Wichita eagle., 1888-10-27
OFF THE HEAD LIGHT.

Der; the sea rOlleQ IN against the rOcKS In
great sullen, gray waves, seething and hiss
ing over the seaweed; the light looked spec
trail and ghostly. l turned out the lamp
Far in the east rosy tint crept into the mist
/ went on the iron balcony around the little
tower While l stood there thought of my
dreary ife-the only son of poor fisherman
drowned of Seguin light that fickered in the
fog miles out to sea. grew up in that small
village, went to school until l was IL, then
ba~"n to fish with the mackerel catchers
other lads, had hopes and ambitions
o future; but mother needed me, so 1
led for her. Three years ago-I WIS %
now-I wos appointed lighthouse keeper on
this peak Of land guarding the entrance from
the sea Of the wide Sheepscot. ! renem-
bered, with no pleasure, Kitty Robbins,
school teacher over at the bay. Mother
wanted me to marry her. well. only
wished to please mother; but Kitty ought to
do better than marry poor light keeper.
'Come dearie; breakfast is ready!' moth
ers voice called, and / went down to the
house connected with the tower by long,
low shed. look at mother; she is worth a
mans best years. A tiny, straight figure,
quaint and trim, black gown, neckerchief
as white as snow, a white lace cap over her
IL
wrinkled cheek, and eyes as bright and blue
es the sea- Women age fast in our bleak
life of early toll, and she was 40 when |, the
last of five children-all dead but me-was
born
There's speck ont there like boat" 1
said, stopping to kiss her. Before go to
bed I'll look again. There was a nasty sea
last night"
r Ir1s4 of Gno nfYa
vered mother, thinking of that shipwreck off
Seguin- She poured my coffee, fidgeted about
awhile, then went to her bedroom. She came
back with her spyglass
"Ill just go back, dearie. like to get the
mornin' air from the tower, an lawful mel
eff there should be q poor human creetur adrift
out therel"
Dear heart! I think of her prayers and
long hours Of watching nights when great
storms roar around our headland, where the
mist from the fretted sea is like furious
rain She came back shortly, trembling with
excitement
There is something white in the boat,
Gideon, like womans scarf"
left my breakfast untasted, running out
% Ske shore with the glass in my hand. The
boz tossed and wavered like a live creature
on the foam tipped waves. while in the moan
ing wind O scarf or some loose drnpery blew
out like q signal Of distress I hurried to
launch the big yawl that had weathered many
a sea. was bare headed and in my shirt
sleeves.
Here, Gideon: here / bef" There she was
my mother. She had shawl 4olded over
her shoulders and tied behind: over her cap
was fastened a bandanna handkerchief. She
held out my cap.
You are not going" said, sharply.
''Yes be, son; sum'uns got TO steer, as she
falls or So an sum'un must keep lookout
for'ard" She jumped into the boat, taking
the helm In her brown wrinkled hands. A
fine, brave figure. / bent my strength TO the
oars. 1t was wildish pull; for, though the
wind blew on shore, it was ebb tide, making
a rough, choppy sea. l wasted no effort to
look ahead, and she kept the boat steady, and
SO we soon gained on the speck.
We finally reached the speck, and it proved
to be an open boat Mother fastened the
painter to it, and did not turn my head.
The wind freshening, rowed hastily to
the shore. Our landing waS miniature har-
Dor, a tiny cove sheltered from the sea by
frowning rocks at either side. Here was
smooth water-only 20 long, CLASSY roll |
stood up to look at the strange craft 1t evil
IDENTIFY belonged 20 yacht, was dainty aud
rim, painted white, with dolphin" In gold
etsers On the side.
Mother" cried hoarsely; ''there is q wo-
man in the boatp
81 know 1t, but didn't want TO distract you
out there. Land me on the seawecd- III
and get the fire up. The poor creetur' may
yet be alive"
pulled tho strange boat upon the sand,
and then with beating heart | stopped to
look. Under the seats OF the boot, where a
rifle OF water splashed TO and fro. was a wo-
mans figure, slight, though tall, covered
with acloak Of golden plush-though then
did not know what the rare stuff was that
CLEANED in tI1ts, like light, through a col
ored window. 1t was lined with soft, white
fur, now draggled and wet with sea wa
ter Over the woInan's head was fine lace
scarf one end of which was loose and
had waved signal of distress in the wind.
She was SO stlll and white that l thought her
dead / lifted her and carried her to tbs
house-she weighed no more than q child
Mother had the old lounge drawn close to the
stove, and there laid our strange guest.
"Haint she pretty creetur'p cried
mother. Some good mans heart is sore dis
Hessed this day"
An hour later mother called me. The
strangers eyes, big aud blue ike her gown,
were wide open, looking about her curl
opsly.
~ WIS so cold she said with shiver, and
/ have never heard wonlan's voice SO
strangely sweet Tell mo bow you found
me-"
So we told her Of the speck on the sea
While mother dried the golden hair, the
stranger reached up suddenly and drew the
kindly band TO her lips.
God bless you, pretty cretur'l" cried
mother, quite overcome. AN where bs
your people nows Griesins terribly. well
know"
''No," said the stranger, bitterly. There
c11 be no grief where there Is no love"
She grew well rapidly, and that night came
up into the tower TO see me Light the lamp
She watched q while and then she said
quietly:
..Out :, 49, f. lest ri~ht saw hi,
great yellow eye. 1t gave me courage and
faith prayed for the first time in many,
many years I was quite content then. but,
q, oept for knowing you two good people,
would rather have been dead"
'But you are so young and talk that way
l SID awkwardly. Surely life has not been
SO hard to you
AS kind cs the light 30 the little birds"
she nusoered, as tiny black object struck
With cruel force against the glass. sit has