New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-11-08
CONTENT IN A LIGHTHOUSE IOVb7.
A LITTLE ISLAND WHERE HANDFUL OF PEofhr
WORK AND ARE HAPPY.

A LITTLE ISLAND WHERE HANDFUL OF PEOPLE
WORK AND ARE HAPPY.
The life Of a lighthouse keeper is not thrilled with
novelty at the bet q times. but wnen wlhtcr 'o'"e
On with It's storms of slect wind and driving SHOW
a black gloom settles over HIS white tower wnDn nov
even his bright beacon light can pierce iheh '"1
davs arc short and the night watches are long, anu
sIed with the timu OF the roaring sea ana INC io"'
voiced wind The suns rays have no sooner ~aiie.
than they are folded in the shroud OF twilight anu
when daylight breaks the pale beams OF tne nioinins
fall on churnng, black waves beating Against sun"
and ice encrasted rocks and there IS slaecoior o.
cherries atmosphere over the soa. Bub the A.0p
life Is not all dead monotony and lifeess toera'o'
Straight out OF the sea that washes the coas' vi
Maine off the mouth OF the KenDebec RIVER rses
small island which is mass OF rock, treeirinsou' p
black looking. From It's top for over century ~
cleaned light for coasting vessels and SHIPS mahs
for the Kennebec River. The tower where the Drish0
eve shines from twilight till sunrise is 200 feet aooVo
tho face OF the ocean when It calm and its streaming
path Of yellow beams is seen for miles by those WHO
sail under the stars while the rest OF the wofiu seep'
There is no more rugged, dangerous coast aions 'e
seaboard of Maine than here and when southe's'
gale RACES the waves pound the cliffs and reefs
with roar that goes rumbllng up the quiet kenneoec
or breaks family among the pine forests iniana'
In summer the sea Is dazzling in It's CLASSY smooth-
ness until IL rolls In where broad beach stretches
below Fort Popham and curving, breaks In shower
of FOAM flashing with salt drops under the not sun
rays Then the coast is plcturesquey Deaullui anu
quiet Summer cottages showing on the slopes anu
heights or where the beach runs away 10
seIye through the breakers into the spark
ling blue are peasngly peaceful and the veranda and
shade look attractive to those who are skirtng along
without on the heat-refecting water You can see on
the paths trailing the cr among trees and fern
grown rocks the ample foliage OF shrubs or bushes
the gay coors of women's summer gowns Az the base
OF the cliff on dripping backfaced rocks more OF them
are walking where the water comes up to their feet
There is not n great deal of life just enough to show
the stranger that there people who enjoy life OF this
sort and are content to get away from the busy rush
of cities or the fevers heat OF fashions favore sum-
mer places.
But when fall is turning into bleak winter it is all
very different Storms tear up the shining BEACH ana
STRIP the cliff of It's foliage. They send the ocean,
straight up like gray wall, laundering against the
grim heights They batter down projecting rocKs ana
send avalanches Of whie-whirling foam and deep
coored water with sweeping rush over the DAch-
topped reefs and the rock points. The far weather
visitors have fed weeks before from the unforbiodins
Mace but Just as In summer when the ocean was
nlacid and the shore brilliant In color. the bright
light over OIL segun's stern rock shines steadily every
night only through backer night and across mgh
swelling water.
81 don't find it so lonely here in winter as yon
mer "You see / have my wife and family here ana
the two assistant keepers and OF them Is married
We make q good working community and get along
very nicely together. You see how comfortable am
We have pleasant home 1t isn't palace but tllere
Is one thing about tits foundations age SOLID III
won't blow away II little breeze should spring up,
and we do have breezes once in awhile he added
with a quiet SMILE
OF course 1t Is pretty hard to get to shore In
winter. The winds are terrific and the seas
run high, and when heavy STORM sets
in getting across Is out OF the quesuon'
But in those times are kept pretty busy You see
It's n big Job to keep the light clean. There's all
that glass and then there are the lights themselves
We have to watch them carefully 1t wouldn't do to
have anything happen to the light he said seriously
Vessels would go astray for miles around and TO one
knows what would happen.
Yes that's good light of the best in the
country and It's to every sailor who was ever
in these waters suppose tens of thousands OF ships
have marked their by II. IL anything happens
10 the lamps can put in new ones in 10 tme No,
that glass isn't easily broken There is better In
the world and il costs lot of money. We are polish
ing It all the time We keep these silk curtains over
10 in the day time.
When we have storm with fog and sleet. there is
more to do than TO look after the light We get up
steam and old fog horn bowls all night and all day.
1t makes an awful noise but we like 1t. We have
accident.
Lighthouses are expensive Lots of oil and miles
of wick are USED: but they save millions OF
dollars every year. Then 1t gets chilly up here"
he added, with twinkle IN his eye
at takes good deal of coal to keep
warm If you need of exercise when the weather
unusually nasty you get IL climbing these stairs
up into the tower when you are attending TO tn light
It's nice little iog up and down, ana you can tase II
gale is bowling, something happens which makes
ye ea't are to it, You Will hear sudden thua on the
through the until seeing The light it struggles to turn
its course and Is thrown up against the glass Yes.
It, and then slip down and are killed In the fall.
1t makes sorry for them, but you can't them
They are on the outside and you are In.
M ON ths rock You see It's hardy more than rock
but we have the surface of it under cultivation
There's garden and raise corn, good potatoes
mer ana good store Of Injuries to draw on n" in Winter
ice and went of that cliff there It was q long
the trees over 100 feet below. They stuck holes into
me until was sieve, and when they found me !
," No, wouldn't give up this life for any other tina.
know S Of n ws' raised han. sega1 and nay children
and perfectly contented It's as big an affair for
to sail over to Popham as for some people to go
pose We are used to this lie and we like it, sup
SO here is O community finding work enough TO do |
to keep from the discomfort o dlness, and making for
itself amusement and comfort enough to inspire that
much sought pleasure, content, and all a little
rock Island in the where in winter nature Is so
brutally proud and maserfully arrogant that within
the memory of those who live that coast to-day q |
great clipper ship coming there after sailing the seas
OF the world, was caught up In a black sou,easter
whrled ont Of her course aud dashed to fragments |