Great Falls tribune., 1888-10-03
Mobile. ''Here Is something for your
and there was pistol shot.
Like some agile beast Of prev the man

Mobile. Here Is something for your
and there was pistol shot,
Like some agile beast Of prey, the man
here, and you fellows will do as tell YOU,
or I'll know the reason why" With
whisky in his head and pistols in his pock-
cts, Corlett was dangerous customer,
and we prepared to make the best of a bad
job. We all knew that we were pretty
near the headland, but what puzzled the
boys was that no light was to be seen.
had my own suspicious, but dared not
mention them.
Boys said the captain at last-a lit
tie sobered in his effort to make the
creek-"guess we won't try to make it to-
night. Keep her off bit, and go easy
down the river"
At that instant saw light flashing
right ahead Of us. It didn't look exactly
familiar, but we all took it for the light
house.
"That's lucky" says the captain. II
thought we were further off shore. Hard
a portP' he shouted. .sWell clear the
point in good shape now
Meantime the wind had been gathering
strength apd the water was much rougher.
We were now spanking along with reefed
sails at twelve or thirteen knots an hour.
run aground on the point, 200 yards the
land side of the lighthouse! 1t was such
a shock that in ten minutes the schooner
was breaking to pieces and sinking. Then
1t was each man for himself was the
first to pick myself up on the low rocks
and the mate was with me- Soon after
ward three of the boys, which completed
the crew, showed up, but the captain was
missing.
The mate told me to go up to the vii
lage for help, while he and the others
stayed by the vessel. In five minutes l
came up to the light which had deceived
us all and caused the wreck. It was
large, bright lantern, in the hands of
Lizzie-Hector Baptiste's wife
Lizzie" CRIED 'sfor heavens sake,
what is this? Do you know what you
have done?''
She did not look her old self at all.
She was pale and haggard and was
drenched with the spray from the surf.
mo" says she, in a strange tone, not
one bit like her old voice. "No; what
have done?"
"Why, girl" I says, you holding out
that lantern down the shore put Capt
Corlett out Of his reckoning and he ran
the schooner aground. What's more,
guess the captains drowned"
'tAhl" she says with sort of sigh of
relief and satisfaction. ''Listen to me,
Pierre. intended to wreck Charlie Cor
lett's vessel. / know it was wicked, but
he was wicked and made me so. He
killed my poor Hector-why shouldn't l
kill him? expected the schooner would
be here tonight hoped it would. So |
did not light up at the lighthouse. In
stead held this lantern up as high as
could reach, where knew it would fool
Corlett. You say he is drowned? Well,
am glad that Is what wished. Good
night, Pierrep
As she spoke-before I could interfere
she jumped, lantern in hand, from the
ledge Of rock on which she stood into the
deep waters rushed in after her as far
as | dared in the swirling tide, and peered
into the darkness-but could see nothing
of her
The next morning, except the wrecked
schooner, there was little trace of the
storm; and, in the bright autumn sun
light, there came floating along the creek
into the quiet settlement, carried by the
tide, two drowned bodies One was Char
lie Corlett and the other was poor Lizzie.
I'm 10 years old. sir, and I've followed
the river all my life, passing Corletts
cape Thousand times-but can't forget
it, can't forget it.-Detroit Free Press.