Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1894-06-26

Slowed snugly away In his little tow
er at Fire island. the man who always
has his weather eye open sweeps tho
horizon witt, his night glass, watching
rnd waiting. Beside him II his list ~
vessels bound to the great port ~ which
the flaming beacon way above his head
!. one u tho scntincls. and all around
arr the moaning II tho distant surf. the
breaking ~ waves ON the leach nd his
feet and thu whistle of the wind ~ 10
c.ldics and swirl- around the tower and
huge lamp NJ its top Minute after min.
utc passes away. each one marked by q
great bcam of light sent out over the
waters.
Suddenly there comes from the south.
eat, NJ II thrown up by the ocean. q
glcam Il rui-r,d. the danger signal.
but the watcher IL not disturbed. He
only waits Not for long. however. n
the night glass pointed toward that
point II rod On The ocoan's rim shows n
blue light on each side of II. about 100
feet away. while Just below the rcd
light l. faint spock of grcsn. That is
enough The signals have told their
story, and the next instant binding
fiash u gron light from the tower an
swcrs the distant vessel. and before it,
glare has died away tho electric spark
has sent 90 the Western Union Tclo.
graph ofiice and to every Newspaper In
the city the message. Steamer Paris
southeast ~ firc island" "
Tho big boat sT.s'ls ON her way. The
watcher checks her name OF the list oi
vessels due. hut Others have sen the
green signal. Tho dim lights II the
steamer hal not attracted the attention
~ the sailpr. on the little pilotboai
standing to the eastward. but the bril.
liant fash ~ green told them that zig
nal hal l-cn answered. and there was
no need for the Paris 81 ssnd up the
familiar pilO, call - whitc-rcd-
white The Paris meant ti50 for tho
pilot catching her. and thu men started
right off after her. knowing that sho
was du. aud hoping 10 was her signal
that hal bscn answered.
The occan greyhound has passed away
o. the westward In the darkness. and
again the watcher Resumes his vigil
but the wind has increased The brcozo
has given way before gathering ~ tho
forc,s ~ the air. and up from tho south
w,~t comes q surging ~ waves. and thc
surf l. bcaiing and pounding on tho
shOp with hollow. rsOunding boom
that tells IL q tempest abroad In the
night. Blackor and blackcr grow the
clouds overhead. narrower and narrow.
cr grows the circle ~ inky sea and sky
that marks the limits ~ vision, anil
while the faithful monitor overhead
kecJ- up it, clocklikc regularity ~ blaz.
ing and fading it, range ~ power u
constantly loss.nod by the coming
storm.
Down on the h.ach the swing ~ u
lantern marks where the life saver Il
steadily tramping along to meet his
companion from the next station. IL isa
terribly lonely mission lie Is alone
with the meaning surf. and each step u
like entering some enchanted ralm of
darkness. ruled iy the spirit of thc
storm Oii onc side II him l. the sullon.
grinding sca. TN the other waste u
sand. and In front the fitful CLEAN oi
his own lantern lie l. lonely and cold,
but that has no t.rrors for him. His
next step may touch some one lOnclicr
and colder than hc-a human body
pressed into the moist. unyiclding sand
OR away through the breakers riss- the
form ~ ship helpless for all her
strength. driven by the gale far on tho
shorc d,spit. the friendly warning from
tho tall tower with it, finger - flame
Then the crimson signal In his hand
tells the watch at the station that thcrc
IL work a. do and the wrecked mari
ncrs that help l. at hand He hurrios Ia
the station a. assist In the PREPARATIONS
for r,-cua As he Dcars the little house
therc b.gins brilliant display u FIRE
works A glaro II rcd. changing Ia n
clear white. which l. followed by "a
vivid green. conveys the message Ia the
next station. and . bright white blazo
tells that the signal IL s,en and under.
siocd. and then the bcautiful Coston
lights send shooting through the gloom
q series IL orders easily understood a
bright grccn tells the distant watchers
that aid il needed. and a rel and green
call for boats and equipments a rd
and white would have called for rocket
apparatus. u green and rel for the life
car or "broches buoy" and - ON,
different combinations 81 colors convey
Ing different instructions
But IL IL not always stern business
that calls into play the Coston colurs
A big yachting club has it, regatta
From mp and down the coast come the
swift. white winged or steam driven
pleasure craft. SoIne of the stragglers
come In late. and ~ n whito-rc'l-
,,r,en white succession 81 ilrs appears
lighting up th. sails ~ u belat-i fiier
the waiting feet preparcs % welcome
the wanslcrr from the Eastern Yacht
club u Boston. AMI chasing clo~e after
her comes a rcd-white. followed hy
rel AMI then white star. and the wei.
come 81 the man from Boston IL ex'
tendel Ia the Corinthians delegate
Next comes four color combination.
and the acknowledgement which l. FOL.
lowed by q blue star shows that ono of
the American Steam Yacht clubs lnats
has fallen In line New York Tribune
The Piiisw Nsi..sce.
81 happened to bc in Kansas City
while convention was ON. said D. \
Eies, "and owing 90 the crowded con-
dition of the hotels was compelled 10
double up with stranger Ho was q
very pleasant man Of German dosccnt
and did nothing erratic until he wont
to bed. Then he removed the casters
from the legs at the head IL the bed. -
rs 10 make Il lower than tho foot, placcd
his pillows at tho foot of the bcd and
went 10 sleep with his head at lcast ~
inches lower than his feet Iie slep, the
sleep Of the Just and hal TO la called
half dozen times Ia the morning We
went down to breakfast together. and i
ridiculcd him for his peculiar slscping
posture He quoted sone German sch
enlist with five syllable name as his
authority. ai,l so oOnyiIoed me OF the
fact that it u entirely u mistake TO sup
pose that pillows aid holsters are neos'
sary that discarded both and found 10
my .urnri.c that La Ma iilLt The dis.