The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1890-08-15
Ida Lewis at Home.
HOW THE FAMOUS HEROINE LIVES IN
LIME ROCK LIGHT.

Running from the mainland of the
city of Newport, Rhode Island, into
the west side of its harbor, is log,
staunchly bnilt wsrf, saws ELLEN Ls
Garde, in The Ladies' Home Journal.
Were you TO fad your way to its end,
you would ere loag see from the light
house beyond, woman appear and
glance in your direction. Presently,
with agile step, she runs down the
narrow ladder fastened to the stone
wall, jumps nimbly into boat, unties
1t from its mooring, takes the heavy
pars, and, With beauty of stroke all
her own, pulls with long aud stroEg
pull that sends her flying toward the
steps on the pier on which you wait.
Her back is as erect as that of young
girl, her powerful strength manifest in
the great strides the row-bolt makes,
and yet, when she def,ly turns it around
and you get good look at her face. it
can be seen that it belongs to woman
in middle life, but upon whom time
has left few tell-ta!e marks. She pus
out welcoming hand with beauii-
full white wrist, adding a CHEEKY smile
and word of greeting az she makes
ready to take you over to Lime Rock
as her guest You have cause for self
congratulation in being thus favored
| by the heroine-Ida Lewis.
| Life on a light. house, situated as is
Lime Rock light, is not the gruesome
thing generally imagined. With
six-roomed house there are car that
fill the day, and, like any other "gude
| wife, Miss Lewis has her pots, ket.
ties and pans to attend to, rooms to
sweep, beds to make, papers aud mag
azlnes 10 read, letter to write, and all
the various etceteras to manage which
fill the time of a busy woman. A de-
voted church woman, she spends Sun.
day on shore whenever her brother is
at home.
| As the only woman lighthouse keep
er in our country, and the last one
| will be given light-ior snch is the
verdict OF the powers that be-Miss
Lewis has other duties that are unique.
| Exactly at shutdown she must light her
lamp, and precisely at midnight an
other must be substituted All thron sh
The might it must b. watched, aud
Miss Lewis l!k,ns tbs constant care
to that demanded by an infant. The
wick might flare or burn low, the
chimney smoke or crack, or any of the
hundred and one accidents happen that
are ever taking plaee with the use of
kerosene oil. She can but catch cat
nap-; hence the nearness of her sleep
ing-room to the light, AT sunrise the
laS requires her lamp, like the foolish
virgins, to have gOue out, and from
this fact she is an early riser. Thl
responsibility is no small one, for the
slightest neglect of duty or accident tc
her light or lenses would bring re
. port from the frat seaman who suffer
ed by it. Lives hang oa her vigilance
but to her credit no light on all tn,
coast is as regularly or perfectly at
{ tended to, nor dose any other gaiI
, from the Government Inspector =,
: high report. Miss Lewis keeps 6
4 daily expense book, noting just tb
: amount of wick and oil burnt, and tn
; time to a second of the lighting au'
putting out of the lamp. In addition
q record of the weather must be enter
ed daily. As Lime Rock light is {
tistclas' light, no rations are allowed
D the yearly salary heing $3.50, aud tw
!, tons OF coal