The Portland daily press., 1888-01-02

little quiet medltatl0n-nOSe between TWO,
black, outstretched fore paws, and gaze fixed
on nothing in particular, while Jane, having
first made her toilet for the night by careful
washing and patting, dozed peacefully behind
the stove.
Tired Jack slept, and dreamed he was
Crusoe, and had just built beautiful sled.
and coasted down among the cannibals and
sent them flying on all sides; and the old
clock licked, licked, while out doors the
snow blew in whirls, and weary man
fought hard against the wind, and sought to
find again the beaten path to his home.
Hour after hour passed, till the faithful
hammer striking ten, woke Jack in bewilder-
ment at not finding himself in his own little
bed.
Whats the matter?" he said, shaking
himself and standing. "Why how late 1t Is!
What can have happened to fatherP'
Stub reused up, but could not answer the
question, so wisely kept silent-people don't
always, you know.
"The light! the light! Oh suppose it's
gone Quit must 60 up this very minute to
see. though it's awfully dark, and the stoves
gone out, too; but can't stop to make it up
now. Come, Stub, you can go with me if
YOU want to-" said diplomatic Jack, who
really didn't like to go through all those
dark passages and stairways alone. but who
would not have Stub know it for all the
world.
The house had got all cold, and Jack was
a long time hunting about with shivering fin
gers before he could find the proper oil for
the light. At last, however, he found it,
spilled let of it in pouring it out into the
small can, and got the rest safely up the first
fight of stairs, Stub following very sleepily.
The light tower was built high above the
dwelling part of the house, and was reached
by several steep flights of stairs, and finally
by ladder to a trap door. The roof and
walls were about four feet from the glass and
the light. lamp, and reflector. stood on kind
of standard about five feet high. All the
beautiful brass plates were kept as brilliant
as mirror. and the windows were transpar-
ent and speckless as pure water. 1t was
John Hudson's duty to keep them in this
condition. inspectors were always dropping
in at unexpected times, and dismissal from
the post would have followed any lack of
proper attention to these details But it was
the lighthouse keepers pride to keep them
bright and Furnished, even beyond any laws
and regulations.
Jack reached the foot of the ladder, and
was slowly mounting, when his foot slipped
and be fell. Stub looked at him helplessly,
and waited for him to pick himself up. Jack
had kept hold of his lantern, and fortunately
it had not got extinguished; the oil can fell
at little distance
whats the matter now? What ails my
foot?" said he, making several Intellectual at
tempts to stand. "Myl how it hurts!" and
he held 1t in his hand while he brayely kept
the tears back. II guess I've sprained it, or
something. What shall do? could man.
age to slide down stairs again and wait there
till father comes. But the light! That
ought to be attended to. Oh, why amt
father back ?" and he WINGED with pain as a
sudden twinge came to his ankle.
"Oh, dear, it's tough work." said he, as
with the oil can slung across one arm he tried
to climb the ladder with one foot and one
knee.
81 guess I'd better give it up-pshawl
What's fellow good for, anyway, if he can't
put himself out of the way for other folks
once in while. How the tower shakesl
What night it isl"
The ascent was made at last, and the light
reached.
"Just in time" said Jack; ''the oils all but
finished. guess didn't put as much in as
father did, and he hoped around the narrow
space and trimmed the lamp. 1t took him
some time, and the boys fingers were getting
stiff with cold, while his ankle kept bringing
a look of pain across his face.
81 shall freeze before / get it DONE"
groaned Jack, putting his finger ends into
his mouth to warm them. MY foot! my
footp' he shrieked, as forgetting it for an in
slant. be stepped on it.
Stub, in the room below, gave howl of
sympathy and dashed frantically at the foot
of the ladder to reach his master.
81 can't stand it any longer! Oh, father!
fatherw and Jack fell unconscious on the
floor.
All was silent once again in the house; no
voice save that of the old clock tick ticking
the seconds away-the last minutes of the
old year.
Loud blew the wind in the face of foot
sore man, bruised by an outstretched branch.
unseen in the darkness-and striving. with
steps, to reach his home.
Out at sea noble vessel was battling with
the storm, and happy hearts, unconscious of
danger. were thinking of the glad meeting of
the morrow-thinking of the dear faces that
should welcome their return in the bright
new year. Anxious hearts were beating in
secret, as the pilot and the Captain paced the
deck uneasily, and peered through the storm,
and:
questioned of the darkness which was sea and
which was land"
"Fishing Point light ought to show to the
nor'ard," said the Captain.
"Pve been looking for it," returned the
pilot, 'but the snow is so binding I've not
been able to see it yet. There it Isl" he ex-
claimed, after some minutes more of weary
watching, and the snow-cloud seemed parted
by a warm CLEAN of light.
And miles away, in a storm-rocked tower,
lay PROSTATE form, cold and motionless,
while the joy bells of the glad new year were
ringing in the hopes and triumphs of thous-
ands of hearts.
Bravely the good ship Dauntless sailed
into port ON that morning, with colors flying,
and friendly cheers from the Shore
"a pretty narrow escape we had last night
so the pilot tells me-" said passenger to
his friend, after hearty greeting. "All but
lost off Fishing Point. The light shone on
the rocks just in time, or we should not have
been here. now"
But Jack never knew anything of this.
All he knew was that his father said, pat
ting his head:
'God bless you, sonny. II it hadn't been
for the light shining through the darkness
of that awful night, shouldn't have been
alive to take care of you now"
And Jack thought this quite made up for
the long, weary weeks of pain before he
cosld use his lame foot again.