there came up a sudden blow. Several of
our boats were out fishing and all the towns
folks were ON the rocks by the lighthouse
watching for them. Just about dusk we saw
q sail which some one OF the iisherman's wives
said sas Floyd Ireson's boat. He came in
alone before the wind and landed safely in
the harbor. He could not or would not give
tidings of the others and at shutdown none OF
them had yet appeared.
Now you know, children, my folks folks
We're not fishermen; but certain dear friend
OF mine. q midshipman who was home on a
furiOugh, had gone out in one of the boats
for a sniff of salt water and 80 was natur-
ally interested. Well, after supper We heard
that Floyd Ireson had passed some of the
other boats in distress but he wouldn't stop
10 help them though they called 20 him for
aid.
81 don't know how folks found this out.
but they did, and pretty soon the wives of
the missing fishermen gathered around
Floyd lreson's door and called him all sorts
of dreadful names.
Mother wouldn't let me join this crowd
which was only little way from our house,
but.l could hear the shouting, and presently
some one running past told me they were 60
ing To tar-and-feather Floyd Ireson. The
shouts increased, and through the wintry
night / could see crowd OF women rushing
down the snOw-covered hill toward our
house.
ION they came. yelling as if they were
mad. The wife and daughter of the light
house keeper, who was one OF the missing
men, led the mob. Past our house they went
in q whirlwind, dragging an old dOry in
which, was tied crOuching figure that |
knew must be Floyd Ireson.
Then, regardless of my mothers voice
who called to me 10 stop. | Joined the crowd
and ran with them to the foot of the hill.
Suddenly the bottom fell out of the rickety
old dOry and the procession stopped. But
only for a moment. The broken boat was
hoisted 10 a wagon and the mad rush went
on down the npike-madder than ever.
Il dared not follow further. / returned
home and, very properly, was sent at once
10 bed i stood at my window listening 10
the shouts, thinking of my lost friend and
not pitying the poor prosecuted fisherman
who was the victim of an unreasOning mob.
How l envled the daughter of the lighthouse
keeper and wished that ! could have taken
her place on the rope. | threw myself on
my bed wondering what ! could do: and, re-
membering how the people Illuminated their
houses in times of political excitement TO
show their sympathies determined 10 illu-
inmate my chamber window 30 that when
the fsherwives came back TREY would know
that ! Sympathized with them though /
could not join them.
But, in nay shame at being thus sent to
bed IN disgrace, had taken no light with
me and now had no way of Illuminating.
Creeping slealthily down stairs, the only
thing could find in the darkness was this
old Dumb Betty lamp hanging in the CHM
ney corner. There was still some oil in il and
the end OF wick. l uncovered the Goals on
the hearth-fire and, blowing them up, soon
lit my lamp. Then / crept back to my room,
hung the lamp in the window and could see
its Pickering light shining down on the
snowy road.
Having thus, as | thought, done some
thing 70 avenge the death OF my friend,
waited in the silent room for the return of
the women, and with my head against the
cold window pane l cried myself TO sleep.
l must have slept for some time, for when
l woke with start my lamp had gone out
and ! was very cold.
But the light was burning brightly in
the lighthouse, and knew from this that
the Marblehead women had returned to their
homes.
AS l stood there numb and bewilderel, l
heard voices and distinguished forms pass
ing along the road. / watched them, and
suddenly the clouds broke, and as the moon
shone out for moment / almost screamed
for Joy aS / caught sight of a face that looked
up at my window. 1t was Jack Trefey."
Grandfather" whispered George TO me.
The first thing | saw when l opened my
eyes the next morning. went on Grandma
1refey not hearing Georges whisper, was
the Dumb Betty lamp hanging in the sun
shine. ! jumped out of bed. Mother was
already in the kitchen and as ] could not
carry back the lamp without being ques-
toned. l crept up to the garrett and threw
the lamp under the caves where it lay-until
You children found it.
Jack come in after breakfast and told his
adventures. 1t seemed they had not seen
Floyd Ireson at all. But their boat, he said,
shipped SO many seas that they were spent
with rowing and baling and when night
came on they were in despair. The light
house showed no CLEAN and they could not
tell which way TO steer.
suddenly Jack noticed a spark Of light
clear and steady and knowing it must be on
shore they took courage and pulled toward
1t with viii for an hour. Then 10 their
terror they saw il grow fainter and fainter
and finally disappear. But il had hardly died
out when bright CLEAN flashed out only a
few ooat-lengths off. They cheered ali to-
gether for they knew il came from our light
house and in few minutes they were
ashore.
Jack wondered, and 50 did my folks, who
it was that saved them all by showing that
timely light. And, you see, children al
though longed to tell Jack who il was |
could not. was ashamed to own that it
was not for him that l hung out the light
but against poor Floyd Ires0n who thought
had wronged him."
But why do you call it a Dumb Betty
lamp, grandma" asked George after the
story was finished.
'Ah, little George" SAID grandma, "when
was your age / asked that same question
but never found anyone who could an
swer it,"
Can any of the bright girl and boy investi-
gators OF to-day give a reason tor the queer
name2
All Quiet in the Coke Regions.
PITTsBuRG, Pa, Jan 23.-The situation in the
coke regions continues quiet. no disturbance htv-