Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1890-12-05
WOMAN'S WORLD.
uoMe LIFE OF IDA LEWIS, THE IA
NOUS LIGHTHOUSE HEROINE.

New Outdoor Game She Kept silent
thirty Notwithstanding Racing Toilets.
poet who Does Homework Some wo-
mems Ungratefuiness Odds and Ends.
Running from the mainland Of the
citv of Newport, II. L., into the west side
If its harbor is staunchly built log
wharf. Were you to find your way to
its end you would ere long see from the
lighthouse beyond woman appear and
Glance in your direction. Presently
with agile step she runs down the mar
row ladder fastened to the stone wall.
iumps nimbly into boat, unties it from
its mooring, takes the heavy oars and
with beauty of stroke all her own pulls
with long and strong pull that sends
her aying toward the steps of 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
rowboat makes, and yet when she deftlv
turns it around and you get a good look
at her face it can be seen that it belongs
to woman in middle life, but upon
whom time has left few telltale marks.
She puts out welcoming hand with a
beautiful white wrist, adding a CHEEKY
smile and word Of greeting as she makes
ready to take you over to Lime rock as
her guest. You have cause for self con-
graduation in being thus favored by the
heroine-Ida Lewis.
Life on light house situated as is
Lime Rock light is not the grewsome
thing generally imagined. With six
roomed house there are cares that fill the
day, and, like any other "gude wife"
Miss Lewis has her pots, kettles and pans
to attend to, rooms to sweep, beds to
make, papers and magazines to read,
letters to write, and all the various ct
ceteras to manage which fill the time of
busy woman. A devoted church woman.
she spends Sunday on shore whenever
her brother is at home.
As the only woman light house keeper
in the country-and the last one that
will be given a light-for such is the YER
dict of the powers that be-Miss Lewis
has other duties that are unique. Exactly
at shutdown she must light her lamp. and
precisely II; yailnight another must be
SuDSJllulSu. AL lllTOuSu b16 D19nU IL
must be watched. and Miss Lewis likens
this 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 place with the use
of kerosene oil.
She can but catch cat maps; hence the
nearness of her sleeping room to the
light. At sunrise the law requires her
lamp, like the foolish virgins, to have
gone out, and from this fact she is an
early riser. The responsibility is no
small one, for the slightest neglect of
duty or accident to her light or lenses
would bring a report from the first sea-
man who suffered by it. Lives hang
on her vigilance, but to her credit no
light on all the coast is as regularly or
perfectly attended to, nor does any other
gain from the government inspector so
high report Miss Lewis keeps daily
expense book, noting just the amount of
wick and oil burnt, and the time to
second of the lighting and putting out
of the lamp. In addition a record of the
weather must be entered daily. As Lime
Rock light is a first class light no rations
are allowed, the yearly salary being $3.50
and two tons of coal. Ellen LIE Garde
in Ladies Home Journal