Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1888-12-31
Their. 1t seems as if something dread

full was coming of it. .
'sYou'n feel better when your ia
Their gets here, ''comforted Sophronia.
'EBut he was not even in sight when
l came up said Polly; and then
came her fear that he might not get
to the island that night.
EOnly to think of it! All night
alone Just two young girls 1t would
be ever so nice in a story, but here [
shouldn't like it a bit % said Sophro-
MIA.
Polly adjusted wick at that mo-
ment. Watching the flashes rise and
fall over the sea, she announced that
all was right, and they would go
down and have tea.
A half-hour later the two girls sat
at the little round table in the tidy
kitchen, taking their tea. Outside
the night darkened, grew cold very
fast, and every instant keen-cutting
wind skurried across the water. Their
simple repast taken, they went out
where they could get view Of the
light; and, finding it doing its duty,
they went down to the landing. Gov
eminent had built a small breakwater
and made a tiny harbor; just enough
room was there for the landing of
needful supplies, and to give shelter
to the lightkeeper's small craft.
Flash flash came the light out at
sea, and Illuminating the little island,
only to leave it in intenser darkness
the next moment.
Peer as they would, not sign of
an incoming boat could be seen. Far
off, very far off, the educated eyes of
Polly discerned steamships lights.
Meanwhile, Polly's father, in his
attempt to reach home, had met with
an accident. In going down the riv-
Ell, to avoid if possible collision
with an upward bound craft, the chan
mel being narrow, and the wind out
of the wrong quarter, he ran too close
in, and not only got aground, but had
his sail scraped and rent by the boom
of the other boat. Now Peter Car
son was a good man, with his heart
bound up in Polly and the light; and
when this small disaster defeated his
purpose he was out of patience. For
full ten seconds he never stirred
then he rose up, in order to see over
the sedgy bank of the river, looked
steadfastly at Cliff Island, lying like
small bog in the midst of the great
sea, and said:
E'This is fix y
He was five miles from the island,
and two from the village up the river
whence he come. In his boat lay the
small delicacies and extra provisions
for the coming Christmas. 1t was
for the purpose of procuring these
that he had set forth. And now, to
add to his discomfort, the boat that
had damaged him was sailing serene
ly up the river, regardless of his hurt.
The tide was still falling. In four
hours-that is, at eight o'clock in the
December evening-he might be
afoat; and, as to the sail, he ight
double-reef that, and be all night get
ting home. To walk back two miles,
on the uncertainty of procuring a
craft that he could man, would take
a long time, and then he must risk
his boat Po+n~ Corro,, 1;1 ,-o+ f~~
get that it was a government boat,
and that one of his duties was to
stand by it. He reefed his sail, reef
ing in the tent, and then, as it grew
cool, walked up and down on the
reedy bank to keep warm. The sun
began to sink lower and lower, until
at last the hills hid it. Then Peter
Carson bent his eyes on the island.
He took out his watch and counted
the minutes.
cts time it flashed !" he said to
himself, breathlessly, and watched
again. Nowhere around the horizon
was there token of the suns shining.
The lightkeeper groaned out:
go Polly Pollyr' and still the
minutes passed, and no sign came.
The great revolving light on SPUR
rel Bar was going-had been going
full twenty minutes. Peter Carson
was almost wild with a nameless ago
ny. He knew that his position was
one to be desired of lightkeepers he
knew that any dereliction in duty
would be sure to be reported; he
knew that if this position be lost to
him no other would open, for all the
others were under the same master
all these things he knew, and yet not
for the moment did he think of them.
His thoughts ran out to some possible
peril to passenger, crew or ship that
had trusted him to do his duty-and
it was not done.
What could have happened at the
island to make his daughter forget
her promise? The very thought of
possible danger to her made the man
almost frantic. He leaped from his
boat, and ran up the river bank to-
ward the village.
He went on, until out of breath, he
paused halfway to the town, and
looked around. There, in its wonted
brightness, flashed Cliff Island light.
Peter Carson stood still and looked
at it until tears of gratitude dimmed
its lustre. Then calmly and slowly
he trod the way back to his boat, and
uoifa6 throuOh tho wind cold apSa