Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1895-10-31
New York World.

In these days so much is said and
written of the new woman, of what she
is doing and will do that one is apt to
lose sight of the fact that the "old''
woman did just exactly as much, Only
there were not quite SO many of her.
No woman more fifty illustrates tle
truth of this iconoclastic remark than
the lighthouse keeper, Kate Moore,
now one of the "exempts. " She has
tecently passed her 9th birthday, and
until 10 years ago, when she trimmed
her lamps and climbed the spiral stair
way of the tall tower for the last time,
the light at the entrance to Black Rock
Harbor, near Bridgeport, Conn, was
for many years kept burning by her
hands,
Although now so near the century
mark, Miss Moore is still hale and
hearty. Her hazel eyes are as bright
and her intellect as quick as il she
were 30, but Father Time has rather
outdone himself in writing his steno
graphic characters upon her face,
having been aided in this doubtless by
Brother Neptune, for, crossing and re-
crossing her face are the lines of 10. 600
curious wrinkles. Time has, however,
touched her brown hair with the ut
most delicacy; it covers her head well
and but few silver threads are visible.
She still holds herself erect, although
in her daily walk along the shore she
generally carries a quaint, knotted
Staff.
Her manner of speaking is abrupt,
as though she We're accustomed to
giving orders and to having them
obeyed. Although deprived of oduca-
tional advantages in the isolated home,
where she lived so many years, she be-
came reader of books and was a
writer Of her experiences in most
interesting way.
She is spending her last days quietly
in an oldfashioned cottage command
ing magnificent view of the Sound
and of Fayerweather Island, on which
the lighthouse stands. The approach
to the cottage is by flight of six
steep steps cut into the elevated front
yard. A Sunday "World' reporter who
called there was met by the old lady
herself and invited inside.
As she talked she held in her arms a
,cigar-box containing some tiny shells,
which she had just gathered for use in
her fancy work. When asked how it
happened that she selected as her voca-
'tion the keeping Of lighthouse, she
smiled and replied:
Well, / didn't exactly select it: l
was brought up to it. My father.
Stephen Tomlinson Moore, was West
Indian merchant, and one time, while
he was here, he undertook to assist
Commodore Hull in getting in load
of hay. The oxen ran away, father
was injured, and the government gave
him the position. Between him and me
we kept the lighthouse in our family
for y years. No doubt, that seems 4
very long time to you; but can re-
member further back than that.
- At that time the island was very
different from what it is now. 1t was
fine piece of land of 200 acres
with plenty Of trees, while now 1t
has but eight acres and has no
foliage except the ailanthus trees which
set out 20 years ago. | planted
loo, ard many Of them are still living.
They're til Tor nothing but sand
beach, anyway, sou know.
I've heard my father say that when
my grandfather Robert Moore, first
sailed into Black Rock lIarbor. OF
rather Pequonack Hnrbor, it was
then the island was quite a forest.
lie held commission under King
George, and he married Phoebe Tom.
linsOn, Of the ltuu7atnnic river. / sun
pose you know that the Tominsans
came t. this country and bought d
whole township on the Housatonicf
As was saying, the island has
been ruined by gales since then.
Every 30 years these great gales come,
he waves dashiDn clear over fine island
md on January i9tb. 800 the last ID
,he old trees wpa swpnt away mn,
linhthousp itsplf hlaw oy"r Dnce
lon't remembrr inst what ycnr !,
vas. I, she said ,nnsinglv ..hnt
NOV if was on Scntn,nher sd II w,,
dreadful thing to have hammer. H.,
this was lbcn the only Nrht az X,
Connecticut Side Of LIMO Island thf
only LIGHT between Nnw Unvnr ~,
Eaton Necl5-and WAS ~ COURSE of In
estimahle value ia narincrs
'sSometimes there wore mora tbo,
0oo saiIinr, ,.,,gs,Js 49, ~ ~" =
and some nights there we're ere as :" MANI anEu =,
thron or fnlr wrerts ~ w, ,, IA ~
how essential il was that NAV sbonIt
sec our lipht
"If wns miserable ora 10 loo,
going. too: NOTHING Ht,a tboso il, ,,s,
nowadaye. If consisted of ci,,bt oi
lamus Which tool, fnnr gailors 80 ~
each night and If thcv VIEW NJ 70
plcnishpd III stated intcrraIa II
through thc Min tbcv wnnt o,,+
During ycry windy nigI,ts /, w." NV,
almost imp5seiGle 10 ken fhem hn mn'
ing AT ali. and had tn 1t.y ti,a ',e' ~, :,
night but on other nights, | Silent "a a,
home dressrd H. :, M :"
clothes, NV lightaI lantern banoin,, !, !
my headboard and Iny faca iirnn5 !,
that | could noe shining IN TIA vol
the light from the tower and isnnw J.
,..,,At. -. 49, - h'''N :