The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-06-02

The Beautiful story on witch the Well.
Known Song Wns Founded.

Few are probably tho persons who have not
one time or ether n ,b nsRTd tns Sundfy fn""
mistaken, Il is founded upon' n story told
upon the little island OF Sylt but which might
any seashore where q mothers heart beats
with ,earning love for ter sailor son and kceps
its fond promise from night TO night.
:, Among the simple Usher folks on tho island
lived a woman and her son lie was her onIy
sanrce G oH o. nsP Mart o ina VEL as ihs
sea us his iather before had loved il. and
nothing gave him SO much ,roa,Hre as 10
waves over tho sands. No sooner was Ne
strong. enough TO wiGli nm oar ami steer 4
boat than he joined tue men in their tsnins
expeditions.
Tho moher. with all her fears and ihe .ate
of long line OF sailors in her mind yct wouii
been deemed dishonor nmoug tho harry rot /.
ers TO have kent the boy ut home or sem him
Of ,nmily pride. l,al not Inv DO,
Woni "Rsy G lSs last "n e Ha MT NJ
his father sailed his own shin when lie went
nt Of his race cset hS me-, TH w% nv
tame aud cowardly safety on shore. 80 ihs
boy grew up. tai o. his age, straight as mast.
eyed. ir-haared. tuc-hcarteI. n real son OF
the sea a, TIho fishermen tausnt him the
10. ali boat; srlice a roie, or j" m"nI iii,
things which sailor must know When
ever a, shi2 was in the "nng he was soon
aboard. learning the rigging and how "" X
was performed upon her. lie was II great
iavortte among the lonrshote Io;k and VITA
around and he Obtained the ,on-enI 81 his
my mother 10 60 to sea a he easily ion"d n good
ana tears shed by the mother. while he oUxel
forward into tho great wi % world with all the
{9yous eaGerness Of n boy. But with her last
blessing the widowed mother promised til u
every night IA light should burn in the seward
window OF her cottage to light him nomeward
aud TO show him that she still lived, awaiting
his return.
The shin sailed. Six months rnssed and sail
ors droppod into the Nllnre and told how sns
had been spoken and all WAS well, and tue
nelghbors came to the cottage and told tie
Pleasant news 70 the wattlnG mother. who
nightly trimmed the candle. lat 1t. and set 1t in
he window TO make bright path vi the sands.
Again six months ELAPSED. and other sailors ar
t. tell OF the ship. A great storm had hap.
Dencd and she WAS overdue. She might yet
make make 5 port Ggtand the De2ple shook their
candle burned brightly every night and cast
long steamers OF light out up, the sea. An
Other year passed, but the sailors going or
coming brought no news OF the ship. and the
ne,Ghhors WHISPERED anart and shook, their
but no one was crnel enough to cut the slender
threads which he'd the anchor of her hope.
ward the sea nt every gioamins s and Burned Ell
steadily through every night.
ossd wR the s erSM Se had
Ti,h age si her form wa; bowed: yet ono
words cheered her and tender hands smoothed
he way FOR her as she patiently waited for the
homecoming OF her fair haired boy and every
hight the glow of her candle streamed out 10
,eaward and told the story of the loving heart
waiting at home.
How many yenrs did she watch and wait? |
10 not know. But one day. at eventide. there
vas no cleaning patch Of light across the
ands. The window remained dark, and the
accustomed beacon failed the fisher folk and
yhen they wondered aud went 10 the c0tture
o seek the son.