DeSoto times. (Hernando, Miss.) 1879-1898, 1890-08-14
LIGHT IN THE WINDOW.
The Pretty Story on Which the Wolf
Known Song Was Founded.


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 it is
founded upon story told upon the little
island Of Sylt, but which might easily
have its exact counterpart on almost
any seashore where a mothers heart
beats with yearning love for her sailor
son and keeps its fond promise from
night to night
Among the simple fisher folks on the
island lived woman and her son. He
was her only child, the pride of her
heart az well as 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 incoming tide tumble its curling
waves over the sands. No sooner was
be strong enough to WELD an oar and
steer 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, 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. What
ever the dangers, they must be faced
for the sake of family pride. Had not
the boys grandfather been 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 dishonor it by tame and
cowardly safety on shore. So the boy
grew up, tall of his age, straight as a
mast, nimble as the fleetest and handi-
est boat, blue-eyed, fair-haired, true
hearted, ga real son of the sea. The
fishermen taught him the tricks of his
craft until he knew how to sail a boat,
splice rope, or do many little things
which sailor must know. Whenever
a 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
tho sailors, and when at last his thir-
teenth year came around and he OBJ
tanned the consent of his mother to go
to sea, he easily found 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 eagerness of
boy. But with her last blessing the
widowed mother promised that every
night a light should burn in the sea-
ward window of her cottage to light
him homeward and to show him that
she still lived, awaiting his return
The ship 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 it in
the window to make bright path upon
the sands. Again six months elapsed
and other sailors arrived from far-otf
lands, but they had no news to tell of the
ship. A great storm had happened and
she was overdue. She might yet make
port, but-and the people shook their
heads and carried no tales to the widow,
whose candle burned brightly every
night and cast long streams 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 one spoke of the widows
son, but no one was cruel enough to cut
the tender threads which held the
anchor of her hope. And thus the light
continued to glow out toward the sea at
every cleaning, and burned steadily
through every night
Years came and went. The children
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 dare to cut
the cables of her hope, Tender words
cheered her and tender hands smoothed
her way for her as she patiently waited
for the homecoming of her fair-haired
boy, and every night the glow Of her
candle streamed out to seaward 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 accustomed
beacon failed the fisher folk. and when
they wondered and went to the cottage
they found that the mothers soul had
gone to seek the son. - Louisville
Times.