The morning call., 1893-06-04

hide it entirely, and the whole structure
CLEANS with a softened intensity of light
before you. 1t is the most lovely sight
ever beheld. 1t Glows like an immense
gem, swinging in mid air, for nothing but
the glow and glitter is visible through the
night. 1t is huge topaz-coored dia-
mond. for nothing but the diamond resem-
birs the glittering light. and the color is a
softened shaded topaz
Fit gem, with its yellow blaze, TO be
worn on the rocky breast of the Golden
State. 1T shines golden, glowing against
the dark background of midnight sky.
lnkY ocean, and enc conld sit hour after
hour watching its glittering light. But to
the keeper it has become an old and un-
Interesting story, and visions Of bed be-
gin to Hit through his brain. He heayes a
long sigh. which reminds you that he
may not care to stand there watching a
sight he has seen manv hundred times be-
fore in the long years he has spent on this
lonely rock, 80 reluctantly you rise and
begin the climb again, with longing back
ward glanceS as the glorious sight you
are leaving behind. and at last stand
GREATNESS and speeches. at the top Of the
stairs.
With morning light everybody at the
point is up and astir There are five men.
two women and eight children on the
reservation, and there is not another house
in sight except that belonging to the life
saving service, which is away down on
the beach seven miles in direct line, but
ten or twelve by the road which must be
taken to reach it.
But if the place is a lonely one the
people are a fairly jolly crowd. Two of
The assistants are single men, and it must
be rather dull for them there, but for
those who have families 1t is reasonably
pleasant. and when telephone service is
secured will be much more so.
hA 49,. 4
with the outer world is by mail three
times week, and a misera Bile service at
that, for by some governmental absurtlty
the mail is taken from the train AT 0!ema,
and is brought across the country in cart
by man who leaves Oiema before the
mail of that day is opened. If the mail
was taken from Point Reyes station in
stead of from Olema, letters mailed in San
Francisco Sunday. Tuesday or Friday
morning would be delivered at the light
that same day. AS It is letter
mailed in San Francisco on Mon
day evening must wait at Olema
until the following Friday This is
rather grievance, and it seems an entirely
unnecessary one, a S there is no reason why
the letters should not be taken from the
Office at Point Reyes station instead of
having man drive miles down the road
to meet the train at Olema.
But official acts are fearfuly and wonder
fully planned, and probably somebody's
ak gets sharp edge on it by this strange
operation.
If the 500 and odd steps have left Won
strength Of mind and BODY enough to re-
peat the trip with an additional 400 steps
you NAV take gentle run down the long
flights OF stairs and look into the working
OF the fog signal far down below the level
OF the lighthouse, but there is not much of
interest to stranger unless it is foggy
night. Then the booming of the whistle
shakes the building until you fear it may
TALL upon you, or. worse still, that the
sound may bring down upon the little shed
the whole side of the bluff rising high
above
Years ago one of the signalmen, who at
that time slept down there, woke one
morning and jumped up TO look out across
the sea. He had scarcely gntte feet from
his bed when crashing roar from above
startled him. He looked back just in time
TO see an immense boulder, some hundreds
OF pounds weight, come crashing through
the roof to fall plump into the bed he had
but second before occupied The bed
was crushed to splnters and the man was
frightened into Mysteries almost at his
narrow escape.
There are some wonderful fine surf
effects to be seen at the foot of the cliff.
above which the signal-hOuse stands. and
there are always dozens of seals swimming
and floating about among the rocks all dav
long.
But yon are only visitors, and cannot
STAY forever, even here where visitors are
welcomed So cordially and spared SO re-
luctantly, so you find yourselves one fine
morning riding back across the pastures
where the mild-eyeG cows paused in their
grazing to wonder what vagary had
brought You here into the midst of their