The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1890-09-10
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 the harbor, is a log,
staunchly built wharf, says Ellen LIE
Garde, in Ladies Home Journal. Were
you to find your way to its end, you
would ere long see from the light
house beyond, woman appear and
glance in your direction. Presently,
with agile step, she runs down the mar
row ladder fastened to the stone wall,
jumps nimbly into a boat. unties it
from its mooring, takes the heavy oars,
and, with a beauty of stroke all her
own, pulls with a long and a strong
pull that sends her flying 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 strides the row-boat makes, and
yet when she deftly turns it around
and you get a good look at her face,
it can be seen that it belongs to a wom-
an in middle life, but upon whom time
has left few tell-tale marks. She puts
out a welcoming hand with beautiful
white wrist, adding 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 a lighthouse, situated as is
Lime Rock light, is not the gruesome
thing generally imagined. With a
six-roomed house there are cares that
fill the day, and, like any other '.gude
wife," Miss Lewis has pots, kettles and
pans to attend to, rooms to sweep,
beds to make, papers and magazines to
read, letters to write, and all the va
rious etceteras to manage which fill
the time of a 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 our country, and the last
one that will be given a light such
is the verdict of the powers that be
Miss Lewis has other duties that are
unique. Exactly at sundown she must
light her lamp, and precisely at mid
| night another must be substituted. AL
through the night it 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 taking place with the use o.
kerosene oil. She can but catch cat
: maps; hence the nearness of her sleep
ing-room to the light. At sunrise the
law requires her lamp, like the foolisl
virgins, to have gone out, and from
this fact she is an early riser. The re
sponsibility is no small one, for thu
slightest neglect of duty or accident t.
her light OF lenses would bring re
port from the first seaman who suf
fered by it. Lives hang on her vigil
ance, but to her credit no light on al
the coast is as regularly or perfectly at
tended to, nor does any other gail
from the Government Inspector s.
high report. Miss Lewis keeps
daily expense book, noting just tn
amount of wick and oil burnt, and th
time to a second of the lighting an
putting out of the lamp. In addition
a record of the weather must be er
tered daily. As Lime Rock light is
tirst-class light, no rations are allowed
the yearly salary being $3.50, and tw
tons of coal.