Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1890-07-17
"A Light IN THE WINDOW"
The Story on Which the Song Was
Founded.

The Story on Which the Song Was
Founded.
Louisville Times: Few are proba-
bly, the persons who havenot one time
or other heard the Sunday school
song, "A Light in the Window. I'm
less am mistaken it is founded upon
a story told upon the little Island OF
Sylt, but which might easily have it's
exact counterpart on almost any
seushore where a mothers heart
beats with yearning love tor her sail
or son and keep, it's fond promises
from night to night.
Among the simple fisher folks on
the island lived a woman and her son.
He was her only child, the pride OF
her heartas we'll as the source OF con-
slant dread, for the boy loved the
sea as his father before had loved
it. and nothing gave him SO much
pleasure o. to watch the incoming
tide tumble its curling waves over
the sands. <No sooner was he strong
enough to WELD on oar nnd steel
boat than he joined the men in
their fishing expeditions.
The mother, with all her fears and
the fate Of a long line of sailors in her
mind, yet would not have had it other
wise Tor it would have been deemed dis
honor among the hardy coasters to
have kept the boy ut home or sent
him safely at work for some farmer.
Whatever the dangers, they must be
faced for the sake of family pride.
Had not the boys grandfather been
acaptain when he went away the last
time? Had not his father sailed his
own ship when he went down in u
great storm? The child was the last
ofhis race, but he must not dishonor
it by tame and cowardly safety on
shore. So the boy grew up, tall of
his age, straight as mast, nimble
Us the fleeteSt and handiest boat,
blue-eycd, fair-haired, true-hearted, a
real son OF the sea. The fishermen
taught him the tricks OF his craft un-
til he knew how to sail u boat, splice
q rope, or do many little things
which a sailor must know. When
ever n ship was in the offing he was
soon aboard, learning the rigging
and how work was performed upon
her. He was a great tavorite among
the 'longshore folks and with the
sailors. and when at last his 18th
year came around and he obtained the
consent OF his mother to go to sea,
he easily found a good ship and cap
tain. Then there was parting and
tears shed by the mother, while he
looked forward into the great, wide
world with all the joyous eagerness
of boy. But with her last blessing
the widowed mother promised that
every night II light should burn in the
seward window of her cottage to
light him homeward and to show
him that she still lived, awaiting his
return.
The ship sailed. Six months pass
ed and sailors dropped into the viii
age and told how she had been spok-
en- and all was well, and the neighbors
came to the cottage and told the
pleasant news to the waiting mother.
who nightly trimmed the candle, lit
it, and set it in the window to make
q bright path up the sands. Again
six months elasped, and other sailors
arrived from far-off lands, but they
had no news to tell of the ship. A
great storm had happened and she
was overdue. She mil ht yet make
port, but-and people shook their
heads and carried no tales to the
widow, whose candle burned brightly
every night and cast long streamers
of light out upon the sea. Another
| year passed, but the sailors going or
coming brought no news of the ship,
and the neighbors whispered apart
and shook their heads whenever any
spoke Of the widows son, but no one
was curel enough to cut the slender
threads which held the anchor of her
hoop. And thus the light continued
to glow out towards the sea ut
every cleaning and burned steady
through every night.
Years came and went. The chill.
lren who had played with the sailor
lad had grown to be men and women;
her own head had been silvered with
age; her form was bowed, yet no one
dared to cut the cables Of her hope
Tender words cheered her and tender
hands smoothed the way for her az
she patiently waited for the home
coming of her fair-haired boy, and
every night the glow of her candle
streame0 out to seward and told
the story of the loving heart waiting
at home.
How many years did she watch and
wait? do not know. But one day
at eventide, there was no cleaning
patch OF light across the sands. The
window remained dark, and the ac
customed beacon failed the fisher foil
and when they wondered and went