The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1890-07-05
n LIenI IN the WINDOW"
The Beautiful Story on Which the
Wen-Known Song was Founded.

have not one time or other heard tn
Sunday school song, "a Light il
the Window" Unless / am mis-
taken it is founded upon a stor,
! told upon the Island of Sylt, bu
which might easily have its exac
counterpart on almost any seashor
where mothers heart beats Will
yearning love for her sailor son ant
keeps its fond promise from nigh
to night.
Among the simple fisher folks OF
the island lived woman and he
son. He was her only child, tn
pride of her heart as we'll as tn
source Of constant dread, for tn,
boy loved the sea as his father be
fore had loved it, and nothing gave
him so much pleasure as to watcf
the incoming tide tumble its curl
ing waves over the sands. No sooner
was he strong enough to WELD ar
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 otherwise, for it would have been
deemed dishonor among the hardy
coasters to have kept the boy at
home or set him safely at work for
some farmer. Whatever the dan
gers, 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 great
storm? Tho 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 fieetest and handiest boat,
blue eyed, fair haired, true. hearted,
a real son Of the sea. The fisher
men taught him the tricks of his
craft until he knew how to sail a
boat, splice rope, or do many lit
tie things which sailor must know.
Whenever ship was in the offing
he was soon aboard, learning the
rigging and how work was perform
ed upon her. He was great favorite
among the longshore folk and with
the sailors, and when at last his
thirteenth year 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 for
ward into the great, wide world with
all the joyous eagerness of a boy.
But with her last blessing the wild
owed mother promised that every
night lamp should burn in the
seaward 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
came to the cottage and |
told the pleasant news to the wait
ing mother, who nightly trimmed
The candle, lit it and set it in the
to make a bright path upon
he sands. Again six months
Elapsed, 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 might yet make port,
'ut-and the people shook their
leads and carried no tales to the
whose candle burned
over night and cast long
treamers of light out upon the sea.
Another year passed, bat the sailors
:oing or coming brought no news
If the ship, and the neighbors whis-
'ered apart and shook their heads
whenever any spoke Of the widows
on, but no one was cruel enough
o cut the slender threads which
leli the anchor Of her hope. And
hus the light continued to glow out
oward the sea at every cleaning,
nd burned steadily through every
light.
Years came and went. The chill
ren who had played with the sailor
al had grown to be men and women,
er own head had been silyered
18th age, her form was bowed, yet
o one dared to cut the cables of
er hope. Tender words cheered
er and tender hands smoothed her ,
'ay for her as she patiently waited
or the home coming Of her fair
aired boy, and every night the glow
her candle streamed out to sea-
ard and told the story Of the low
lg heart waiting at home. /,
How many years did she watch
nd wait? | do not know. But
ne day, at eventide there was no
leaning patch Of light across the
lnds. The window remained dark
nd the accustomed beacon failed Q
le fisher folk, and when they won /
cred and went to the cottage they i
'und that the mothers soul had i