Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1886-01-29
Written for the HERALD.
SOUTH JERSEY NOTES.

SOUTH JERSEY NOTES.
Gone, gone fo;cvcr!-likca rushing wave
Another year has burst upon the shore
81 earthly being-and its last low tones,
Wandering in broken accents in the air,
Are dying to an echo"
At the extreme end of a sharp
point of land, which reaches out
into the ocean from the southern
coast of New Jersey, stands light
house. Wher its lamp is lighted it
CLEANS out over dry grass and sand
to the north, and over nothing but
water to the east, south and west.
AS the last night of the old year is
drawing to a close three men are
standing on the narrow platform
which runs around the tower Just
below the lamp, and one hundred
and eighty feet above the water.
One of them, an elderly man, has
lived more years on the water than
on the land. You may know him as
Captain Willard. The other two
are comparatively young men. One
is called Hugh James, the other,
simply Crazy Joe. They have been
standing here for long time. And
for what reason, think you? Simply
musing on the waves of the deep
Atlantic? No. But each one of
them is thinking of the immense
realities of the "wide, wide world"
The moon is not visible, but
countless stars look calmly down
from above, and are reflected peace
fully back from below. The great
lamp sends its stream Of light out
over the ocean far beyond the range
of human vision. With an mex
pressible sense of mystery and real
ity the natural and the unnatural Of
tho scene are mingled into one.
There are the stars which were set
Gin the armament of heaven to give
light upon the earth" But where
is the division between the water
and the armament What power
can discern the limit of that which
was made, "and divided the waters
which were under the armament
from the waters which were above
the armament? 2" A short distance
from the white coast.linc the spec
trail form of 4 ship is seen gracefully
riding at anchor. After looking at
this for some time, Captain Willard
begins slowly, and as if half speak.
ing to himself: "When sailing on
the Mediterranean I've often gone
aloft on a bright clear day and
watched the distant cities and
mountains outlined on the smooth
water as clear as an emerald. Mi
RACES they call them, don't they,
James," eyes, Captain, I've often
read of them" REPLIES the companion
addressed. Well, gentlemen"
continues the Captain, 81 can see a
mirage right here on this star-lit
water tonight which is clearer than
any ever saw in the Mediterranean.
| can see my stately ship wrapped
in flames and sinking; the passen-
gers and crew are nearly all saved;
| myself am in boat, but for some
reason which | can't explain it
seems as if my heart is burning
while my body is being saved. 1t
isn't the loss of the ship that makes
me feel so, but the mirage is dim
mere ana L can't tell what 1t Is. -
captain, I fear this peculiar time
and place are making you a little
nervous" says Hugh James. "No ;
you may think am visionary, but
mark my word, that good ship will
never bring home the stars and
stripes again." So saying, Captain
Willard steps within the lighthouse
and leaves his two companions
standing alone outside. 1t may be
five minutes, perhaps more, before
either of the two speak, then Hugh
says, "'Joc, do you know what this
means ?" cit means just what he
said, Hugh; that ship will never see