The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1890-10-23
THE SAILORS FRIEND.
a SECOND IDA LEWIS IN IN
DIANA.
Miss Harriet Colfat, the Brave. Hearted Little
Wcman Who for Thirty Years Has
Performed the Duties Of Iigh.
Keeper ut Michigan City.

.. .- 2 . ! q .
What sailor on the lower lakes does
not know the Michigan City light, and
how many times during the past
quarter of II century has tho mariners
care when the steady glow from the
beacon light caught his vigilant eye
and he made sail for the harbor that
promised him shelter from the threat
sniug storm?
For nearly thirty years this warning
signal has been under the care of a
woman who in fair or foul weather
during all this time has never once
neglected the duty imposed on her in
1861, when she was appointed lighu
keeper at this port through the in
tuence of her cousin, Schuyler Colfax.
afterward Vice President of the
United States. ~
At that time Miss Harriet A. Colfax
was u pleasant-faced young woman of
twenty-five. with soft. light brown
hair and gray, trustful eyes. Her
petite ngure seemed peculiarly unfit
ted for the position, and there were
not wanting those who sneeringly re-
marked upon this, and limited that if
Il wax doll had influential relatives it
might just as we'll have been appoint
ed light keeper - Michigan City as
Miss Colfax. But time has disproved
all these unlsind statements and in
-nuendoes, and after thirty years of
continuous faithful service the verdict
is unanimous that wiser choice for
so responsible a place could not have
been made. ~.
Miss Colfax is a native OF Ogdens-
burg. N. Y, but as she migrated to
Michigan City in 1858 it is fair to state
that she is western woman. especial
ly as her visits back east have been
very few and far between. Her broth
er. Richard w. Colfax. was at that
time editing the Michigan City Tran
script, and as steady compositor was
Il rara aUis in the little village. At
that period the young lady learned to
set type in order to help her brother
get out his paper when printers were
scarce. She is proud OF the fact that
the second year after her arrival she
set up the governors entire message
alone, her proofs being SO clean that
the corrections were all made inside
of twenty minutes.
After her brother died Miss Colfax
gave music lessons, about this time
she formed a life partnership with
Miss Ann Hartwell, bright, CHEEKY
little school ma am of Michigan City,
who is also native OF Ogdenspurg
For upwards of thirty -three years
these little women have dwelt together
In perfect harmony, their affection for
each other being unmarried by sin
gle cross word. Thoroughly unself-
ISL. each has We'd in her intentions
to the other, and, as a result they
have lived as happily as two doves with
no serpent in the form of man to Gre
ate a discord in their lives. When
Miss Colfax went to live at the light
mouse. of course Miss Hartwell accom-
panied her, and, although this was
not until 1861, the little ex-school
ma'am-for she has discontinued
teaching declares, with saucy toss
OF her frost touched curly hair, they
have been misunderstanding together
for thirty-three years notwithstanding
For number of years there was a
beacon light at the extremity of the
raised walk. near the outer breakwa-
ter, which was also under the charge of
Miss Colfax, and until 1t was finally
carried away during a severe storm
eight years ago it was her duty to light
that beacon every evening at shutdown.
1t was neither a pleasant nor easy duty
TO perform, but until the department
finally allowed her an assistant the
brave little woman faithfully made her
nightly trip over the slippery walk,
and, lantern in hand, climbed the bea-
con ladder and lit the warning signal.
Many and many a time toward the
close OF navigation the waves would
dash across the narrow walk, sending
the freezing spray in all directions and
wetting the brave keeper to the skin as
she performed her dangerous task.
The beacon lamp was fed with lard
oil at that time. and it was often nee
essary on cold nights to heat the oil
before carrying the lamp out to the
west pier. On one very cold, stormy
night when the waves dashed inces-
sanity over the raised walk and it was
only by waiting for temporary lull
I That the passage could be made. Miss
Iolfax warmed the lard oil and started
forth on her hazardous errand. Twice
she was driven back before she gained
the beacon, and when at last she reach
ed the structure she found to her dis
may and annoyance that the lock had
been tempered with and obstinatelv
refused to open. In her desperation
she finally broke pane of glass, and,
crawling through the aperture, insert
Oh the lamp in place, butso much time
h d been lost that the oil CONCEALED
and SILL a ttampts at ip,,itio, ,,aa,,a =