St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1890-07-03
"a LIGHT IN THE WINDOW"
The Beautiful Story IN Which the Well
known Song Was Founded.

The Beautiful Story on Which the Well
known Song Was Founded.
Few are probably the persons who
have not one time or other heard the
Sunday school song, "A Light in the
Window" Unless | am mistaken 1t
is founded upon a story told upon
the little island of Svlt, but which
might easily have its exact counter
part on almost any SeaShOrc where
a mothers heart beats with yearn-
ing love for her sailor son and keeps
its fond promise from night to night.
Among the simple fisher folks on
the island lived Il woman and her
son. He was her only child, the
pride of her heart as well a the
source of constant dread, for the boy
loved the sea as his father before
had loved it, and nothing gave him
so much pleasure as to watch the in
coming tide tumble its curling wave
over the sands. No sooner was he
strong enough to WELD an oar and
steer a 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, vet would not have 1T other
wise, for it would have been deemed
dishonor among the hardy coasters
to have kept the boy at 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
a captain when he went away the
last time? Had not his father sailed
his own ship when he went down in
a great storm. The child was the
last of his race, but he must not dis
honor 1t by tame and cOWardly safe
ty on shore. SO the boy grew up,
tall of his age, straight as a mast,
nimble as the f~1eetest and handiest
boat, bIue-eyed, fair-haired, true
hear ted, a real son of the sea. The
fishermen taught him the tricks of
his craft until he knew how to sail a
boat, splice n rope, or do many little
things which a sailor must know.
Whenever a ship was in the Otlng he
was soon aboard, learning the rig
gin9 and how work was performed
upon her He was a great favOrlte
among the lO%ngshore folks and with
the sailors, and when at last his 18th
wear came around and he obtained
the consent of his mother to go to
sea, he easily found a good ship and
captain. Then there was parting,
and tears shed by the mother, while
he looked forward into the great,
wide world with all the joyous eager
ness of a boy. But with her last
blessing the widowed mother prom
ised that every night a light should
burn III the Seaward window of her
cottage to light him hOmeward and
to show him that she still lived,
awaiting his return.
Theship sailed. Six months passed
and sailors dropped into the village
and told how she had been spoken
and all was we'll, 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 1t III the window to make
a bright path up the sands. Again
SIX months elapsed, and other sailors
arrived from far-off lands, but they
had no news to tell of the ship. \
great storm had happened and she
was overdue. She might vet make
port, but-and the people shook their
heads and carried no tales to the
widow. whose candle burned bright
ly every night and cast long stream
ers of light out upon the sea. An
other year passed. but the sailors go
ing or coming brought no news of
the ship, and the neighbOrs whispered
apart and shook their heads when
yer any spoke of the widows son.,
but no one vas cruel enough to cut
the slender threads which held the
anchor of her hope And thus the
light continued to glow out toward
the sea at every cleaning. and burn
ed steadily through every night.
Years came and went. The chill
dren who had played with the sailor
lad had grown TO be men and wom-
en-, her own head had been silvered
with age, her form was bowed, vet
no one dared to cut the cables of
her hope. Tender words cheered her
and tender hands smoothed the way
for her as she patiently waited for
the Homecoming of her fair-haired
hov aud eV-ery uiOht the ol0w Of ba-