Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1892-02-27
A GRACE DARLING.

perlor where the lighthouse stood on
an island Was SO dangerous and the
sea ran SO high over the rocks in
gale that the government sought long
for a keeper and could not iind one
with courage enough TO undertake so
perllous duty But at last Joshua
Alcott accepted the governments offer
taking with him his daughter Gypsy.
who was just sixteen years old. and
all his goods out to the desolale rock.
The lighthouse lay about three-auar-
tiers OF mile from the shore. but
there were mo- many days In winter
that small boat could land at the
rock. Gypsy Aicoti and her father
moved there Ia August when the
weather was calm Nevertheless
when the wind rose al night during
the first month residence there and
the sea whoOped and doomed about
the base % the tower the father and
daughter trembled with dread
One day late In September the light
keeper and his daughter got into their
little boat and rowed 10 the nearest
settlement The father had some bus
mess 10 do couple o! miles distant In
the settlement. and as they hauled the
boat up the dock he said TO his daugh-
ter
Nov GYPSY, shall be back In
half an hour 20 do nos be far from
here when get back. We can not
trust the weather and Il isn't looking
very well now. Then he hurried
away and Gypsy ran on 10 visit some
OF her friends. She visited three or
four houses during the next hour and
then the skies grew dark. Great
armies OF clouds gathered 10 windward
and troopcd across the heavens. and
up the lake the storm had struck the
water turning the blue drowsy surface
into racing white caps When Gypsy
noticed this she started up and ex-
claimed,
'Oh the storm Is rising aud papa
can not &c, buck before II is too rough
81 eros, to the lighthouse. | will row
over alone. Some one come and help
me 20 launch the boat" Her friends
advised her 10 remain until her father
came but she said that Il was going
20 bc wild night aud the lamps must
be lighted
Lock here. girl shouted the old
est man IN tho party. no sktiT can
live out IN that sea now: wait for your
father
Il, viii get worse. and by The time
papa comes Il will be impossible to go
over; must DO there TO light the
lights aud saying this she pushed
the boat Oh with her pole then sat
upon the thwart seized her SOULS and
ruwod out into the angry water. She
made very bravo picture with the
drift OF spray driving over her like a
raiustorm her hair loosened IN the
wind. ike dark dag Tho fishermen
stood together abashed as they saw
the brave girl move further and fur
theF 8ut through tho roaring storm
and drift They felt ashamed OF
themselves Tor their cowardice for re.
lusing 20 20 Ia tho boat with this
Young Hon hearted girl;.but they shud-
derod us they saw the great white
topped pillows rolling toward the little
boat aad every minute threatening TO
swamp II
As for Gipsy she had no fear though
the foam swept over her boat in con
slant stream and IL was full OF water
Any faltering of her nerves would now
be fatal. and she kept constantly
watching he sens. which every min
ute were growing more furious and
swinging her skid around TO meet them
| hoad.to. The sun had set and In the
| gloom which began 70 gather over the
noisy wnfes she could see the rock and
the lighthouse not far away looming
darkly through the spray. Two OF
three more shipments of water over
the low quarter and then the girl was
in tho shelter Of the rock.
Springing lightly from the bow and
carrying the painter with her she ran
up to the windlass and drew her boat
| high out OF the water and secured II rs
firmly rs sho could. Tho sea had al.
ready commenced to boom against the
rock and az euch shock columns OF
spray were flung up 10 half the height
OF the towor on the wiudward side.
Tho evening was made so darl,
by the storm that Gypsy knew
the light should ba lighted n
once; moreover she could just scr
about halt milo 10 windward a shil
whose course lay along by the island.
She trippcd lightly up the tower tn,
wind shrieling by the building, and il
few minutes the ruddy light CLEANED
out upon the sen, Then as the dark.
ness deepened the ship showing hel
lights passed safely by the lcdg,
under close reefed sails and Gypsy fell
herself all alone IN the midst'of thi,
Wilderness of raging sea- Whom The
great iron weight was wound up ant
the lantern panes wiped she set the
fans Of the balance wheel TO regulat,
the revolution Of tho flashes and wen'
down 20 the basement OF the tower
There she laid upon the table som,
cold lake fowl, bread and butter ant
then brewed herself pot OF fragrant
coffee. As we know she was brave
GO she did not mind the prospect %
hneing 10 stay nloue all night on