The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1894-03-28
Wha' Tha's Aw Will Tha's Aw WAY.
AN INCIDENT OF MINoT LEDGE.

AN iNNiDhNi UT
Yell nae mind staying alone, lad,
this fine day. l maun AVA to main
land for ile-tba's ne'er emo to last the
NIGHT out"
"Na', Uncle Ned, I'll nae' mind,
and yell be hame afore dark"
g Yes, yes, laddie; tn lamps maun
ne'er gang DOT; so good-by."
Uncle Ned, as he was called by
everybody, as well as by his nephew,
was lighthouse keeper. On account
of this visit of his nephew he had put off
going for oil till the lads friends should
come for him-not caring to leave him
alone in this desolate place.
Robert thought his uncle wonderful
man, most as good as his mother. Yes,
he remembered his mother, who died
on board the ship that brought him to
this new land, where his grandfather
had made a home, and sent back to
Scotland for his widowed daughter and
her boy. He was wee laddie then,
and but young "callan" now. But
he had the true Scotch heart, brave as
hero if danger assailed.
So after his uncle rowed away toward
the mainland in his boat Roberts heart
nearly failed him, but he choked back
the lump in his throat, and walked
about and examined the lamps, and
noticed everything about them, and re-
called his uncle's habit of lighting them
before it was quite dark. In this way
he thought less of the loneliness of the
place and of being alone in this big
lighthouse, where the sea was beating
against its sides with sullen roar that
even to his Impractical ear foreboded
storm. 1t was growing dark and the
clouds were also growing black, and yet
Uncle Ned had not returned. But
Robert knew that the lamps must be
lighted; and he knew where the cans of
oil were kept and the step-ladder that
Uncle Ned used when he filled his
lamps. So he went to the lower room
where these things were to fetch them.
But he could not lift the can of oil; but
he saw smaller can, so he contrived
10 pour oil from the big can into the
small one, then taking that to the lamp
room he CHANGED to see smaller step
ladder which he could move. This he
placed under the lamps in turn, as he
contrived to pour in the oil. Two or
three times he went to the basement to
fill his can.
Grandfather says, where tha's aw
will tha's aw way" he said often to
himself, as he went back and forth.
AT length he had the lamps all burn
ing, and his satisfaction made him for
get his fatigue. But the growing of
the wind and the thud of the waves
were putting his Scotch courage to
severe test. One hour went by and
then another, and Uncle Ned did not
come. Then the lad began to fear that
the oil would not last till morning, and
what would happen if the lamps should
go out? So he went down the winding
stairs again and poured the last drop
from the big can into this small one,
and took lantern with him as he went
up to the lamp-room again.
IS can fill this and hold it up before
the reflector" he said to himself, s. if
the big lamps go out"
But before midnight he heard Uncle
Ned shouting from the landing, and he
ran as fast as he could to meet him,
shouting joyfully as he ran.
eye be one burke laddie, sonnie, to
keep the lamps bleezing an blinkin'
anent the skie. I'd av' been hame,
laddie, but the mirkest reamin' sea
drave me a shog and sic scaith to the
gallant boat wadna' gat hame the
NIGHT, but the next wind tax me on top
a whiskin' wave an throod myself and
boat on tn land. How dye LIGHT the
lamps, callan? ha' dye make it?''
Grandfather alters says What tha's
aw will tha's aw way, laddie ,; and L
thocht it over, Uncle Ned, and sa' the
lamps be burnin', and | waited for
you" -Cdroline W. ID. Rich.