Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-07-18
AT LEDGE LIGHT.

One stormy night In November skipper
Colby gays an extra turn TO the stout rope
wl-ch fastened his boat to the little wharf.
Then he looked up at the revolving Hight
In the high tower. "Ayel Flash Awayi
DO your best TO tell the poor fellow out
yonder 10 keep away from such tryachcr.
Gus coast a, thisi'
Before he started for the little weather
stained house by the tower he turned his
face once more toward the black, tossing
water, "ft's going 10 b. wild night" he
muttsrcd. 1T. lucky came hack when
did. II I'd waited much longer, Z would
ha' been out o. the power % mortal man To
ha' rounded the PINT alive"
Ilelgc light stood on long strip Of
rocky beach iuttlng far out into the ocean,
This ceaselcsz lashing OF the waves had
worn the little neck of land away IN the
narrowcst part. but the zap was spanned
BY Wide wooden bridge. This way OF
getting 10 the town on the coast was but
little used, however. except In the toughest
weather. On all other ocl asions the people
a. the light found u much easier 10 make
tie trip by water. A short distance sea
ward was dark limo Of reefs known ~ the
Hack bone, At flood tide II was covered.
hut the ebbing OF the waves lctt the cruel
outline In plain sight. before the light
had lsen placed there many gallant ship
had been driven By tho wind on the reef
and dashed 10 pieces.
A. the skipper stood thcrc looking out to
sea he heard the booming u the surf. aud
IN the fading light he could Just make out
the white line Of angry breakers flo
turned away, and had nearly reached the
little house by the tower when the door
was thrown open aud the rudy iirelight
s,rramsd outside, showing the figure Of
gray haired woman aud OF u slight young
girl pserlng out auxIoualy Ia tho fast
gathering gloom.
where's Mcgi" broke from their lips at
the same time.
''Saie aud sound For some rras0n the
school board put on examining the teachers
until tomorrow. aud Meg concluded To
stay over night Whewl How the wind
howls" aud the old man hastily drew wife
aud daughter In the house ~ lerce gust
swept across the narrow beach and slam
med tho door behind them,
DO you suppose Meg will get the plncei"
Cant say, Peggy. hut I'm sure Of one
thing-if they take her. she'll make good
teacher. Tor bet heart u mostly 10 her
books"
Meggy and Peggy were the lightkeepor'.
twin daughters SO much alike were they
that strangers could scarcely tell them
apart; but on watching them closely one
could zee that Mrg's laugh was the mer.
rier. and that she carried herself little
more proudly than shy little Peggy sha
WAS, moreover. tho better scholar Of the
two. aud the ease with which she kept at
MisH al hNFa al -. h.. oil IT
very happy.
But Peggy liked better 10 busy herself
about the house. while there was nothing
IN the way OF patching. darning aud sew.
lug which her quick fingers could not do.
On the day following the storm the skip.
per sat by the tro mending some nets,
while Mrs. Colby and Peggy began the
preparations for the simple evening meal
The fury OF the wind had spent itself dur.
Ing the night aud the dangerous waves
had subsidized. Peggy glanced often ut tho
little clock on the shelf "will you watch
the coffee, mother. while ! SEQ n Meg Is
eomiugi"
She threw shawl over her shoulders
and run down 10 the wharf, where she
stood watching small black speck OH the
point In a few moments she was able
To make out Meg. who Wa pulling for the
shore with strong. steady stroke. The boat
shot up 10 the landing aud the young grl
spfang out. One look At her s0rrowiul
lace answered the question trembling on
Pcggy's lips. "oh, Meg You dear, dar.
ling Mcgl You didn't get u after ALL"
Never mind. Pssgyl Perhap. It's all
for the best
Meg's chin quiyered. her large brown
eyes ulled with t,aFs. aud dropping down
on stone that lay by the wharf she COY.
cred her face With Der hands, while Peggy
knelt by her side trying 10 comfort her.
~ isn't ouly losing the plaoe-lts the
uhtalrnesa that hurts ne 30. Bertha Day.
papers were the only ouea that had higher
marx than mine. You see. they had an
examination down NJ tho city about a
month ago, aud they used the same set OF
papers that We did. Bertha found Ii out,
aud went there aud took the examination
lust "a II she was trying Tor teacher
place. She didn't pass. bot she knew jus,
what the questions were 10 he, aud she 1
becn studying on them all this while"
Then shes a tbisf aud she really stole
the place from your Peggys anger
Glaled out hstcely. Didn't you tell them
Of itW
1T would have been a waste OF breath
Her father and uncle are both members OF
the school board, you know
And you need the money and slf
doesn't, for her fathers well OIL oh, the
meauness and the dishonesty Of the rich
Why, Meg, ever since Lean remember She,
always bocn saying or doing some hateful
thing 10 US, When we two shy little tot
hrst went TO school she made US cry b,
laughing at our old fashioned clothes aud
poking fun at dea father aud mother, and
she has kept up her proud, disagfeeabl,
ways and her sneeriug ever since.
Meg rose 10 her feet II was 40 sure OF
the place" she murmured brokenly "Oh
dcarl Everything looked 40 bright when
went away yesterday morning. and nov
IT'S all dark and dreRry as Il Is out yonder'
aud she pointed 10 the dull lcadeu sky and
gray stretch VI water.
Peggy erept close TO her side and threw
one arm around her In close embrace.
ut can't be all dark aud dreary so long
as We have each other she said. ~ AM
only sorry for your sake, dear Meg Fol
NY sUa PAT t-Am gla4-ph. Nv gladl